Compress PDF Files Online
Compress PDF reduces file size by re-encoding embedded images (light or balanced) or flattening pages to compressed images (maximum). Everything runs in your browser.
Drag & drop your PDF here
or
No signup needed · Compressed locally in your browser
- Free
- No signup
- No watermark
- Files stay on your device
What is Compress PDF?
Large PDFs bounce back from email, fail upload forms and eat storage. Most of that weight is usually images: a scanned page or a phone photo can be several megabytes on its own. This tool shrinks those images and re-saves the file with a leaner structure.
You choose the trade-off. Light keeps image resolution and trims JPEG quality slightly, Balanced downsizes large photos for email-friendly files, and Maximum turns each page into a compressed image for the smallest result. Everything happens in your browser, so confidential files are never uploaded.
How to compress pdf in 3 steps
Add your PDF
Drag the file in or choose it from your device. You will see its current size.
Pick a level
Light keeps quality, Balanced suits email, Maximum gives the smallest file but makes text non-selectable.
Compress and download
The new file downloads with the before and after sizes shown.
Good to know: Light and Balanced re-compress embedded JPEG images only. PDFs whose images use other encodings may not shrink until you choose Maximum.
When to use it
Compression works best on PDFs that contain photos or scans. A text-only PDF is already small, so the tool will tell you honestly when there is nothing to gain instead of handing you a file that is the same size.
Tip: if the result is still too large, run it again on Maximum, or remove pages you do not need first with Remove PDF Pages.
Related PDF tools
Finish the job with another free tool.
Compress PDF – frequently asked questions
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what is inside. PDFs with large photos often shrink a lot at Balanced or Maximum. Text-only PDFs are already compact and may not shrink at all; in that case the tool says so rather than downloading a file that is no smaller.
Why can't I select text after Maximum compression?
Maximum converts every page into a compressed image to reach the smallest size, so the text layer is gone. Use Light or Balanced to keep text selectable, or run OCR PDF afterwards to restore searchable text.
Does Light or Balanced change my text?
No. They only re-encode large embedded JPEG images and re-save the file structure. Text, fonts and links are left as they are.
Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. Compress PDF runs in your browser, so the file stays on your device. Pagemint has no accounts and does not store your documents.
Is Compress PDF free?
Yes. Compress PDF is free to use, with no signup, no watermark and no daily limit.