Compress a PDF, free
0 viewsShrink a PDF for an email or an upload limit. Keep the text sharp, or squeeze scanned documents under an exact size such as 200 KB, with a before-and-after preview.
- Free, no sign-up
- Files stay on your device
- No watermark
PDFor drop it here
How to use the Compress PDF
- Add the PDFChoose the PDF from your device or drop it on the page.
- Choose how small“Keep text sharp”, “Smallest file”, or an exact size like 100 KB or 200 KB.
- CompressSee the new size and compare page 1 before and after.
- DownloadSave the smaller PDF.
Why use this compress pdf
Government, university and job portals in India often accept PDFs only up to 100 KB, 200 KB or 500 KB, while a phone scan of a few pages can easily be 5 MB. Email also bounces large attachments.
Choose “Keep text sharp” for typed documents with photos in them. For scans and photo PDFs, “Smallest file” or “Exact size” redraws each page as a well-compressed picture, which shrinks files the most but means the text can no longer be selected. Need to remove pages first? Use Merge, Split & Organise PDF. Building a PDF from photos? Images to PDF has its own size option.
- Keeps text sharpThe first option re-saves only the photos inside, so text, links and forms stay as they are.
- Exact size for formsPick 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or your own limit; it finds the clearest version that fits.
- Greyscale optionBlack and white makes scans of documents much smaller.
- PrivateThe PDF is compressed in your browser and is never uploaded.
Questions people ask
How do I reduce a PDF to under 200 KB?
Choose “Exact size”, pick 200 KB and press Compress PDF. It tries to keep text sharp first, then uses smaller page pictures until the file fits.
Will the text still be sharp?
With “Keep text sharp”, yes: only the photos inside are re-saved. “Smallest file” and “Exact size” turn pages into pictures, which can look softer and are not selectable.
Why did my PDF not get much smaller?
Text-only PDFs are already small. Most of the size in a PDF comes from photos and scans, so those shrink the most. Try “Smallest file” for scans.
Can I compress a scanned PDF?
Yes. Scans shrink a lot with “Smallest file”, especially with black and white turned on.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The PDF is compressed in your browser and stays on your device.
More free tools
All 16 tools- Merge, Split & Organise PDFCombine PDFs, reorder, rotate or split pages
- PDF Editor & e-SignAdd text, sign, tick and fill forms in a PDF
- Image CompressorShrink photos, even to an exact KB size
- Background RemoverCut out people and portraits in one click
- AI Photo EnhancerUpscale small or blurry photos 2× or 4×
- Image ConverterJPG, PNG and WebP, many files at once
From the H View blog
H View tools are free. They run in your browser using open-source software (licences), so H View does not receive or store your files. Results depend on your device and the file; use only files you own or have permission to use.
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