Free PDF Compressor Online - Compress PDF to 200KB, 500KB, 1MB
Best free PDF compressor online. Compress PDF files by 50-90% to any size (200KB, 500KB, 1MB). No upload, unlimited use, 100% secure browser-based processing. Works on Windows, Mac, and iPhone. Support files up to 2GB.
Drop your PDF here or click to upload
Maximum file size: 2GB
Features & Benefits
✅ Reduce File Size: Compress large PDF files to make them easier to share via email and upload online
✅ Maintain Quality: Smart compression algorithm preserves document quality while reducing file size
✅ 100% Private: All processing happens in your browser - files never leave your device
✅ Free Forever: No registration, no limits, completely free to use
About PDF Compression
📦 How It Works: Our compressor renders each PDF page as an image, then compresses it using JPEG encoding. This achieves 50-90% file size reduction while preserving visual quality.
🎯 Best For: Sharing PDFs via email, uploading to websites (file size limits), saving storage space, and faster downloads. Perfect for image-heavy PDFs, scanned documents, and presentations.
⚠️ Important: Compressed PDFs become image-based. Text remains visible but won't be selectable or searchable. This is necessary for aggressive compression.
How to Compress a PDF File
Upload PDF: Click the upload area or drag and drop your large PDF file
Compress: Click "Compress PDF" button to reduce file size instantly
Download: Your compressed PDF will download automatically with reduced file size
Why Compress PDF Files?
📧 Email Attachments: Reduce PDF size to meet email attachment limits (usually 25MB). Compress large PDFs to share via Gmail, Outlook, or other email services.
☁️ Cloud Storage: Save space in Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive by compressing PDFs. Reduce storage costs and fit more files in your cloud accounts.
🌐 Website Uploads: Many websites have file size limits. Compress PDFs for job applications, forms, or document uploads to meet requirements.
⚡ Faster Downloads: Smaller files download faster, improving user experience. Essential for sharing documents with clients or colleagues.
PDF Compression Best Practices
Optimal Compression
For best results, compress PDFs with lots of images or scanned pages. Text-only PDFs have limited compression potential.
100% Secure
Unlike online compressors that upload files to servers, our tool processes everything locally. Your PDFs never leave your device.
Quality Retention
Our algorithm balances file size reduction with quality preservation. Documents remain readable and professional-looking.
Unlimited Use
No registration, no file limits, no hidden fees. Compress as many PDFs as you need, completely free forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a PDF compressor?
A PDF compressor is a tool that reduces the file size of PDF documents by optimizing images, removing redundant data, and applying compression algorithms. Our online PDF compressor uses image-based compression to achieve 50-90% size reduction while keeping content readable. Unlike software that requires installation, our browser-based compressor works instantly without uploading files to servers.
How to compress PDF file?
To compress a PDF file: (1) Upload your PDF by clicking or dragging it to our tool, (2) Select compression level (Low for quality, High for maximum reduction), (3) Click "Compress PDF" and wait for processing, (4) Download your compressed file. The entire process takes 10-60 seconds depending on file size. Our tool processes files locally in your browser, so your documents never leave your device.
How to compress PDF file size without losing quality?
To compress PDF file size without losing quality, use our Low compression level, which maintains 85% JPEG quality while reducing file size by 20-40%. For better quality preservation: (1) Start with high-quality source PDFs, (2) Avoid compressing multiple times, (3) Use Low or Medium compression levels. While all compression involves some trade-off, our tool preserves visual quality—text and images remain clear and readable even after compression.
What is the best free PDF compressor?
The best free PDF compressor should offer: unlimited file size, no daily limits, 100% privacy (no server uploads), high compression ratios, and no registration. Our tool provides all of these. Unlike Adobe Acrobat ($19.99/mo), Smallpdf ($12/mo with 2/day limit), or iLovePDF ($7/mo with 1/hour limit), FastTools is completely free with unlimited use. We achieve up to 90% compression while processing files entirely in your browser for maximum security.
Which is the best PDF compressor online?
The best PDF compressor online depends on your needs. For privacy and unlimited use, FastTools is best (100% browser-based, no upload, free forever). For advanced features with paid plans, Adobe Acrobat offers the most features but costs $19.99/month. For occasional use, Smallpdf or iLovePDF work but have daily limits (2/day and 1/hour respectively). If you compress PDFs regularly or handle sensitive documents, choose a tool like ours that processes locally.
