How to make a PDF smaller

Reduce the size of a PDF so it is easier to email or upload. Photos and scans are saved again at a sensible quality and size, and leftover data is cleaned out.

  1. Open your PDF.
  2. Choose Recommended, Strong or Lossless.
  3. Click Compress PDF and download the smaller file.

Frequently asked questions

How much smaller will my PDF get?

PDFs with photos or scans often shrink by 50 to 90 percent. Text-only PDFs are usually small already.

Will the text get blurry?

No. Only images are compressed. Text stays sharp and searchable.

What if it cannot be made smaller?

Then you get your original file back, so you never end up with a bigger file.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Everything happens in your own browser, on your own device. Your files are never sent to a server, so nobody else can see or keep them.

Related tools