What this tool does
Resamples and re-encodes images inside your PDF to reduce file size. Also strips unused metadata, revision history, and duplicate font subsets. The text and structure of the document are preserved.
PDF and document tool
Compress PDF
Reduce your PDF file size for email, uploads, and sharing — without making text blurry or images pixelated. Choose your compression level: Recommended for everyday use, Extreme when you need to fit under a strict size limit, or Light to preserve maximum quality.
Complete guide
How to use Compress PDF
PDF tools guide for compress pdf users.
PDF compression works by resampling embedded images to a lower resolution and re-encoding them with a more efficient algorithm. A 30 MB scanned document can shrink to 2–3 MB on Extreme compression. A text-only PDF will shrink less — typically 10–25% — because text data is already compact.
The three compression levels correspond to output image quality: Recommended resamples images to 150 DPI (good for screen and email), Extreme drops to 72 DPI (smallest file, noticeable on zoom), and Light targets 200 DPI (near-original quality, modest size reduction). For print, use Light. For email and web sharing, use Recommended.
Processing runs on FormatNest's server using Ghostscript — the same engine used by professional PDF tools. Your file is deleted within 60 minutes of conversion.
How to use it
Upload your PDF, choose a compression level (Recommended is right for most users), then click Compress. Download the smaller file. The page shows the original and compressed file sizes for comparison.
Best practices
Use Recommended for email attachments and web uploads. Use Extreme only when you have a strict size limit (e.g., 5 MB) and quality is secondary. For printed documents, use Light to avoid softening fine text and graphics.
Quick checklist
- Confirm the input file, value, text, or measurement is correct before running the tool.
- Use the visible dropdowns and settings to choose the output format, unit, quality, size, or result style.
- Check the preview, result text, or downloaded file before using it for important work.
- For private or sensitive data, prefer browser-based tools and avoid uploading files unless the tool clearly needs server processing.
Answers
Compress PDF FAQs
How much will my PDF shrink?
Scanned PDFs (mostly images) shrink 60–90%. PDFs with photos shrink 40–70%. Text-only PDFs shrink 10–25%. The exact result depends on the content and your chosen compression level.
Will the text become blurry after compression?
No. Text in PDFs is stored as vector data (not images) and is not affected by compression. Only embedded raster images are resampled. Text stays sharp at all zoom levels.
What is the difference between the three compression levels?
Recommended (150 DPI) is best for most use cases. Extreme (72 DPI) produces the smallest file but images look soft when zoomed. Light (200 DPI) barely affects image quality and gives the smallest reduction.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
No. Remove the password first using PDF Unlock, then compress the file.
Is there a file size limit?
Free users can compress PDFs up to 100 MB. Pro users get 500 MB and unlimited compressions per day.
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