Compress PDF
Shrink a PDF’s file size in your browser by re-rendering its pages as images — best for scanned or image-heavy PDFs. Nothing is uploaded.
Drop a PDF to make smaller
.pdf files · the first run loads the PDF viewer once
Add a PDF to begin. Compressing re-renders each page as an image, so it works best on scanned or image-heavy PDFs.
How to use
- Drop a PDF in, or tap the box to choose one — a preview of every page appears.
- Pick a compression level (Balanced is a good start) and tick Grayscale if it’s a scan.
- Press Compress PDF, then check the before/after sizes and download the smaller file.
FAQ
How does this make a PDF smaller?
It re-renders every page to an image at a chosen resolution and saves each one as a JPEG, then rebuilds the PDF from those images at the original page size. Lowering the resolution and JPEG quality is what shrinks the file, which is why it works best on scanned or image-heavy PDFs.
Why is the text no longer selectable after compressing?
Because each page becomes a picture. The text is re-drawn into the image, so it’s part of the picture now — you can still read it, but you can’t select, copy or search it any more. That’s the trade-off for this kind of size reduction.
Why did my PDF not get smaller — or even get bigger?
PDFs that are mostly text or vector graphics are already very compact, and turning sharp text into a photo of text can actually grow the file. When that happens the tool tells you and recommends keeping your original — it won’t pretend it helped.
Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?
No. The whole thing runs in your browser — the file never leaves your device, so it works offline and stays private. The PDF viewer and engine load once on first use and are then cached.