Compress PDF – Reduce PDF File Size
Make your PDF smaller for email, upload forms and WhatsApp — free, in seconds.
Upload a PDF to Compress
Drag & drop your file here, or click to browse
Choose PDF FileHow to Compress a PDF Online for Free in 4 Easy Steps
Reduce the size of your PDF in a few seconds. No software to install and no account needed.
Upload Your PDF
Drag and drop your PDF into the box above, or click Choose PDF File. Files up to 50 MB and 300 pages are supported.
Choose a Compression Level
Pick Recommended for the best balance of size and quality, Low to keep print quality, or Extreme for the smallest possible file.
Click Compress PDF
Your PDF is compressed on our secure server. Images are resized and re-saved, duplicate data is removed and fonts are optimized.
Download the Smaller PDF
See how much space you saved, then click Download. Your file is deleted from our server automatically within 1 hour.
Which Compression Level Should I Choose?
Most of a PDF's size usually comes from its pictures. Each level keeps text sharp and only changes how much image detail is kept.
| Level | Image quality | Typical size saving | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Low | High (300 dpi) | Small | Printing, brochures, photo-heavy documents |
| Recommended | Good (150 dpi) | Large | Email, upload forms, sharing — the right choice for most files |
| Extreme | Basic (72 dpi) | Largest | Strict size limits on job, exam and government portals |
Why Use Toolszu to Compress PDF Files
A fast, private PDF compressor that keeps your documents readable.
3 Compression Levels
Choose how small you want the file. Recommended works for most PDFs; Low and Extreme are there when you need them.
Text Stays Sharp
Text and vector graphics are kept as they are, so your document stays crisp and searchable. Only images are made lighter.
Never Bigger Than Before
If your PDF is already well optimized, you get your original file back instead of a bigger one.
Private and Secure
Files travel over an encrypted connection, are processed in an isolated sandbox and are deleted automatically within 1 hour.
No Watermark, No Sign-up
Free with no account and no Toolszu logo added to your PDF.
Works on Any Device
Compress PDFs on Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook, iPhone and Android, right in your browser.
When to Compress a PDF
Large PDFs are hard to send and often get rejected. Compressing fixes that in seconds.
Email Attachments
Gmail and Outlook limit attachments to 20–25 MB. Compress your PDF so it sends in one email.
Online Forms & Portals
Job, exam, visa and government websites often allow only 100 KB to 2 MB. Use Extreme to fit the limit.
WhatsApp & Chat
Smaller PDFs send faster and open quicker on the other person's phone.
Save Storage Space
Free up space on your phone, laptop, Google Drive or Dropbox.
Faster Websites
Lighter PDFs on your website download faster for your visitors.
Scanned Documents
Scans from a phone or office scanner are often huge — they usually shrink the most.
Tips for the Smallest PDF
- Need an exact size? Try our Compress PDF to 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB tools.
- Still too big? Run it again with Extreme, or remove pages you don't need with our Split PDF tool first.
- Scanned in colour? Black-and-white documents get much smaller after Grayscale PDF.
- Text-only PDFs (no pictures) are usually already small, so they shrink less. That's normal.
- Password-protected? Remove the password first with Unlock PDF, then compress.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to the most common questions about compressing PDF files.
Upload your PDF on this page, choose a compression level and click Compress PDF. When it's done, click Download. It's free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
Choose the Low or Recommended level. Text and vector graphics are never changed, so they stay perfectly sharp — only images are made lighter. Recommended keeps images clear on screen while saving a lot of space.
It depends on what's inside. PDFs with many photos or scanned pages often shrink by 50–90%. PDFs that contain mostly text are already small and may shrink only a little.
Your PDF is probably already well optimized — for example, it contains mostly text or images that are already compressed. In that case we give you back your original file, so it never gets bigger. You can also try the Extreme level.
Use Recommended for most files. Choose Low if you will print the document, and Extreme when a website only accepts very small files.
Try the Extreme level first. If you need an exact size, use our Compress PDF to 100 KB or Compress PDF to 200 KB tools.
Most email services allow attachments up to 20–25 MB. Compress your PDF with the Recommended level — that's usually enough to attach it easily.
Yes. Scanned PDFs are made of page images, so they usually shrink the most. For black-and-white documents, Grayscale PDF can make them even smaller.
Yes. Compression doesn't touch the text in your PDF, so you can still search, select and copy it.
Yes. Your file is sent over an encrypted connection, processed in an isolated sandbox, never shared with anyone and deleted automatically within 1 hour. You can also delete it right away with the Delete now button.
You can compress PDFs up to 50 MB and 300 pages. If your file is bigger, split it into parts with our Split PDF tool first.
You can compress up to 10 PDFs per day for free. The limit resets every day. Need more? Toolszu Pro gives up to 200 a day and bigger files.
Not directly. If your PDF asks for a password when you open it, remove it first with our free Unlock PDF tool (you'll need the password), then compress the unlocked file.
Yes. Open this page in Safari, Chrome or any mobile browser, choose your PDF and tap Compress PDF. No app is needed.
No. Toolszu works in your web browser on Windows, Mac, Linux and Chromebook, so you don't need Adobe Acrobat or any other software.
No. Toolszu is 100% free with no watermark, no sign-up and no premium version.
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