# Compress PDF

> Compress Portable Document Format (PDF) files online for free. The compressor downsamples and recompresses images, subsets and compresses fonts, and removes duplicate data. Processed in an isolated cloud sandbox and deleted automatically. Or pick an exact size, like 100 KB or 200 KB.

URL: https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf

- Compression: lossy, runs in an isolated cloud sandbox (deleted automatically).
- API: `POST /api/v1/jobs` with `"operation": "compress"` and an optional `compression_level` or `target_size` (paid plans).
- Format: [PDF converter](https://www.converterrr.com/pdf-converter), [Compress documents](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-documents).

## What compression does to PDF

Downsamples and recompresses images, subsets and compresses fonts, and removes duplicate data.

- **Light:** Gentle: images are recompressed but stay close to the original; good for print.
- **Balanced (default):** The default: images are optimised for reading on screen, usually with no visible difference.
- **Strong:** Smallest file: images are downsampled further; fine on screen, not for print.

## Common sizes

- [Compress PDF to 100 KB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-100kb): Strict form uploads
- [Compress PDF to 200 KB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-200kb): Scanned certificates
- [Compress PDF to 300 KB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-300kb): Short scanned documents
- [Compress PDF to 500 KB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-500kb): Résumés & cover letters
- [Compress PDF to 1 MB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-1mb): Job portals & applications
- [Compress PDF to 2 MB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-2mb): Portfolios & reports
- [Compress PDF to 5 MB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-5mb): Email-friendly PDFs
- [Compress PDF to 10 MB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pdf-to-10mb): Large documents, emailable

## How to compress PDF

1. **Add your PDF files.** Drag and drop PDF files onto the compressor, paste them, or click to browse. You can add several at once.
2. **Pick a level or a target.** Balanced is selected and suits most files. Choose Light to stay closer to the original or Strong for the smallest file, or set a target size or a percentage to reduce by.
3. **Compress.** Click Compress. Files are processed in an isolated cloud sandbox and are usually ready in seconds.
4. **Download.** Download each smaller PDF, or everything at once as a ZIP.

## Good to know

- Most of a PDF's weight is images: scans and photos are downsampled and recompressed, fonts are subset to the characters actually used, and duplicate data is removed.
- Text stays real text, so it remains selectable and searchable. Scanned PDFs shrink the most; text-only PDFs are often small already.
- Need to meet an upload limit? Set a target size (or a percentage to reduce by) in the compressor and the PDF is compressed to fit.
- PDF files are compressed in an isolated cloud sandbox created just for your job; the upload and the result are deleted automatically afterwards.

## About the PDF format

PDF preserves a document's exact layout, fonts and images so it looks identical on every device. It's the standard for sharing and printing documents.

|  | PDF |
| --- | --- |
| Full name | Portable Document Format |
| Type | Document |
| Extensions | .pdf |
| MIME type | application/pdf |
| Best for | contracts, forms, reports, e-books and anything meant to be shared or printed |
| Properties | open standard, multi-page |

## Compress other documents

[Compress DOCX](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-docx), [Compress PPTX](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-pptx), [Compress XLSX](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-xlsx), [Compress ODT](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-odt), [Compress ODP](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-odp), [Compress ODS](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-ods), [Compress EPUB](https://www.converterrr.com/compress-epub)

## Compressing PDF: frequently asked questions

### How do I compress a PDF file?

Drop the PDF onto the compressor above, keep Balanced or pick another level, and click Compress. Download the smaller PDF when it's done; it usually takes a few seconds.

### Does compressing PDF reduce quality?

A little, by design: PDF is a lossy format. Balanced is tuned to look the same for most uses; choose Light if you want to stay closer to the original.

### How much smaller will my PDF get?

Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink by more than half. Text-only PDFs are already compact and change much less.

### Can I compress PDF to a specific size?

Yes. Set a target size in the compressor, or a percentage to reduce by, and the file is compressed to land at or just under it. Common sizes like 100 KB, 200 KB, 300 KB or 500 KB are listed on this page with the target preset.

### Is it safe to compress PDF files here?

Yes. Your file travels over an encrypted connection to an isolated sandbox created for your job only, and both the original and the result are deleted automatically.

### Is the PDF compressor free?

Yes. Cloud jobs like this one use the same free daily credits as cloud conversions, and there's no watermark.