Compress PDF files without blurry text
Most large PDFs are large because of the images inside them — scans, photos and screenshots. This PDF compressor re-compresses only those images and leaves the text and vector graphics untouched, so your document stays sharp and readable while the file gets much smaller.
How to compress a PDF
- Drop one or more PDF files.
- Pick a level (light, recommended, strong) or type a target size such as 200 KB or 1 MB.
- Compare the original and compressed pages side by side.
- Download the smaller PDF or a ZIP.
Common PDF size limits
| Where | Typical limit |
|---|---|
| Gmail attachment | 25 MB |
| Outlook attachment | 20 MB |
| WhatsApp document | 2 GB (but smaller sends faster) |
| Job & government application forms | Often 100 KB – 2 MB |
Never bigger than the original
If a PDF is already optimised — for example a text-only document — there is little to compress, and the tool keeps your original rather than making it bigger.
Tips for small PDFs
- Scan documents at 150–200 DPI instead of 600 DPI.
- Use “strong” for scans and photo-heavy PDFs, “light” for presentations.
- Remove pages you don’t need with the PDF merge tool first.
Choose how much to compress
- 🟢 Light: best quality, smaller file — for documents you will print.
- ⭐ Recommended: good quality and a much smaller file — right for most PDFs.
- 🔥 Strong: the smallest file; images get softer.
Or pick a target size — 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB, 2 MB, 5 MB or 10 MB for email — and the compressor aims for it.
Example
A two-page PDF with large photos went from 145 KB to 16 KB with the recommended setting, and the text stayed sharp and searchable.
What gets smaller
Most of a PDF’s size is usually images — scans, photos and screenshots. The compressor resizes and re-compresses them. Plain text PDFs are already small and won’t shrink much.
Common uses
- Job and university portals with upload limits (often 1–2 MB).
- Government and bank forms that reject large files.
- Email attachments under 10–25 MB.
- WhatsApp sharing.
Compress several PDFs at once, then combine them with merge PDF if needed. Files never leave your device.