PDF TOOLS
PDF Compressor
Reduce a PDF’s file size with Smart image recompression, standard optimization or strong page rendering, and set a target size in MB when a portal has a limit.
Quick answer: Choose Smart first (it keeps text and links and recompresses the JPEG images inside), set a target size if you have one, compress, and compare the result before using it.
Use PDF Compressor ↓Loading the tool…
How to use PDF Compressor
- Choose a PDFSelect the file and note its original size.
- Pick a methodSmart keeps selectable text and recompresses embedded JPEG images, and works well for scans and photo-heavy files. Standard only tidies the structure. Strong turns every page into a JPEG for the smallest result.
- Set a target (optional)Enter a size in MB, such as 1 or 0.2. For Smart and Strong the tool tries progressively lower quality until the file fits or no further saving is possible.
- Compare and downloadZoom into small text in the output. The tool will not present a larger file as a successful compression.
About this tool
Email limits, government portals and job sites all set a maximum PDF size, and the usual advice is to “just compress it”. The right method depends on what is inside the file, which is why this tool offers three, plus an optional target size.
Common uses: Reduce PDFs for email, web publishing, form submissions and document sharing while keeping the output easy to review.
Practical example: Start with Standard mode for text-heavy documents. If the result is not smaller, switch to Strong mode for scanned or image-heavy PDFs, then lower the quality or resolution until the size/clarity trade-off works for your use.
Important limitation: Standard mode cannot recompress embedded images and may not reduce an already optimized PDF. Strong image-based compression can flatten pages and remove selectable text, links, forms or vector detail. The tool validates the output and does not offer a larger file as a successful compression.
Compression runs in this browser tab. A large file uses your device’s memory, so very long documents are better compressed in sections. Read the privacy information.
How it works
Standard mode re-saves the PDF with compact object streams. Strong mode renders each page and re-encodes it as a JPEG, which shrinks scans dramatically but turns text into image content.
Real-world uses
- Fitting a scanned form under an email size limit
- Reducing a portfolio PDF for web download
- Shrinking a presentation export
Which compression method fits your PDF
Smart mode is the best first try. It leaves selectable text, links and vector graphics alone and recompresses the JPEG images inside the PDF, which is where most of the weight sits in scans and photo-heavy documents. If the file has no JPEG images, for example a text-only report exported from Word, there is nothing for Smart mode to shrink and the tool says so.
Standard mode only reorganizes the file structure. It is lossless and safe, but the saving is usually small. Strong mode renders each page as an image and saves it as a JPEG. It can shrink a scanned document dramatically, but it flattens selectable text, links and forms, and can even make a text PDF larger. Use it only for scans you were never going to search.
If the target size is not reached, the tool keeps the smallest version it could produce and tells you. Splitting the document or removing unneeded pages is often the better route for files that are huge because they are long.
Tips for better results
- Scanned PDFs benefit most from Strong mode; text-based PDFs usually shrink little because text is already compact.
- Strong mode removes selectable text, so run OCR afterwards if you need it searchable.
- Keep the original; compression cannot be undone.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my compressed PDF still large?
Standard mode mainly removes redundant PDF structure, so it may produce little or no savings when the file is already optimized. Strong mode recompresses page images and is the better choice for scans or image-heavy PDFs.
Will compression remove selectable text?
Standard mode preserves selectable text. Strong mode rasterizes pages, so selectable text, links, forms and accessibility structure may be lost.
Are my files uploaded?
Compression runs in this browser tab. A large file uses your device’s memory, so very long documents are better compressed in sections.
How can I get a PDF under 1 MB or 2 MB?
Use Strong mode, then lower quality in steps and check readability. Very image-heavy documents may need fewer or smaller pages.
How do I get a PDF under 1 MB or 2 MB?
Enter 1 or 2 in the target size box with Smart mode for image-heavy PDFs, or Strong mode for pure scans. If it still does not fit, delete pages you do not need or reduce the resolution.
Why did Smart mode say there was nothing to compress?
Smart mode only recompresses JPEG images. A PDF made of vector text, or one that stores images in another format, has none to shrink. Try Strong mode if the PDF is a scan.
Will the compressed PDF still be searchable?
Standard and Smart keep the text layer. Strong mode converts pages into pictures, so the text is no longer selectable unless you run OCR afterwards.