Compress a PDF to a smaller size — no upload
To compress a PDF, drop it here, choose a quality level and press Compress PDF. Pages are re-rendered as optimized images in your browser, which shrinks scans and photo-heavy files a lot — but the text becomes part of the image, so it is no longer selectable.
How to do it in 3 steps
- Add the PDF. Drag it in or click the box.
- Choose the quality. Smallest file, Balanced or High quality.
- Download the smaller PDF. Compare sizes before you send it.
About this tool
This tool is best for scanned documents and photo-heavy PDFs that are too large to email or upload to a portal. It works by turning each page into a compressed image, so it is not recommended for documents where selectable text matters.
If your PDF is mostly text, it is already small. For a text-preserving workflow with OCR, use the free Gold PDF desktop app: its scan feature produces a searchable PDF.
Why use it
- Private: processed on your device.
- Three simple quality levels.
- No watermark.
- Great for scans and photos.
Questions
Will text still be selectable after compressing?
No. This method converts pages to images. For selectable text, run OCR in the Gold PDF desktop app.
How much smaller will it get?
Scans and photo PDFs often shrink by 50–90%; text-only PDFs may not shrink at all.
Is compression reversible?
No — keep your original file.
Is the file uploaded?
No. It never leaves your browser.
More free PDF tools
- Delete pagesRemove blank, duplicate or unwanted pages from a PDF in seconds. Free, no watermark, and the file stays on your device.
- PDF to JPGTurn every page of a PDF into a high-quality JPG or PNG. Free, no upload, no watermark.
- Merge PDFCombine several PDFs into one document in your browser. Free, no sign-up, no watermark, and your files never leave your device.
Gold PDF — the free PDF editor for Windows
Edit text, redact for real, OCR scans, fill forms, sign and protect. Offline, no account, no watermark.