Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size while keeping text sharp and images readable.
- Low, medium and strong compression presets
- Text stays vector sharp at every level
- Typical savings of 50 to 90 percent
Drag & drop your file here
orFiles are encrypted in transit and deleted automatically after processing.
About the Compress PDF tool
Compress PDF re-samples images and cleans up unused objects so your document slips past email attachment limits and upload caps without turning blurry.
Shrink the file size of a PDF so it is easier to email, upload, or store, while keeping the document readable and usable. You can choose a compression level that fits how the file will be used.
How to compress a PDF
- 1Upload the PDF file you want to reduce in size.
- 2Select a compression level, from light to strong, depending on your quality needs.
- 3Download the compressed PDF and compare the new size to the original.
How much can a PDF be compressed
PDF compression mainly works by re-encoding embedded images at a lower quality and removing redundant data, so files with many photos or scanned pages usually shrink the most, sometimes by more than half, while text-only PDFs with few images may only shrink slightly since there is less to optimize. A light compression setting keeps images crisp and is best for documents you plan to print, while a stronger setting trades some visual detail for a much smaller file, which works well for email attachments or web uploads.
Text stays fully sharp and selectable at every compression level, since compression targets images rather than text layers. Your file is uploaded over an encrypted connection and deleted from the server once processing is complete, with no account or sign up required, so you can compress sensitive documents without leaving a copy behind.
Why use PDF Leader for Compress PDF
Fast
Most files are processed in a few seconds, even large ones.
Private
Encrypted transfer and automatic deletion after processing.
Any device
Runs in the browser on desktop, tablet and phone.
No limits
No watermarks, no page caps and no forced sign up.
Frequently asked questions
How much smaller will my PDF get?+
It depends heavily on the content: image-heavy or scanned PDFs often shrink by 50% or more, while text-based documents with few graphics may only see a modest reduction.
Will compression make text blurry?+
No, compression reduces the quality of embedded images, but text created digitally stays sharp and remains selectable and searchable.
Which compression level should I choose for printing?+
Use a lighter compression setting for documents you intend to print, since it preserves more image detail than the strongest settings.
Can I compress a scanned PDF made of photos?+
Yes, scanned PDFs typically compress well because their pages are essentially images, though very aggressive settings can introduce visible artifacts on fine text.
Is compressed text still searchable?+
Yes, if the original PDF had selectable text, that text layer is untouched by compression and remains fully searchable afterward.
Do I need to compress a PDF more than once?+
Recompressing an already compressed PDF gives diminishing returns and can further degrade image quality, so it is best to compress from the original file when possible.