Compress PDF: Reduce PDF File Size Online
PDF too big to email, or over a portal's upload limit? Compress it in seconds: pick Low, Medium, or High compression and see exactly how much space you saved.
or drop a file here · free, no signup, files deleted automatically
How to compress a PDF
- Upload your PDF (drag & drop or browse).
- Choose Compress PDF and pick a level: Low (best quality), Medium (balanced), or High (smallest size).
- Download the compressed file: we show you the original size, new size, and percentage saved.
Why use Forge Files?
- No Acrobat Pro needed: compression runs on our free server, nothing to install.
- Verifiably private: your file is deleted right after download. The code is open source, so this is checkable, not just a claim.
- Free with no limits: no daily quota, no watermark, no signup.
How compression works here
Compress PDF re-samples oversized embedded images and strips redundant data while keeping text as sharp vector glyphs, so words never blur. Most savings come from images and scans; a text-only PDF is already small. Pick a level to trade size against image fidelity: screen-resolution output is ideal for email and web uploads, while you should keep the original for high-DPI commercial printing.
When you need it
- A PDF is too big to attach to an email or upload to a portal.
- A scanned document is huge because it's really a stack of images.
- You merged several files and the combined PDF ballooned in size.
For the full walkthrough and the quality trade-offs, see our guide: how to compress a PDF without losing quality.
Is the Compress PDF tool private?
Yes. Your file is uploaded over encrypted HTTPS, processed, handed back, and then deleted — the upload goes the moment the Compress PDF operation finishes and the result the instant you download it, with an hourly sweeper as a backstop. Unlike closed tools that just claim they don't keep your files, Forge Files's code is fully open source, so you can verify exactly how the Compress PDF tool handles your data — or self-host it. No account, no watermark, no upsell. See our privacy details for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
How much smaller will my PDF get?
PDFs full of photos or scanned pages often shrink by 50–90% at the High level. Text-only PDFs are already efficient and may shrink only slightly. You'll see the exact before/after numbers on screen.
Will compression make my PDF blurry?
Text always stays sharp: compression mainly resamples images. Use Low if image quality matters most, High if file size matters most.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Yes, first remove the password (you'll need to know it), then compress the unlocked file.
More free tools
Merge PDF · PDF to Word · Extract PDF Pages · Unlock PDF · Compress Image