Compress PDF for upload limits (no upload)
Compress a PDF for upload limits to reduce file size. Runs locally — no uploads.
Compress PDF
Reduce PDF size locally in your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
FAQ
Is this safe and private?
Yes. Your PDF stays on your device. Compression runs locally in your browser and nothing is uploaded.
How do I make my PDF small enough for email or upload limits?
Lower quality and/or reduce max width. For scanned PDFs, reducing width often gives the biggest size reduction.
How to compress a PDF for upload limits
- 1) Select your PDF (it stays on your device).
- 2) Choose quality (lower = smaller file).
- 3) Optional: set max width to reduce heavy scanned pages.
- 4) Click Compress & Download.
- 5) If you need more pages/higher limits, use Pro.
How-to
This guide helps you compress attachments for forms for upload limits — no upload.
Important: this compression method is designed for *size reduction* and common real-world needs (email attachments, portals, upload limits). It works especially well for scanned PDFs, where each page is basically a photo.
Compression levers you control: • Quality: lowering quality reduces image data and often shrinks file size a lot. • Max width: reducing width lowers the pixel count per page. This can be the biggest win for scan-heavy PDFs.
If your PDF contains selectable text (true text, not scanned images), a ‘flatten to images’ compression can reduce editability. For email/upload purposes this is usually fine, but for searchable text documents you may prefer a different approach.
Strategy: start with balanced quality (around 0.70–0.75) and max width 1600px. If the PDF is still too big, reduce quality or lower max width. Always test one representative page for readability.
Best practice: after downloading, quickly open the compressed PDF and zoom in on small text. If it remains readable, you’ve found the sweet spot.
Common mistakes
- Choosing very low quality and making small text unreadable.
- Not reducing width for scanned PDFs (missing the biggest savings).
- Trying to compress a huge PDF on a low-memory device (slow).
- Expecting zero quality loss (compression trades size for quality).