Reduce PDF file size
Start with the least destructive option. Use lossless compression when document features matter; use an exact size target only when a real upload limit requires it.
What makes a PDF large decides which option helps, so it is worth a quick look at the file first.
This tool runs in your browser. Your document is not uploaded.What happens to your files
How it works
- Open the PDF and check whether its text is selectable.
- Try Lossless first and read the size it reports.
- If a hard limit remains, switch to Exact size and enter it.
- Read the warnings, compress, and inspect the download.
Find what is taking the space
Scans and photographs are mostly image data. Documents exported from office software are more often fonts, repeated resources and untidy structure. The first needs resolution or quality to change. The second often just needs tidying.
Choose the gentlest thing that works
Lossless keeps text, search and forms. Exact-size mode is stronger: it recompresses the images and keeps the text, and only rasterizes pages when a scan needs it. Removing pages you do not need is gentler than either, so try that first when it is an option.
Important limitations
- No compressor can promise a tiny file and full detail for every source.
- Exact-size mode softens images, and a scan that has to be rasterized loses its selectable text, links and forms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best way to make a PDF smaller?
Try lossless compression first. Move to an exact size only when a real limit forces it and softer images are acceptable.
Can I choose the final size?
Yes. Exact-size mode accepts a preset or your own number and aims for that size or less.