Compress PDFs Efficiently
Reduce PDF file size while maintaining quality with our powerful compression tool. Perfect for email attachments, uploading to websites, or saving storage space.
Drag & drop a PDF file here, or click to select
Maximum file size: 100 MB
Upload your PDF document that you want to compress
Select your desired compression level (low, medium, or high)
Click "Compress PDF" and download your optimized document
Low Compression
Best for documents where quality is critical. Provides minimal file size reduction while maintaining highest image quality.
Medium Compression (Recommended)
Balanced approach that significantly reduces file size while keeping good visual quality. Best for most general documents.
High Compression
Maximum file size reduction, ideal for email attachments or when file size is more important than perfect quality.
Pro Tip
After compressing, you can further optimize your document by removing unnecessary pages with our Extract Pages tool.
Understanding PDF Compression
PDF compression is the process of reducing the file size of a PDF document while trying to maintain an acceptable level of quality. This is accomplished through various methods, including image downsampling, removing redundant information, and optimizing the internal structure of the PDF file.
When to Compress Your PDFs
Compressing your PDF files can be beneficial in many situations:
- Email attachments: Many email services have file size limitations. Compressing your PDFs ensures they can be sent without issues.
- Website uploads: Smaller files upload faster and consume less server space when sharing on websites or cloud services.
- Storage optimization: Reduce the amount of space your PDF documents take up on your device or in the cloud.
- Faster loading: Compressed PDFs open more quickly, especially on mobile devices or slower connections.
Our Compression Technology
Our PDF compression tool uses advanced algorithms to intelligently reduce file size while preserving the visual integrity of your documents. It analyzes the content of your PDF and applies appropriate compression techniques to different elements:
- Image optimization: Images within PDFs are often the largest contributors to file size. Our tool resamples and compresses images based on your selected quality level.
- Structural optimization: Removing redundant information and streamlining the PDF structure without affecting the visible content.
- Font subsetting: Including only the characters used in the document rather than entire font files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will compressing my PDF affect its quality?
The degree of quality change depends on the compression level you choose. Low compression has minimal impact on quality, medium offers a good balance, and high compression prioritizes file size reduction which may noticeably affect image quality in the document.
Is there a file size limit for compression?
Our free service allows compression of PDF files up to 100MB in size. For larger files, you may need to consider our premium options or compress the document in sections.
What happens to my document's text during compression?
Text elements in PDFs are already relatively compact, so our compression focuses primarily on images and structural elements. The text content and readability should remain unchanged regardless of compression level.
Can I compress password-protected or encrypted PDFs?
No, our tool cannot process password-protected documents. You'll need to remove the protection before compression and then re-apply security measures afterward if needed.
Tips for Better Compression Results
- Choose the right level: If your PDF contains many images, the compression level will have a more significant impact. For text-heavy documents, even high compression may show little visible difference.
- Optimize before creating PDFs: When possible, optimize images before incorporating them into your PDF documents for the best results.
- Check the results: After compression, review your document to ensure it meets your quality expectations, especially if you've used high compression.