ToolNest

🗜️ PDF Compressor

Compress PDF files to meet upload limits — free and private. Pages are re-rendered as optimized images, which gives huge savings on scanned documents. Note: text in the output becomes an image (not selectable).

🔒 100% Private — no uploads ⚡ Instant — works offline 💸 Free forever — no sign-up

Drop a PDF here or click to browse

🔒 Files are processed on your device — never uploaded

How to use the PDF Compressor

  1. 1 Upload the PDF you want to shrink.
  2. 2 Pick a compression level — Balanced works for most form uploads.
  3. 3 Click Compress PDF, check the new size, and download.

Frequently asked questions

How do I compress a PDF to under 100 KB / 500 KB / 1 MB?

Start with Balanced. If the result is still too big, switch to Strong — it lowers resolution and JPEG quality further. Short scanned documents typically reach 100–300 KB easily.

Why is my compressed PDF text not selectable?

This tool re-renders each page as an optimized image, which is what makes scanned PDFs so much smaller. The trade-off is that text becomes part of the image. For text-heavy digital PDFs that are already small, compression may not help much.

What compression level should I choose?

Light keeps near-original sharpness, Balanced suits most government portal and email limits, Strong squeezes hardest for strict limits like 200 KB.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No — rendering and compression run entirely in your browser. Bank statements and ID documents stay on your device.

Related tools