How to compress a PDF
- Choose a PDF, or drop it onto the box.
- Pick a compression level. Strong suits most scans and photo-heavy files.
- Press Compress PDF and check the new size, then download it.
The tool shows exactly how much smaller the file became. If it did not shrink, it says so, so you never send a worse copy by mistake.
Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Compression happens in your browser. Contracts, IDs, and bank statements never leave your device.
Which compression level should I choose?
Start with Strong for scanned documents and PDFs full of photos; it usually cuts the size by half or more. Use Light when the text must stay selectable, for example for a CV or a form. Maximum is for strict upload limits where readability on screen is enough.
Why can I no longer select text after compressing?
Balanced, Strong, and Maximum redraw each page as an image, which is what makes the file small. Use Light to keep the text, links, and form fields exactly as they were.
Why did my file barely get smaller?
Text-only PDFs are already compact. Large savings come from images and scans. If Light does not help, try Strong, or keep the original if the text must stay selectable.
Credits
Built on PDF.js (Apache-2.0) and pdf-lib (MIT). OneTooling is not affiliated with these projects.