Compress PDF
Reduce file size while optimizing for maximal PDF quality.
How do I compress pdf?
Quick Answer: Upload your bulky PDF file. Choose your desired compression level (Extreme, Recommended, or Less compression). Download your optimized, much smaller PDF file.
How to use Compress PDF
- Upload your bulky PDF file.
- Choose your desired compression level (Extreme, Recommended, or Less compression).
- Download your optimized, much smaller PDF file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will compression ruin the quality of my PDF?
Our advanced optimization algorithms reduce file size by compressing images and removing redundant data while keeping text sharp and images visually clear.
Which compression level should I choose?
We suggest 'Recommended' for a perfect balance. Use 'Extreme' only if you urgently need the smallest file size possible for email attachments.
Can I compress a PDF that is already small?
You can, but the file size reduction will be minimal since the data is likely already optimized.
How do I compress a PDF on my Mac or iPhone?
Our PDF compressor is fully optimized for all devices. You can effortlessly compress and reduce the size of your PDFs on Mac, iPhone, Android, or Windows devices without losing quality.
Compress PDF — Specifications
- Free file size limit
- 10 MB per request, no account required
- Pro file size limit
- 2 GB per request
- Price
- Free — Pro from $4.99/month
- Watermark
- None, on any plan
- Account required
- No
- Transfer security
- 256-bit SSL
- File retention
- Deleted automatically within 2 hours
- Installation
- None — runs in the browser
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, ChromeOS
- Input formats
- Output format
- Engine
- Ghostscript
- Typical reduction
- 40–80% depending on image content
- Target size
- Presets for 100 KB, 200 KB and 1 MB
When to use Compress PDF
- Getting a document under a 200KB upload cap on a visa, exam or job portal.
- Shrinking a scanned file so it fits an email attachment limit.
- Reducing a photo-heavy brochure before publishing it on a website.
Troubleshooting Compress PDF
The text became blurry.
Aggressive compression downsamples images, and a scanned page is entirely an image. Try a lighter level, or run OCR first so the text layer stays sharp regardless of image quality.
The file barely got smaller.
A PDF that is mostly text is already small; most of the saving comes from images. If the file is already optimised there is little left to remove.
I need an exact size, not a quality level.
Use the fixed targets — 100KB, 200KB or 1MB — which iterate until the output fits.
Related tools
Is TheyLovePDF a free alternative to iLovePDF for Compress PDF?
Yes. TheyLovePDF runs Compress PDF free in the browser with no watermark, no account, and no daily operation cap. Files travel over 256-bit SSL and are deleted automatically within 2 hours.
Free iLovePDF Alternative — Compress PDF
iLovePDF limits free accounts to a set number of tasks per day and asks you to sign in for larger files. TheyLovePDF applies no daily task limit, adds no watermark, and requires no account for files up to 10MB — Pro raises that to 2GB. Both run entirely in the browser; neither needs an install.