PDF Kite

Compress PDF

Make a PDF small enough to email or upload. Pick how strongly to compress, and see how much smaller the file got before you use it.

Runs in your browser. Your files never leave your device.

How to use it

  1. Choose the PDF you want to make smaller.
  2. Pick Light, Recommended or Strong compression.
  3. Press “Compress PDF”. You'll see the new size and the compressed PDF downloads.

How the PDF compressor works

Photos and scanned pages are almost always what makes a PDF big, so that's where the size comes off. Each image is scaled down to what the page needs and saved again as JPG, at a quality set by the level you pick. Thumbnails and editing data that apps like Illustrator leave behind are dropped, and the rest of the file is packed more tightly.

Text, fonts and drawings are left untouched, so the compressed PDF stays sharp and searchable at any zoom.

Which compression level?

Light keeps images sharp enough to print and still removes a good share of the size. Recommended suits email and web forms: images stay clear on screen. Strong makes the smallest file and is the one to try when a form needs a PDF under 1 MB or 2 MB; photos look softer.

Compress PDF without uploading it

Online PDF compressors normally upload your file, shrink it on their server and keep it for a while. This one reduces the PDF size inside your browser, so statements, IDs and contracts stay on your device, and there's no daily limit.

FAQ

How small will my PDF get?

It depends on what's in it. Scans and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink by 50–90%. A PDF that's mostly text is usually small already and may barely change; you'll be told if it can't get smaller rather than sent the same file back.

How do I compress a PDF to under 2 MB or 1 MB?

Start with Recommended. If it's still too big, run Strong. For a very long scan, you can also split it with Split PDF and send it in parts.

Does compressing a PDF lower the quality?

Only for images, and only as much as the level you choose. Text and line drawings are never touched.

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

Yes. You'll be asked for the password when you open it, and the compressed copy is saved without it.

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