How to Reduce PDF Size Without Losing Quality

Large PDFs are frustrating — they clog your email, take forever to upload, and eat storage space. Here's how to shrink them down without sacrificing readability.

Why Are Some PDFs So Large?

PDF file size depends on what's inside. A text-only PDF might be 50KB, while the same document with embedded images could be 50MB. The main culprits are:

• •High-resolution images — Photos saved at print quality (300 DPI) are overkill for screen viewing
• •Embedded fonts — Full font files add size; subsetting includes only used characters
• •Scanned documents — Scans are essentially large images, even if they look like text
• •Redundant data — Editing history, metadata, and duplicate objects

Method 1: Online PDF Compression

The fastest way to reduce PDF size. Our tool processes everything in your browser — your files never leave your device.

1. 1

   Upload Your PDF

   Drag and drop or click to select. Works with PDFs up to 100MB.

2. 2

   Choose Compression Level

   High for maximum size reduction, Low for best quality retention.

3. 3

   Download Compressed PDF

   Your smaller PDF downloads instantly. Compare sizes before and after.

Method 2: Reduce Image Quality

If you're creating the PDF yourself, compress images before adding them. A 150 DPI image is plenty for screen viewing and uses 75% less space than 300 DPI.

Method 3: Remove Unnecessary Elements

• •Delete blank pages — Extra pages add to file size even if empty
• •Remove annotations — Comments, highlights, and sticky notes accumulate
• •Flatten form fields — Interactive forms are larger than static content
• •Strip metadata — Author info, editing history, and thumbnails

Expected Compression Results