Is PDF compressor safe?
Yes, PDF compressors are safe if they process files locally. Our tool is 100% safe because all compression happens in your browser—files never leave your device or get uploaded to servers. Avoid compressors that upload files to remote servers, as this poses privacy risks. The safest PDF compressor options are browser-based tools like ours, offline software, or trusted services with strong encryption. Never upload confidential documents to unknown online services.
Does PDF compress images?
Yes, PDF compression works best on images. Our tool renders each PDF page as an image and applies JPEG compression, which is highly effective for photos, scans, and graphics. Image-heavy PDFs can achieve 70-90% size reduction, while text-only PDFs see 10-30% reduction. If your PDF contains many images, screenshots, or scanned pages, compression will be very effective. Vector graphics and pure text compress less because they're already efficiently stored.
Are PDF files already compressed?
Most PDF files are already compressed to some degree, especially if exported from modern software. However, many PDFs contain unoptimized images, embedded fonts, or redundant data that can be further compressed. PDFs created from scanned documents, photos, or older software often have significant compression potential. Even "optimized" PDFs can usually be reduced by 20-50% using aggressive compression techniques like ours. Try compressing your PDF—if reduction is minimal (<5%), it's already well-optimized.
Does PDF compression reduce quality?
Yes, PDF compression can reduce quality, but the extent depends on the compression level. Our Low compression (85% quality) preserves near-original visual fidelity with minimal quality loss. Medium compression (65% quality) balances size and quality well. High compression (40% quality) prioritizes file size but keeps content readable. Text remains clear at all levels. The main trade-off is that compressed PDFs become image-based, so text won't be selectable or searchable—but it's still perfectly readable.
How to compress PDF file to 5MB or less?
To compress PDF to 5MB: (1) Upload your large PDF to our compressor, (2) Start with Medium compression, (3) Check the output size—if still over 5MB, compress again with High compression, (4) For very large files (100MB+), use High compression from the start. Multiple compressions can achieve extreme reduction. For example, a 50MB PDF can typically be reduced to under 5MB with High compression. Image-heavy PDFs compress better than text-only documents.
How to compress PDF to 1MB or 2MB?
To compress PDF to 1MB or 2MB: Use High compression for files 5-20MB. For smaller starting files (2-5MB), Medium compression may suffice. If the first compression doesn't reach your target, compress the output file again—this "double compression" can achieve 85-95% total reduction. Note that exact size targets can't be guaranteed, but our tool displays the final size before download so you can re-compress if needed. Text-heavy PDFs may not compress to very small sizes.
Why compress PDF files?
Compress PDF files to: (1) Meet email attachment limits (typically 25MB for Gmail/Outlook), (2) Save cloud storage space (reduce Google Drive/Dropbox costs), (3) Meet website upload requirements (job applications, forms often have 5-10MB limits), (4) Speed up downloads and loading times, (5) Share files faster via messaging apps. Smaller files also reduce bandwidth costs for businesses and improve user experience. Compression is essential when dealing with scanned documents, image-heavy reports, or presentations.
How to compress PDF on Mac?
To compress PDF on Mac: (1) Use our browser-based tool (works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox)—no app installation needed, (2) Alternatively, open PDF in Preview → File → Export → Quartz Filter → Reduce File Size (but compression is limited), (3) For better compression than Preview offers, use our tool which achieves 50-90% reduction vs Preview's 10-30%. Our Mac PDF compressor works entirely in-browser, is faster than Preview, and produces smaller files without losing readability.
How to compress PDF in Adobe?
To compress PDF in Adobe: Adobe Acrobat Pro offers File → Save as Other → Reduced Size PDF or File → Optimize PDF. However, Adobe Acrobat costs $19.99/month. Our free alternative provides similar or better compression (up to 90% vs Adobe's ~80%) without any subscription. Adobe's free Reader doesn't include compression features. If you don't already have Acrobat Pro, using our free tool is more cost-effective.
How to compress PDF on iPhone?
To compress PDF on iPhone: (1) Open Safari/Chrome and visit our tool at fasttools.store/pdf-tools/pdf-compressor, (2) Tap the upload area and select your PDF from Files app, (3) Choose compression level and tap "Compress PDF", (4) Download the compressed file to your device. Our tool works perfectly on iPhone—no app installation needed. It's faster and more secure than installing third-party apps, and works offline once the page is loaded. Supports iOS Safari and Chrome.
