Compress a PDF Online for Free
Digitaliiisla's Compress PDF tool makes bulky documents smaller so they fit email limits and upload faster — right inside your browser. It works especially well on scanned pages and image-heavy PDFs, where most of the size comes from pictures. There is nothing to install, no account and no watermark.
The whole process runs on your own device, so your PDF never leaves your phone or computer. You always see the exact before and after size, so you know precisely what you saved.
How to Compress a PDF
- Add your PDF. Drop it in or tap Select a PDF.
- Choose a level. Strong for the smallest file, Balanced for a good mix, or Light to keep pages looking their best.
- Compress. Press Compress PDF; each page is processed on your device.
- Download. See the saving, preview the file, and download it.
How the Compression Works
To shrink a PDF reliably, the tool re-renders each page and re-encodes the images inside it at a smaller size and quality. This cuts the file size a lot for scans and photo-heavy documents. Because pages are rebuilt as images, selectable text is not preserved — so this is best when a small, shareable file matters more than being able to select text. For born-digital text documents that are already small, savings may be modest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Compress PDF tool free?
Yes. Compressing PDFs is completely free, with no sign-up, login or payment.
How does the compression work?
Each page is re-rendered and its images are re-encoded at a smaller size, which cuts the file size a lot for scanned or image-heavy PDFs. This means the compressed pages are stored as images.
Will selectable text still work after compressing?
Because pages are turned into images to shrink them, selectable text is not preserved. Use this when a smaller file matters more than text selection, such as emailing a scan.
Are my files uploaded?
No. The whole process runs in your browser. Your PDF is never uploaded and nothing is stored.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the file. Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs usually shrink the most. The tool shows the exact before and after size and the percentage saved.