How to reduce PDF file size (free)
Big PDFs bounce off email attachment limits and upload forms. Compressing a PDF re-encodes its images and removes waste so the file gets much smaller — often 40–80% for image-heavy documents — while staying perfectly readable.
Open the free Compress tool →Step by step
- Open the free Compress tool and drop in your PDF.
- Choose a level — ‘Balanced’ is right for most files; ‘Smallest’ for the tiniest size; ‘High quality’ if it's going to print.
- Click ‘Compress PDF’ and download the smaller file.
Tips
- Image-heavy PDFs (scans, photos, brochures) shrink the most; text-only PDFs are already small.
- If it's just for viewing on screen, ‘Smallest (screen)’ gives the biggest reduction.
- Still too big for email? Split the PDF into parts and send them separately.
FAQ
Will compressing blur my PDF?
‘Balanced’ keeps documents crisp on screen. Choose ‘High quality’ if it will be printed.
Is it free?
Yes — free, no signup and no watermark.
How small will it get?
It depends on the file; image-heavy PDFs often drop 40–80%.