What is the highest/strongest PDF compressor?
The highest PDF compressor (maximum compression) is our High compression mode, which reduces files by 70-90%. This is stronger than most competitors: Adobe Acrobat (~80%), Smallpdf (~70%), iLovePDF (~70%). The strongest PDF compressor uses aggressive image compression (40% JPEG quality) while keeping content readable. For extreme compression, use High mode twice (compress → download → compress again) to achieve 95%+ reduction on image-heavy PDFs.
Is PDF compression lossless?
No, PDF compression is not lossless for image-based compression. Our tool uses JPEG encoding which is lossy (reduces image quality to save space). However, "lossy" doesn't mean "unreadable"—even High compression keeps documents clear and usable. For text-only PDFs, some PDF tools use lossless compression (removing redundant data without quality loss), but this only achieves 10-20% reduction. To get 50-90% compression, lossy image compression is necessary. Low compression mode (85% quality) is nearly lossless to the human eye.
How long does PDF compression take?
PDF compression time depends on file size and page count: (1) Small PDFs (1-5MB, 1-10 pages): 5-15 seconds, (2) Medium PDFs (5-20MB, 10-50 pages): 15-45 seconds, (3) Large PDFs (20-100MB, 50-200 pages): 1-3 minutes, (4) Very large PDFs (100MB-2GB, 200+ pages): 3-10 minutes. Processing happens in your browser using your device's CPU, so faster computers compress faster. High compression takes slightly longer than Low due to more processing.
How many times can you compress a PDF?
You can compress a PDF multiple times, but effectiveness decreases with each pass. First compression: 50-90% reduction. Second compression: 10-30% additional reduction. Third+ compressions: <5% reduction with noticeable quality loss. We recommend maximum 2 compressions. For best results: (1) First pass: Medium compression, (2) If needed, second pass: High compression. Compressing more than twice degrades quality significantly without meaningful size reduction. Each compression is lossy, so quality degrades cumulatively.
What happens when a PDF is compressed?
When a PDF is compressed: (1) Each page is rendered as an image, (2) Images are converted to JPEG format with reduced quality, (3) The new PDF is rebuilt from compressed images, (4) File size decreases by 20-90%, (5) Text becomes part of images (not selectable/searchable), (6) Visual content remains readable, (7) Page layout and structure are preserved, (8) Metadata and bookmarks may be removed, (9) Interactive elements (forms, links) become static. The result is a smaller, simplified PDF optimized for viewing and sharing.
What kind of compression does PDF use?
PDFs can use multiple compression types: (1) JPEG compression for images (lossy, high compression), (2) Flate/ZIP compression for text and vectors (lossless, moderate compression), (3) JBIG2 for black-and-white scans (lossy, very high compression), (4) JPEG2000 for advanced image compression. Our tool uses JPEG compression because it provides the best balance of compression ratio (70-90%) and visual quality. Different PDF creators use different compression methods, which is why some PDFs compress better than others.
Is free PDF compressor safe?
Free PDF compressors can be safe if they process files locally. Our free tool is 100% safe because compression happens entirely in your browser—no file uploads, no server storage, no third-party access. However, many free online compressors upload your files to their servers (privacy risk). To stay safe: (1) Use browser-based tools like ours, (2) Avoid tools requiring registration/login, (3) Never upload confidential documents to unknown services, (4) Check if the tool claims "no upload" or "client-side processing". Free doesn't mean unsafe—it just requires careful choice.
Does PDF compressor have size limits?
Our PDF compressor has no size limit up to 2GB—far higher than most competitors. We support unlimited file size because processing happens in your browser (limited only by your device's memory). Comparison: iLovePDF free (200MB limit), Smallpdf free (5GB but 2/day limit), Adobe online (2GB). Our tool handles even large PDF files like scanned books, high-resolution presentations, or multi-hundred-page reports. No "upgrade to pro" required.
How much can a PDF compress?
PDF compression potential varies: (1) Image-heavy PDFs: 70-90% reduction (e.g., 100MB → 10-30MB), (2) Mixed content PDFs: 50-70% reduction (e.g., 50MB → 15-25MB), (3) Text-only PDFs: 10-30% reduction (e.g., 10MB → 7-9MB), (4) Already optimized PDFs: <5% reduction. Maximum compression depends on content type, original quality, and how the PDF was created. Scanned documents and photos compress the most. Vector graphics and optimized exports compress the least.
