PDF Compressor
Reduce PDF file size for email and sharing without noticeably sacrificing quality.
Free tier: PDF · up to 25 MB
Drop your PDF here, or click to browse
PDF · up to 25 MB free
Compression Level
How the PDF Compressor Works
Upload your PDF and choose a compression level. The file is sent to our server, where PyMuPDF scans every embedded raster image, downsamples it to the target DPI, and re-encodes it as JPEG at the chosen quality. Text, vector graphics, and document structure are never touched. The result is saved with garbage-collection and deflate compression, then streamed straight back to your browser. Nothing is written to disk.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does online PDF compression work?
The tool sends your PDF to our server, where PyMuPDF iterates every embedded raster image, downsamples it to the target DPI, re-encodes it as JPEG at the chosen quality level, then saves the PDF with aggressive object-level deflate compression. Text, vectors, and fonts are preserved intact.
Will compression affect text quality?
No. PDF text is stored as vector data, not as raster images, so it remains perfectly sharp at any zoom level regardless of the compression level chosen. Only raster images embedded in the PDF are affected.
Which compression level should I choose?
Medium is the best starting point for most files — it typically cuts file size by 40–70% with barely noticeable image quality change. Use Low if you need to preserve image fidelity for printing. Use High or Maximum when the smallest possible file size matters more than image quality, such as for web delivery or email attachments.
Why is my compressed file larger than the original?
Some PDFs are already well-optimised or contain mostly text and vector graphics with no high-resolution raster images. In that case, this tool has little to recompress and the resulting file may be the same size or marginally larger due to overhead. Try the Maximum level for the best chance of a reduction.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
No. Password-protected PDFs are encrypted and cannot be processed. Remove the password using your PDF reader (File → Properties → Security) before uploading.
What is the file size limit?
Free users can compress PDFs up to 25 MB. Pro users get up to 200 MB. There is no limit on the number of pages.
Are my files stored on the server?
No. Your PDF is processed entirely in-memory and the compressed result is streamed back immediately. Nothing is written to disk or retained after your session.
Does this work for scanned PDFs?
Yes. Scanned PDFs are essentially PDFs made entirely of high-resolution raster images. This tool is especially effective for them — scanned documents often compress by 60–80% because the original scan resolution far exceeds what is needed for screen or standard printing.