Compress PDF
Shrink file size while keeping quality.
About this tool
Compress PDF — Reduce File Size in Your Browser
Shrink oversized scans and presentations so they fit an email attachment limit. Everything runs locally in your browser — no upload, no sign-up, no watermark and no file size limit.
Three Compression Levels
Slight, Recommended or Extreme: each page is redrawn as a JPEG image at that level's resolution and quality, which shrinks scans and photo-heavy files the most.
Compress PDF Without Uploading
Confidential reports never reach a compression server — the whole pass happens on your device.
See the Saving Before You Download
The result compares the original size, the new size and the saving. Not happy? Pick another level and compress again.
How to use it
- Drop the PDF you want to shrink.
- Keep By quality selected and choose a compression level: Slight for high quality, Recommended for a balance, Extreme for the smallest file.
- Click Compress Now and wait while each page is redrawn on your device.
- Compare the original and new size. If the file is still too big, or looks too soft, try another level.
- Click Download Compressed PDF. Need a fixed limit like 1 MB? Switch to To a size instead.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?
No. Toolula processes the document inside your browser tab with pdf-lib and WebAssembly, so the file never leaves your device.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
Scanned or image-heavy documents typically shrink by 50-90%. Text-only PDFs are already compact, so the gain is smaller.
Can I still select the text afterwards?
No. Compressing turns every page into an image, so text can no longer be selected or searched. Keep the original for copying text or making changes.
What if the compressed file would be larger?
That happens with small, text-only PDFs. Toolula then keeps the original pages and only saves a cleaned-up copy when that is smaller.
Is it really free?
Yes. You can use every Toolula PDF tool for free, without an account. The free plan has fair-use limits; Toolula Pro, an optional plan, raises them and adds advanced features.