Try making a PDF smaller before sending it or uploading it to a form. Choose preservation for text and fillable documents, or image output for scans when you can accept the lost features. Both modes run in your browser; a smaller result is not guaranteed.
How to compress a PDF
- Choose one PDF and keep an untouched original. Start with the default Preserve text & forms mode.
- Select Compress & download. Compare the reported size with the original and open the downloaded file.
- For a scan that is still too large, consider Shrink scans (images). Read the feature-loss notice before using it.
- Start with the default 85% JPEG quality and 2000-pixel longest edge, then adjust gradually. Check small text and important numbers after every change.
Preservation or image output?
Preservation rewrites the existing PDF while retaining text, vector graphics, interactive form fields and page geometry. It does not lower the resolution of existing pictures. Already optimized documents can stay the same size or grow.
Image mode renders each page into a JPEG and builds a new PDF at the original physical page size. It removes selectable text, interactive fields, links and password protection. It can help with large scans, but is unsuitable when those features must remain usable.
Choose settings for readability
JPEG quality ranges from 50% to 100%. Image resolution controls the longest edge in pixels, with choices from 1200 to 8192. Increasing resolution creates more pixels, uses more device memory and usually increases output size.
For a scanned receipt, check the smallest date, amount and reference number at normal viewing size. If reducing resolution makes them unclear, use a higher setting or keep the original. There is no target-size control that guarantees an output under 100 KB or 1 MB.
Privacy, protected files and signatures
Compression does not send your PDF to our conversion API. Large scans can still exceed the memory available on your device. Keep the tab open and try fewer pages or a lower image resolution if it cannot finish.
Preservation requires an unencrypted PDF. Image mode can render a protected PDF when it can open it with the supplied password, but the output loses that protection. Only process documents you are permitted to use. Neither mode preserves a valid digital signature; retain the signed original.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the PDF get larger?
Rewriting an already optimized file can add overhead, and high-resolution image output can be larger than the source. Compare the sizes and keep the original when it works better.
Can I keep fillable fields?
Use Preserve text & forms and check the fields in the downloaded PDF. Image mode replaces them with a static picture.
Does a lower pixel setting make the printed page smaller?
No. Image mode keeps the physical page size while reducing image detail. The printed text may become less sharp at lower resolution.
Is compression performed on the server?
No. Both modes run on your device. Normal website resource requests still occur; see the privacy policy for site-wide details.