Compress PDF

How to use the compress pdf

1. Open the PDF.
2. Choose a resolution — reading quality suits most scans.
3. Compress, check the size, and download if it helped.

About this tool

Compression here renders every page to an image at a chosen resolution and rebuilds the document from those images. On a scan or an exported slide deck — pages that are pictures already — this cuts the size dramatically.

The cost has to be stated plainly, because most compressors do not. The text stops being text: it can no longer be selected, copied, searched or read aloud by a screen reader. A compressed contract becomes a picture of a contract, which is inaccessible to anyone using assistive technology and useless to anything that needs to read it.

So the rule is simple. Use it on scans and image-heavy files. Do not use it on a document that is mostly text — those are already small, and rasterising will usually make them larger as well as worse. The tool says so when that happens rather than presenting a bigger file as a success.

Common uses

• Getting a scanned document under an upload limit.
• Shrinking an exported slide deck for email.
• Reducing a photo-heavy brochure.

Frequently asked questions

Will the text still be selectable?

No. Every page becomes an image, so text can no longer be selected, searched or read by a screen reader. That is the trade-off for this kind of compression.

Why did my PDF get bigger?

Because it was mostly text. Text is far more compact than a picture of text, so rasterising a text document adds size. Keep the original.

Which level should I choose?

Reading quality at 150 dpi suits most scans. Use print at 200 dpi if it will be printed, and screen only when size matters more than legibility.