How to compress PDF file size?
Upload your PDF to our compressor tool and click "Compress PDF". Our tool will optimize the file structure and reduce the size while maintaining quality. Download your compressed PDF instantly.
Is this the best free PDF compressor online?
Our tool is among the best free PDF compressors because it's completely free, has no file size limits, processes files locally (100% private), and doesn't require registration. Unlike tools like Smallpdf or ILovePDF, we don't upload your files to servers.
Can I compress PDF without losing quality?
Our compression preserves visual quality while significantly reducing file size. We use JPEG encoding with adjustable quality levels. Low compression maintains near-perfect quality, while high compression prioritizes smaller file sizes.
Will text remain searchable after compression?
No. Our compression converts PDF pages to images for maximum size reduction. Text remains readable but won't be selectable or searchable. This trade-off enables 50-90% compression, much better than structure-only optimization.
How much can I reduce PDF file size?
Our image-based compression achieves 50-90% size reduction. Low compression: 20-40%, Medium: 50-70%, High: 70-90%. Actual results depend on content and selected compression level. The tool shows exact savings before download.
Is it safe to compress PDF online?
Yes, our PDF compressor is completely safe because all processing happens locally in your browser. Your PDF files never leave your device or get uploaded to any server. This is much safer than online services that require file uploads.
Can I compress PDF to specific size like 1MB or 200KB?
Our compressor automatically optimizes file size. While we can't guarantee exact target sizes, you can compress multiple times if needed. The tool shows the final size before download.
What's the difference between this and Adobe PDF compressor?
Adobe's compression tools require a paid subscription. Our free PDF compressor online provides similar functionality at no cost, with the added benefit of client-side processing for maximum privacy and security.
Can I compress large PDFs like 100MB or 1GB files?
Yes! Our tool supports PDFs up to 2GB. Large files may take longer to process, but compression ratios are typically better for larger files with many images. Processing happens entirely in your browser for complete privacy.
How to Compress PDF to Specific File Sizes
Our online PDF compressor helps you reduce PDF file size to meet specific requirements. Whether you need to compress PDF to 200KB, compress PDF to 500KB, or reduce larger files, our tool provides three compression levels to achieve your target size.
Small Files (50KB - 200KB)
To compress PDF to 100KB or compress PDF to 200KB:
- Use High compression level
- Perfect for email attachments
- Ideal for form uploads (job applications, govt. forms)
- Achieves 70-90% size reduction
Medium Files (200KB - 1MB)
To compress PDF to 500KB or compress PDF to 1MB:
- Use Medium compression level
- Balanced quality and size
- Great for sharing via messaging apps
- Achieves 50-70% size reduction
Large Files (1MB - 10MB+)
To compress PDF to 2MB or reduce larger files:
- Use Low or Medium level
- Maintain better visual quality
- Suitable for presentations and portfolios
- Achieves 20-50% size reduction
💡 Pro Tip: If your first compression doesn't reach the target size, you can compress the output file again with a higher compression level. Our free PDF compressor online has no limits on re-compression.
Compress PDF Without Losing Quality
Many users search for a PDF compressor without losing quality or PDF compressor without quality loss. While all compression involves some trade-off, our tool is designed to preserve maximum visual quality.
What We Preserve
- Visual Content: All text, images, and graphics remain readable
- Page Layout: Original formatting and structure maintained
- Image Quality: Adjustable compression levels (Low = 85% quality)
- Document Integrity: Page count and order unchanged
Trade-offs
- Text Selection: Compressed PDFs become image-based (text not selectable)
- Searchability: Text search won't work in compressed files
- Digital Signatures: Existing signatures may be invalidated
- Form Fields: Interactive forms become static images
🎯 Recommendation: Use Low Compression for a PDF compressor without losing quality. This provides 20-40% size reduction while maintaining near-original visual fidelity. For maximum compression, use High level, which still keeps content readable but prioritizes file size reduction.
