PDF Toolkit

Compress PDF Files

Make a PDF smaller right in your browser. Scans and photos inside are recompressed to a sensible resolution and unused data is cleared out, while the text stays selectable. No upload, no signup.

Contracts, statements and IDs are compressed on your device. The file never touches a server.

Free, no signup, no upload — PDFs are processed on your device.

Why it helps

Why compress PDFs locally

  • The PDFs that most need shrinking, like scanned IDs, statements and signed forms, are the ones you shouldn't upload to a stranger's server.

  • Only images are recompressed. Text, links and form fields stay as they were, so the PDF stays searchable.

  • Compare any page before and after with a slider, and see what takes up the space in the new file.

How to use it

How to compress a PDF

  1. 1

    Drop a PDF into the tool.

  2. 2

    Pick Light, Balanced or Strong, or choose a target size such as 200 KB.

  3. 3

    Compress, check a page in the before-and-after slider, and download the smaller file.

Quick tips

PDF compression tips

  • Scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs shrink the most. PDFs that are mostly text are usually small already.

  • Balanced keeps images at 150 DPI: sharp on screen and fine for office printing.

  • Need only a few pages? Split them out first: a shorter PDF compresses to a much smaller file.

FAQ

Compress PDF questions

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. Compression runs in your browser, in a background worker on your device. The PDF never leaves it.

Will the text still be selectable?

Yes. Pages are never turned into pictures. Only the images inside the PDF are recompressed; text, links and form fields stay as they were.

How much smaller will my PDF get?

It depends on what is inside. Scans and photos often shrink a lot, while a PDF that is mostly text may barely change. If nothing can be saved, the tool says so instead of handing back a bigger file.

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

No. Remove the password first, then compress the unlocked copy.

Does compressing affect a digital signature?

Yes. Compressing rewrites the file, so an existing digital signature no longer validates. Keep the original wherever the signature matters.

Open the main PDF Toolkit page

This page focuses on one search intent. The main tool page includes the broader product overview, related workflows, and full use cases.