What is it?
Compress PDF makes a PDF file smaller so it passes upload limits on job portals, college and exam forms, and email. It works on your own device and offers three levels: Light, which re-packs the file and keeps text selectable, and Strong or Smallest, which turn pages into compressed pictures for big savings on scans.
Who is it for?
Job and exam applicants facing “PDF must be under 1 MB” messages, office staff emailing scanned documents, students submitting assignments online, and anyone whose phone-scanned PDF is far bigger than it needs to be.
How to use it
- Tap Choose a PDF, or drag it onto the page.
- Pick the Compression: Light, Strong or Smallest.
- Tap Compress PDF. The message shows the size before and after; download the new file.
Which level to choose
- Light: PDFs made in Word, Google Docs or a website (mostly text). Keeps everything sharp and searchable.
- Strong: phone scans, photos of documents and brochures. Usually the best balance.
- Smallest: when a form demands something tiny, like under 200 KB.
Worked example
A 6-page phone scan of certificates at 8.4 MB can drop to about 900 KB with Strong, or around 350 KB with Smallest, enough for most government forms. Check that every page is still readable before uploading.
The PDF is opened and changed inside your browser; it is never uploaded. Close the page and it is gone.
Errors and how to fix them
- “This PDF is password-protected. Remove the password first”: open it once with Remove PDF Password (you need the password), then use the unlocked copy here.
- “This PDF is already well compressed: this level would not make it smaller”: the file is mostly text and fonts, which are already compact. Try a stronger level only if the PDF is a scan; for text PDFs the original is already as small as it gets.
- Still over the limit after Smallest: split it with Split PDF and upload parts, or remove unneeded pages with the PDF Organizer.
- Text looks blurry: Strong and Smallest turn pages into pictures. Use Light for documents with small print, or rescan at 150–200 dpi.
- Can’t select text afterwards: expected with Strong and Smallest; use Light if you need searchable text.
Open the tool: Compress PDF
Still stuck?
Contact support. Tell us which tool or page you were using, what you tapped, what you saw, and your phone or computer and browser (for example: Android phone, Chrome). We reply by email.
Questions, or an error not listed here?
Tell us in the comments: what you were doing, the exact message you saw, and your device and browser. We read every comment and add new fixes to this article.