Compress PDF Online – Reduce File Size for Free
Compress PDF – Reduce PDF File Size Free Online
Large PDF files are a pain to email, upload, or store. This tool compresses your PDF to a smaller size while keeping the content readable. Just upload the file, choose your compression level, and download the result. No installation needed — works directly in your browser.
How it works
Upload the large PDF
Add the PDF that is over the upload limit. If it is a scanned file, expect stronger size reduction than you would get from a normal text PDF.
Choose the right compression level
Start with medium for normal documents. Try stronger compression for scanned PDFs, receipts, and image-heavy reports. If text gets soft, go one level lighter.
Download and inspect
Compare file size, then open the compressed PDF. Check small text, QR codes, account numbers, and signatures before sending it to a portal.
Frequently asked questions
About Compress PDF
People usually compress PDFs because a form refuses the file: 25 MB limit for a visa upload, 10 MB for a support ticket, 2 MB for a school portal, sometimes even 500 KB for an old government form. The right compression setting depends on what made the PDF large in the first place. A text PDF exported from Word may already be small because the letters are stored as fonts and text. A scanned PDF from a phone or office scanner is different: every page is a full image, which is why three pages can become 18 MB. Strong compression helps scanned PDFs the most, but it can also blur tiny text, signatures, QR codes, and stamps if pushed too far. Use a lighter setting for contracts, resumes, forms, and anything with small text. Use stronger compression for photo-heavy scans, old statements, and receipts where the file size matters more than perfect image quality. After downloading, open the result and check the smallest important detail before uploading it anywhere.
Updated June 2026: Expanded the guide with upload-limit examples, scanner PDF troubleshooting, 1 MB/500 KB guidance, and checks for readable text after compression.
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