How to compress a PDF
- Add your file. Select the PDF you want to make smaller.
- Choose a level. Pick “Recommended” for a good balance of size and quality, or “Maximum” for the smallest possible file.
- Compress and download. Select Compress PDF and download the reduced file.
Frequently asked questions
Will the text still be readable?
Yes. Compression mainly shrinks images; text stays crisp. On a text-only PDF the saving is small because there is little to compress.
Which level should I choose?
“Recommended” suits email and sharing. Use “Maximum” when size matters most, or “Light” to keep print-quality images.
Is this tool free?
Yes - it is completely free, with no account, no limits, and no watermarks added to your files. Every PDF tool on File-Extension works the same way.
All PDF tools
A complete, free PDF toolkit - pick another tool to keep working.
Merge PDFCombine several PDFs into one - drag to set the order.
Split PDFSplit by ranges, every N pages, or one file per page.
Compress PDFShrink file size with a quality you choose.
Rotate PDFTurn pages 90°, 180° or 270° - all or selected.
Organize PDFReorder, delete and rotate pages on one screen.
Extract PDF pagesPull selected pages into a new PDF.
Remove PDF pagesDelete unwanted pages from a PDF.
Watermark PDFStamp text or an image over every page.
PDF page numbersAdd page numbers, your format and position.
Sign PDFType, draw or upload a signature - place it anywhere.
Fill PDF formsFill in interactive form fields, then flatten.
Protect PDFSet a password and permissions (AES-256).
Unlock PDFRemove a password you already know.
Repair PDFRebuild a damaged PDF structure.
OCR PDFMake a scanned PDF searchable.