How much smaller will my PDF be?

It depends on the level and the content. Lossless usually saves little (often 0–20%). Balanced and Strong can shrink scanned or image-heavy PDFs dramatically, while text-only PDFs may not shrink at all because turning text into images can make them larger.

Will compression affect quality?

Lossless does not change anything. Balanced (150 DPI) and Strong (100 DPI, lower JPEG quality) re-render every page as an image, so text becomes slightly softer.

Why can't I select text after Balanced or Strong?

Those levels replace each page with a picture of the page, which is what makes the file small. Use Lossless if you need to keep selectable, searchable text.

What if the result is bigger than my original?

The tool shows the size change and only offers a download when the file got smaller. Otherwise your original is the better file.

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

No, encrypted PDFs can't be opened by the compressor. Remove the password in the original application first — the tool will tell you if a file is protected.

Why does a scanned PDF shrink so much more?

A scan is usually one large image per page at 300 DPI or more. Re-rendering at 150 or 100 DPI removes most of those pixels.

Is my file uploaded anywhere, and why is a big file slow?

Nothing is uploaded — everything runs in your browser. Balanced and Strong render one page at a time, so long documents take longer; a progress counter shows where it is.

Processed 100% locally in your browser

Compress PDF Files

Shrink your PDF with three compression levels and see the exact before-and-after size — processed 100% locally.

Quick Answer

Compress PDF Files lets you: Shrink your PDF with three compression levels and see the exact before-and-after size — processed 100% locally. To start, select the PDF file you want to compress.

Loading tool…

How to use this tool

1
Upload your PDF
Select the PDF file you want to compress.
2
Choose a level
Lossless keeps text selectable; Balanced and Strong re-render pages as images for much bigger savings.
3
Compress and compare
Click Compress and see the exact before and after file size.
4
Download if it's smaller
Download the compressed PDF — the tool only offers it when it is actually smaller than your original.

Frequently Asked Questions

Merge PDF

Combine PDFs into one — reorder files, choose pages from each, and arrange pages visually — processed 100% locally in your browser.

Split PDF

Split a PDF by page ranges, every N pages or single pages — or pick pages visually — processed 100% locally in your browser.

Compress PDF Files

How to use this tool

Upload your PDF

Choose a level

Compress and compare

Download if it's smaller

Frequently Asked Questions

How much smaller will my PDF be?

Will compression affect quality?

Why can't I select text after Balanced or Strong?

What if the result is bigger than my original?

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

Why does a scanned PDF shrink so much more?

Is my file uploaded anywhere, and why is a big file slow?

Related Tools

Merge PDF

Split PDF

Compress PDF Files

How to use this tool

Upload your PDF

Choose a level

Compress and compare

Download if it's smaller

Frequently Asked Questions

How much smaller will my PDF be?

Will compression affect quality?

Why can't I select text after Balanced or Strong?

What if the result is bigger than my original?

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

Why does a scanned PDF shrink so much more?

Is my file uploaded anywhere, and why is a big file slow?

Related Tools

Merge PDF

Split PDF