Compress PDF
Reduce the file size of a PDF, right in your browser.
100% private: your PDF is processed entirely inside your browser and is never uploaded to any server.
Compression re-renders each page as an image, so text becomes non-selectable. It works best on scanned or image-heavy PDFs.
About the Compress PDF
Compress PDF shrinks a bulky PDF so it is easier to email or upload. It works by re-rendering each page at an adjustable image quality, which is highly effective on scanned documents and PDFs stuffed with large photos. Lower the quality slider for a smaller file, raise it to keep more detail. Because pages are rebuilt as images, the text is no longer selectable in the result — so this is ideal for scans, less so for text documents you still need to search. Everything runs locally in your browser, so even sensitive scans stay on your device.
How to use it
- Select the PDF you want to make smaller.
- Pick a quality level — lower means a smaller file, higher keeps more detail.
- Click 'Compress PDF'; the tool shows the before and after size and downloads the result.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the text become non-selectable?
To compress effectively, each page is turned into an image and rebuilt into a new PDF. That flattens the text, which is why it can no longer be selected or searched.
Which PDFs compress best?
Scanned documents and image-heavy PDFs shrink the most. A plain text PDF may not get much smaller, since it was already compact.
Is my file uploaded to compress it?
No. All rendering and rebuilding happens in your browser, so the document stays private.
The file didn't get smaller — why?
If the PDF was already optimised or is mostly text, re-rendering can occasionally match or exceed the original size. Try a lower quality setting, or use this tool mainly for scans.
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