Compress PDF

Reduce the file size of your PDF in your browser. Free, fast and private.

100% Free No installation required Secure & private

Trusted by

Rate this tool

4.2/5 · 27,365 votes

Need to do more with your PDF?

Pick from 50 apps, all free to try: convert, edit, merge, compress, sign, or chat with a PDF using AI. Or open the workspace to run several on one file.

Use All PDF Apps Open the workspace

Three ways to compress a PDF

Pick the control that matches what you need: a balance, the smallest possible file, or an exact size.

Basic or strong compression

Basic compression is the default and aims for a medium file size at high quality. Strong compression goes further and accepts medium quality in return for a much smaller PDF.

Six quality presets

Each preset states the image resolution it targets, from Insane at 20 dpi through Normal at 72 dpi up to Prepress at 300 dpi with colours preserved. You choose how far the images are downsampled.

Compress to a target size

Give the compressor a size to aim for instead of a quality level, or use the one-click email preset when an attachment limit is what you are actually fighting.

Compress a PDF without losing quality

Basic compression is the setting to reach for when the document still has to look right. It keeps text sharp and leaves the layout untouched, and it reduces file size mainly by downsampling the images inside the PDF rather than by degrading the page itself.

If you want to control exactly how far the images are reduced, switch the quality preset. Normal targets 72 dpi images and suits anything that will be read on a screen. Ebook targets 150 dpi. Printer and Prepress both target 300 dpi, and Prepress additionally preserves colour information, which is what a print shop will ask for.

Because the compressor works on a copy, the PDF you uploaded is never modified. If a result is smaller than you wanted, change the preset and run it again.

Compress a PDF to the maximum

When the only thing that matters is getting under a limit, strong compression combined with the Insane or Minimum preset is the most aggressive setting available. Insane targets 20 dpi images and Minimum 40 dpi, so photographs and scans will visibly soften - this is the trade you are choosing when a file has to be small.

Two further controls go beyond the presets. Grayscale converts the images and text to shades of grey, which removes the colour channels entirely. Remove Images strips every image out of the document, leaving the text and layout behind, and on an image-heavy PDF it is by far the largest single reduction available.

These are the settings behind the searches for maximum PDF compression, and they are worth trying in order: strong compression first, then a lower preset, then greyscale, and only then removing images.

Each step makes the file smaller and less like the original.

Compress a PDF for email

Most mail providers reject attachments over a fixed size, and a scanned contract or a slide deck exported to PDF passes that limit easily. Instead of guessing at a quality setting, give the compressor a target file size and let it work backwards from there.

There is a preset for exactly this case that aims at a ten megabyte attachment, which clears the common limits with room to spare. Job applications, invoices, assignments and anything else that has to arrive in an inbox rather than a download link are the usual reasons to use it.

Common uses: job applications, invoices, assignments.

Compress PDF files in the browser, on any device

There is nothing to download and nothing to install. The compressor runs from a browser tab, which means the same page works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS without a separate app for each, and without administrator rights on a machine you do not own.

Files up to 50 MB can be uploaded without an account, and you can upload from your device, from a link, or from cloud storage. Several PDFs can be compressed in one go rather than one at a time.

Upload from your device, a link, or cloud storage.

How your PDF is handled

The file you hand over for this is often the one that matters most. These are the terms it is handled under.

Encrypted connection

Uploads and downloads run over TLS with modern ciphers, and personal data is stored in encrypted form.

Nobody opens it

The process is automated end to end. No one reads your document or copies it, and no backup of a user file is kept.

GDPR compliant

QaamGo Web GmbH runs the service under the GDPR. Your copyright stays yours and nothing trains an AI model.

How to compress a PDF

Upload your PDF file.

Drag it into the box above, browse your device, or load it from a link or cloud storage.
Choose a compression method (basic, strong, or preset).

Basic keeps the quality high, strong makes the file smaller, and the presets set the image resolution directly.
Turn images in the PDF to grayscale to compress the PDF even more (optional).

Greyscale removes the colour channels, and Remove Images strips the images out entirely.
Click "Start" when you are done.

Download the compressed PDF. Compare it with the original and run it again at a lower preset if it is still too large.

Frequently asked questions about compressing PDFs

Is it free to compress a PDF here?

Yes. Compress PDF is free for everyone and needs no account. Files up to 50 MB can be compressed without registering, and a free account or a paid plan raises that limit if you work with larger documents.

How much can I compress a PDF?

It depends almost entirely on what is inside the document. A PDF full of photographs or scanned pages can often be reduced dramatically, because the images are what take up the space. A PDF that is mostly text is already small and will shrink far less.

Will compressing a PDF reduce its quality?

Only as far as you allow. Basic compression is designed to keep the document looking right, and the quality presets let you set the image resolution yourself, from 300 dpi down to 20 dpi. Text stays selectable and the layout is not changed.

How do I compress a PDF to a specific file size?

With a free account, switch from a quality preset to a target file size and enter the size you need. The one-click preset that aims at a ten megabyte file, intended for email attachments, needs no account.

Is it safe to compress a PDF online?

Yes. The upload runs over an encrypted connection and personal data is stored encrypted. Processing is fully automated, so nobody opens your document or copies it, and no backup of a user file is kept. QaamGo Web GmbH, a German company, runs the service under the GDPR.

Can I compress a PDF on a phone or tablet?

Yes. The compressor runs in a browser tab, so it works the same on Android and iOS as it does on a desktop. There is no app to install and nothing to keep updated.