Compress PDF Online Free: Reduce PDF File Size

The email bounces because the attachment is too big. The upload form says the file exceeds the limit. A big PDF is a common problem, and the fix takes seconds. The PDFFlowState Compress PDF tool shrinks your PDF in your browser, for free, with no account.

Open the Compress PDF tool

What does Compress PDF do?

Compress PDF shrinks PDF file size for email and uploads. It is useful for scanned documents, photo-heavy files and merged PDFs, which tend to be the largest.

How to compress a PDF

  1. Open the tool. Go to Compress PDF. It works on phone and desktop.
  2. Add your PDF. Choose the file you want to shrink.
  3. Compress. Start the process and wait for it to finish.
  4. Download. Open the smaller PDF and check that it still looks right before you send it.

No sign-up is needed at any step.

Why is my PDF so big?

Most large PDFs are big because of images: scans, photos and high-resolution graphics. Merging many files adds up quickly too.

Other ways to reduce PDF size

  • Shrink the pictures first. If you are building a PDF from photos, run them through Compress Images or Resize Images before using Images to PDF.
  • Remove pages you do not need with Organize PDF or Split PDF.
  • Compress last. If you plan to merge or watermark the file, do that first and compress the final version.

Frequently asked questions

Is Compress PDF free? Yes. It is free and needs no sign-up.

Will compressing change how my PDF looks? Compression reduces size, which can affect image quality. Always open the result and check it before sending.

Can I compress a PDF to an exact size such as 200 KB? The tool shrinks the file, but it is not guaranteed to hit a specific size. If a form requires a limit, try compressing the images first.

Can I compress images separately? Yes. See Compress Images.

Compress your PDF now

Try the free Compress PDF tool or browse all the PDF tools on PDFFlowState.