How to Compress a PDF
Compressing a PDF with PDF Compressor takes less than a minute and requires no account. Your file is processed entirely in your browser, so it never leaves your device.
The basic flow is always the same: add your PDF, pick a compression mode, run compression, then review the report and download the result.
Step 1 — Add your PDF
Open the compressor and either drag your PDF file onto the upload area or use the file picker to browse for it. Files up to 50 MB each are supported, and you can add up to 3 files per batch.
Each file is validated immediately. If a file is not a PDF, is empty, or is password-protected, you will see a specific message explaining the problem instead of a silent failure.
Step 2 — Pick a compression mode
Choose the mode that fits your goal. Balanced is the default and the right choice for most files.
- Maximum — smallest possible file; best when size matters more than perfect image detail.
- Balanced — strong reduction while keeping text and graphics clear; best for everyday use.
- High Quality — preserves sharpness when visual quality matters most; produces a larger file.
- Smart Auto — analyzes the PDF and picks a suitable strategy automatically.
- Custom — fine-tune image quality, resolution caps, grayscale, and metadata cleanup yourself.
Step 3 — Compress and review the report
Start compression and wait for the real before/after report: original size, compressed size, amount saved, page count, images optimized, and an honest quality note.
If the result is not small enough, use “Try stronger” on the file to recompress with more aggressive settings, or restore the previous result if you prefer it.
Step 4 — Download your file
Download each compressed PDF individually, or download the whole batch as a single ZIP. The download is generated locally in your browser from the compressed result.
Always open the compressed file and check that it looks right — especially text sharpness and images — before sending it somewhere important.