Compress PDF
Shrink a PDF by redrawing its pages as compressed images, best for scanned or photo-heavy documents. Everything runs in your browser — your file is never uploaded anywhere.
Drop a PDF file here, or click to browse
It stays on your device — nothing is uploaded.
How to compress a PDF
- Add a PDF file — its page count and current size appear once it's read.
- Choose a compression level.
- Click "Compress PDF" and download the result.
Best for scanned and photo-heavy PDFs
This tool redraws each page as a compressed image and rebuilds the PDF from those images. That shrinks scanned pages and photo-heavy documents a lot, but it also means text is no longer selectable afterward, and a text-heavy PDF (reports, contracts, e-books) can sometimes end up larger rather than smaller.
Your file stays on your device
This tool reads and rebuilds your PDF entirely in your browser using client-side JavaScript. Your file is never uploaded to a server, so it can't be stored, inspected or lost in transit.
- No upload
- Your PDF is read and rebuilt locally in your browser — nothing is sent to a server.
- Image-based compression
- Pages are redrawn as compressed images, which works best on scanned or photo-heavy PDFs.
Questions
How does this actually shrink a PDF?
It redraws every page as a compressed JPEG image at the size you choose, then rebuilds the PDF from those images. That's very effective on scanned pages and photo-heavy documents.
Will it always make my file smaller?
Not always. Because every page becomes an image, a text-heavy PDF (reports, contracts, e-books) can end up larger, and its text is no longer selectable or searchable afterward. Scanned or photo-heavy PDFs typically shrink a lot.
What's the difference between the compression levels?
"Smallest file" uses the most aggressive compression and lowest resolution. "Best quality" keeps images sharper at a larger file size. "Balanced" sits in between.
Are my files uploaded anywhere?
No. Compression happens entirely in your browser — your PDF is read locally, redrawn, and the new file is assembled on your device. Nothing is sent to a server.