Document Compressor
Shrink a PDF to meet an email or upload cap, with the text still sharp.
| File name | Size | Compress to |
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Checking files and selected compression settings.
To reach this size, the pages were turned into images.
The text can no longer be selected, searched or filled in. If you need that, compress again with a larger target.
| File name | Compressed size | Download |
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This page stops at 50 MB and one file per run. Pro compresses files up to 1 GB and a full batch in one go, with a priority queue.
What document compression does
PDFs grow large for three reasons: embedded images, duplicate fonts, and high scan resolution. A 20-page report with photos can easily reach 15-25 MB, too heavy for most email providers and upload portals. Document compression tackles each source separately. It resamples embedded images to a lower resolution, subsets fonts so only the characters your document uses are kept, and strips redundant metadata and duplicate internal objects.
The result is a smaller file that looks and prints the same. While downsampling the images is enough to reach your target, text stays crisp at any zoom because it is vector-based, and links keep working. The only visible change is a slight softening of embedded photographs at very high zoom, something that rarely matters for on-screen reading or standard printing.
If you need a specific target size, try our PDF Compressor where you can choose an exact limit like 500 KB, 1 MB, or 2 MB. Word, PowerPoint and Excel files cannot be compressed directly. Convert them to PDF first, then compress the PDF.
How to compress documents online
Reduce document file sizes by up to 85 % in three steps: no software, no sign-up.
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1
Upload your documents
Drag and drop files or browse your device. This compressor works on PDF files. To shrink a Word, PowerPoint or Excel document, convert it to PDF first.
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2
Pick a target size
Choose the size you need, such as the limit an upload form or email states. The compressor works the file down to that size and keeps as much quality as it can.
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3
Download compressed documents
Preview the result and download individually or as a ZIP. Processing takes seconds and all files are automatically deleted after 1 hour.
The text stays text, the pictures shrink
We examine each element separately. Embedded images get resampled to a sensible resolution. Fonts are subsetted to include only the characters the document uses. Duplicate objects and unused metadata are removed.
Compression targets the images embedded inside a PDF, which are usually 70-95% of its size. Text, fonts and vector graphics are left alone while that is enough, so they stay sharp and selectable. A target downsampling cannot reach renders the pages to images instead, which ends the text layer.
Your documents travel over 256-bit SSL encryption. We store nothing permanently. All files are automatically deleted within 1 hour of processing.
On Pro and Business, upload a batch of documents and compress them all to one target. The free plan takes one file at a time.
Text, images, tables, charts, links, bookmarks, and form fields all remain functional after compression. Your documents look and work exactly as they did before, just smaller.
Government portals, university submission systems, and email providers all enforce size caps. Our compressor helps you fit under 5 MB, 2 MB, or even 500 KB limits without splitting your document.