Online PDF Compressor: FastTools vs Other Tools
Comparing our online PDF compressor free tool with popular alternatives like Adobe PDF compressor, Smallpdf, and iLovePDF:
| Feature | FastTools (Ours) | Adobe Acrobat | Smallpdf | iLovePDF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 100% Free | $19.99/mo | $12/mo | $7/mo |
| File Upload | No Upload (Local) | Uploads to Server | Uploads to Server | Uploads to Server |
| File Size Limit | Up to 2GB | 2GB | 5GB (Pro) | 200MB (Free) |
| Daily Limit | Unlimited | Unlimited | 2/day (Free) | 1/hour (Free) |
| Privacy | 100% Private (Local) | Cloud Storage | Auto-Delete (1hr) | Auto-Delete (2hr) |
| Compression Ratio | Up to 90% | Up to 80% | Up to 70% | Up to 70% |
✅ Why Choose FastTools: Our free PDF compressor provides enterprise-grade compression without subscriptions, file uploads, or daily limits. Unlike Adobe PDF compressor online or Smallpdf PDF compressor, your files never leave your device, ensuring complete privacy.
Troubleshooting: PDF Not Compressing Enough
If you're experiencing PDF not compressing or PDF not compressing enough, here are common causes and solutions:
⚠️Already Optimized PDF
Problem: PDF was already compressed or exported with optimization.
Solution: Try High compression level. If still minimal reduction (<5%), your PDF is already near-optimal size. Text-only PDFs have limited compression potential.
⚠️Text-Heavy PDFs
Problem: PDFs with mostly text compress less than image-heavy PDFs.
Solution: Text-only PDFs may only achieve 10-30% reduction. For better compression, PDFs with images, scans, or graphics compress 50-90%. This is normal behavior.
⚠️Vector Graphics PDFs
Problem: PDFs with vector graphics (charts, diagrams) are already efficient.
Solution: Our image-based compression works best on raster images (photos, scans). Vector PDFs may see limited compression. Consider this normal for technical/CAD documents.
✅Re-compression Strategy
Best Practice: Compress in stages for extreme reduction.
- First pass: Medium compression
- Second pass: High compression on the output
- This can achieve 85-95% total reduction for large, image-heavy PDFs
Compress PDF and Convert Multiple Formats
Our tool specializes in PDF compression, but many users search for compress JPG to PDF, Word to PDF compressor, or compress PDF and convert to JPG. Here's how to handle multiple formats:
📄→📋JPG to PDF Compressor
To compress JPG to PDF:
- Convert your JPG images to PDF first (use online JPG to PDF converter)
- Upload the resulting PDF to our PDF compressor
- Use High compression for maximum reduction
- Achieve 70-90% smaller file size
Tip: For JPG to PDF compressor 200KB, start with low-resolution JPG images before conversion.
📝→📋Word to PDF Compressor
To use a Word to PDF compressor:
- Save your Word document as PDF (File → Save As → PDF)
- Upload the PDF to our compressor
- Use Medium or High compression
- Particularly effective for Word docs with embedded images
Note: Word documents with many images benefit most from compression.
📋→📄Compress PDF and Convert to JPG
To compress PDF and convert to JPG:
- Compress your PDF first using our tool
- Use a PDF to JPG converter on the compressed file
- This two-step process ensures smallest JPG output
- Ideal for web publishing or image sharing
Tip: Compress first, then convert for optimal file sizes.
🔄PDF Compressor and Merger
For PDF compressor and merger needs:
- First, merge your PDFs using our PDF Merger tool
- Then compress the merged file for optimal size
- This creates a single, compact PDF from multiple sources
- Great for combining invoices, reports, or scanned documents
Best practice: Merge first, compress second.
PDF Compressor for Windows, Mac & Linux
Our online PDF compressor free works on all platforms without software installation. Here's platform-specific guidance:
🪟PDF Compressor Windows
For PDF compressor Windows users:
- Works in Chrome, Edge, Firefox
- No software download needed
- Faster than Adobe Acrobat
- No Windows version limitations
- Alternative to paid software like Foxit
🍎Mac PDF Compressor
For Mac PDF compressor users:
- Works in Safari, Chrome, Firefox
- No macOS app installation
- Complements Preview's compression
- Better compression than Mac Preview
- Free alternative to paid Mac apps
🐧PDF Compressor Linux
For PDF compressor Linux users:
- Works in all Linux browsers
- No CLI commands required
- GUI alternative to Ghostscript
- Easier than pdftk or ps2pdf
- Cross-distribution compatibility
🌐 Cross-Platform Advantage: Unlike PDF compressor software that requires installation, our browser-based tool works instantly on any operating system. No PDF compressor download needed, no version updates, and no compatibility issues.