Compress PDF
Reduce PDF size while keeping quality. Smart mode preserves searchable text.
Drop your PDF here
or click to browse · Files stay private
Compressing a PDF reduces its file size so it is easier to email, upload or store. Most of the weight in a large PDF comes from embedded images, so this tool intelligently downsamples and re-encodes them while leaving text and vector graphics untouched — keeping documents readable while cutting size, often dramatically for scans.
It works entirely in your browser and verifies the result before handing it back, reverting to your original if anything looks wrong. For a deeper explanation, see our guide on compressing without losing quality.
How to Use
Upload your PDF
Drop the PDF onto the upload zone or click to browse.
Pick a mode and quality
Smart mode keeps text layers intact. Rasterize converts pages to compressed images — best for scanned documents.
Compress & download
Click Compress PDF, review the size reduction stats, and download.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Smart and Rasterize modes?
Smart mode re-encodes embedded images at lower quality while keeping all text searchable and vector graphics intact. Rasterize mode converts each page to a compressed JPEG image — ideal for scanned PDFs, but text becomes unsearchable.
Why didn't my file get smaller?
If a PDF has mostly text or is already optimised, there is little to compress. PDFelly always returns the smaller of the input and output — it will never make your file larger.
Is there a file size limit?
No hard limit. Large files may take more time depending on your device's processor speed.
Does compression affect print quality?
The Balanced setting targets 150 DPI, which is suitable for screen and standard printing. Use Light or Minimal for near-lossless compression when print quality is critical.