Compress PDF

Shrink PDF file size for email and uploads. Free, private, and no signup required.

Drop a PDF to compress

Up to 80 MB · processed in your browser

Compression preset

Best for photo-heavy and scanned PDFs. Text-only vector files may not shrink much — we keep your original if compression would make the file larger.

How to compress a PDF

  1. 1

    Upload your PDF

    Drag and drop a PDF (including files larger than a typical email limit) or click to browse.

  2. 2

    Choose a preset

    Pick Email for the smallest files, Balanced for everyday use, or Print for lighter compression.

  3. 3

    Compress in your browser

    Pages are re-encoded on your device. Your file is not uploaded to our servers.

  4. 4

    Download the smaller PDF

    Compare before/after sizes, then download and attach to Gmail or your portal.

Free online Compress PDF tool

Shrink oversized PDFs for Gmail’s 25MB limit, insurance portals, and HR uploads with this free Compress PDF tool. Choose Email, Balanced, or Print presets — processing stays in your browser.

Photo-heavy scans and phone-photo packets shrink the most. Pair Compress PDF with Split PDF when a binder is still too large after compression, or rebuild light pages with PDF to JPG and JPG to PDF.

What Compress PDF offers

  • Email, Balanced, and Print compression presets
  • Before/after file size on download
  • Larger intake size so you can shrink files that already exceed email limits
  • Private in-browser processing — no account required

When to compress a PDF

  • Get a scanned lease or contract under Gmail’s attachment limit
  • Shrink receipt packs and photo PDFs for expense portals
  • Reduce upload size for insurance, school, or government forms

Frequently asked questions

Is Compress PDF free?

Yes. You can compress PDF files online for free without creating an account.

Are my files uploaded to a server?

No. Compression runs entirely in your browser. Your document stays on your device.

Will this get my PDF under Gmail’s 25MB limit?

Email preset is designed for oversized scans and photo PDFs. Very large or already-optimized files may need Split PDF or a Drive link as a fallback.

What is the maximum file size?

You can compress PDF files up to 80 MB. Very large files may use more memory in your browser.

Does compression remove text I can select?

This tool rebuilds pages as compressed images for maximum size reduction on scans. Selectable text may become an image. Use a lighter preset or keep a text original when you need copy-paste.

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