Compress PDF
Bring a large, scan-heavy PDF down to a size that fits an email attachment or an upload limit, by redrawing each page as a compressed image.
Working on your file…
Your file is ready
How to use Compress PDF
- Choose the PDF you want to shrink.
- Pick a compression level: light, recommended, or strong.
- Select Compress PDF.
- Check the size shown, and download the smaller file.
Frequently asked questions
Will compressing make my text unselectable?
Yes. Compression redraws each page as an image, which is what makes scans much smaller, but it also means text is no longer selectable or searchable afterwards. Keep your original.
Which compression level should I pick?
Recommended gives a good balance for most documents. Use Light if you need the sharpest possible result, or Strong when file size matters more than quality, for example a document you’ll only view on screen.
What if the compressed file isn’t actually smaller?
Some PDFs, especially ones that are mostly text, are already compact. If compression doesn’t save space, Karatasi tells you and you can keep the original.
Is this tool best for scanned documents or text documents?
It works best on scanned or photo-heavy PDFs. For PDFs that are mostly typed text and already small, compressing usually won’t help much.