How to compress a PDF
- Click Choose PDF or drag the file into the box above. You can add several PDFs at once.
- Pick a compression level. Recommended already gives a big reduction with no visible loss of quality.
- If the website you are uploading to has a limit, tap it under “Must fit a size limit?”: 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB, 5 MB or any other value.
- Click Compress PDF and download the result.
Strong compression, free, without losing quality
On many PDF websites the strongest compression is kept for paying users. Here every level — including Strong and Maximum — and compression to an exact size are free, with no file limit, no sign-up and no watermark.
Shrinking a lot doesn't mean ruining the document. The compressor only touches what is heavy: the images inside the PDF are resized to a resolution that suits screens and printing, and recompressed carefully. Text, fonts, tables and vector drawings stay untouched — sharp at any zoom, selectable and searchable. The internal structure of the file is also rebuilt to take less space. Scanned documents and PDFs full of photos usually end up 50% to 90% smaller with no difference you can see when reading.
Reduce a PDF to an exact size: 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB
Government portals, exam and job application forms, visa and university websites often reject files above a certain size. Instead of trying levels until one works, choose the limit and let the tool do it: it starts with the gentlest compression and only goes further when needed, so you get the best quality that fits the size you asked for. We count 1 MB as 1,000,000 bytes, so the file stays under the limit on any system. There are dedicated pages for the most common limits: 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB and 1 MB.
PDF too large to email or upload?
Compressing a PDF is the same as reducing its file size, shrinking it or making it “lighter”. It is what you need when a PDF is too big to attach to an email (see compress PDF for email), to send on WhatsApp, to upload to an online application or a learning platform, or to add to an AI assistant that limits file sizes. If the file is still above the limit after compressing, use Split PDF with the By size (MB) option.
On Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android
The tool runs in your browser, so it works the same on every device: Mac, Windows, iPhone, iPad, Android and Chromebook, with no app to install and no paid software. On a Mac there is no need to fiddle with Preview's Quartz filters, which often make text blurry; on an iPhone, open this page in Safari and pick the file from the Files app. Very large PDFs finish faster on a computer.
Why is my PDF so big?
The weight of a PDF almost always comes from images: scanned pages, photos taken with a phone and presentations with lots of pictures usually contain images with far more resolution than you need to read or print. A PDF with only text rarely goes over a few hundred KB.
Which compression level should I choose?
- Light: almost no visible loss. Use it when the PDF has important photos or will be printed.
- Recommended: the best balance. Shrinks scans and photos a lot without affecting readability.
- Strong: simpler images and a much smaller file. Good for documents that only need to be legible.
- Maximum: each page becomes a compressed image. It shrinks the most, but text can no longer be selected. Use it only when the other levels aren't enough.
Tip: if your PDF is only text (for example, exported from Word) and is still heavy, it probably contains a hidden large image, such as a very high-resolution logo. The Recommended level usually fixes that.
Your files stay on your device
Unlike most PDF websites, FreePDF Desk doesn't upload your document. All the processing happens inside your browser, on your computer or phone. It is faster, and your personal documents (IDs, bank statements, contracts, medical reports) never pass through someone else's servers.
Frequently asked questions
Does compressing a PDF reduce the quality?
On the Light, Recommended and Strong levels only the images are optimized: the text stays exactly the same, sharp and selectable. On Recommended the difference in the images is practically invisible. Only on Maximum are the pages turned into images, which can make text look slightly less crisp.
Is strong compression really free?
Yes. Every level, including Strong and Maximum, and compression to an exact size (such as 200 KB or 1 MB) are free, with no file limit, no sign-up and no watermark.
How do I reduce a PDF to 100 KB or 200 KB?
Choose the 100 KB or 200 KB option under “Must fit a size limit?” (or type another value in “Other”). The tool finds the best quality that fits. Very long scanned documents may need to be split first.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on the content. Scanned documents and PDFs with photos usually shrink by 50% to 90%. PDFs that are mostly text are already small, and the reduction is smaller.
Is it safe to compress confidential documents?
Yes. The file is processed in your own browser and never sent to any server. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads.
How do I compress a PDF on a Mac or iPhone?
Open this page in Safari, Chrome or any browser, choose the file and click Compress PDF. Nothing needs to be installed, and the result is saved to your Downloads folder (or the Files app on iPhone).
Other tools
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