Compress PDF
Make a PDF smaller so it fits upload limits and email attachments. Choose how much to compress, or type a target size, and see the new file size before you download.
Your files are processed in your browser and never leave your device.
How to use Compress PDF
- Click "Select PDF file", or drag a PDF into the box.
- Choose Recommended, Strong, Light or Black and white, or pick "Target size" and type a limit such as 500 KB.
- Click "Compress PDF". The new size, and how much smaller it is, appear before you download anything.
- Click "Download PDF" to save the smaller file.
How to compress a PDF without losing quality
Most of a PDF's size usually comes from images: scanned pages, photos and pictures. PDFHive only re-saves those large images. Text, fonts, links and the layout of your pages are not changed, so the text stays sharp and selectable at every setting.
For the best quality, choose Light: images keep their full size and are saved a little more efficiently. Recommended makes the file much smaller while still looking sharp on screen and in print, which suits most documents.
How to make a scanned PDF smaller
A scanned document is a set of photos of paper, so it can usually shrink a lot. In our tests, a three-page scanned document of 1.8 MB became about 540 KB with Recommended and about 300 KB with Strong.
If the scan is text only, such as a letter, statement or form, Black and white can make it far smaller still: the same document came to under 100 KB, with crisp text. It removes colour, so don't use it for photos, ID cards or pages with coloured stamps you need to keep.
What if your PDF barely gets smaller?
How much a PDF shrinks depends on what is inside it. Pictures and scans shrink a lot. Text, fonts and drawings are already compact, so a document saved from Word may only lose a little.
- Choose Strong instead of Recommended: pictures get smaller while the text stays clearly readable.
- For a scanned text document, choose Black and white. It removes colour, but makes scans much smaller.
- Keep only the pages you need with Split PDF, or remove the rest with Delete PDF pages, then compress again.
- If PDFHive says the PDF is already well compressed, there is nothing more it can safely remove. Only fewer pages would make it smaller.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDFs uploaded to a server?
No. PDFHive compresses your PDF inside your web browser, on your own computer or phone. The file is never sent to us or anyone else.
Is Compress PDF free?
Yes. It is free to use, with no sign-up, no watermark and no limit on how many files you compress.
Which option should I choose?
Recommended suits most documents. Choose Strong when you need the smallest file that still reads clearly, Light when quality matters most, and Black and white only for scanned text documents. If a website or form gives you a size limit, choose "Target size" and type it in.
Why did my PDF barely get smaller?
Some PDFs have little to compress. Files made directly from Word or a website are mostly text and fonts, which are already compact and can't be shrunk without changing how the document looks. If nothing can be saved, PDFHive tells you the file is already well compressed instead of giving you a copy that is no smaller.
Can every PDF be compressed to my target size?
Not always. PDFHive tries the gentlest setting first and keeps the best quality that fits. If even the strongest readable setting is too big, it shows the smallest size it reached and suggests next steps: Black and white for scanned text, or Split PDF to keep only the pages you need. It never makes text unreadable just to hit a number.
Will the text stay selectable and the links keep working?
Yes. Only large images are re-saved. Text, links, bookmarks and form fields are kept exactly as they were.
Can I compress a bank statement or a protected PDF?
Many bank statements open normally but have restrictions on editing or copying. PDFHive can compress these, and the smaller file keeps exactly the same restrictions. PDFs that need a password to open can't be compressed: open them with the password and save an unprotected copy first.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It works in modern browsers on iPhone, iPad and Android, and the compressed file is saved to your Downloads or the Files app. Very large scans take longer on older phones, and the tool warns you when a file is unusually big.
Helpful guides
- Are online PDF tools safe? Upload sites vs in-browser tools
What happens to your file on upload sites and in-browser tools, and how to check where it really goes.
- Bank statement PDF won't print, merge or compress? Permissions explained
Why statements open fine but refuse to print or merge, what PDF permissions are, and what to do about them.
- How to reduce PDF size for job, university and visa portals
Combine, trim and compress your documents in the right order so they fit the portal's upload limits.
- How to turn phone photos of documents into one clean PDF
Photograph documents so they look scanned, then crop, combine and shrink them into one tidy PDF.
- Online form file limits: KB, MB, pixels and cm explained
What "under 50 KB", "200 × 230 pixels" and "3.5 × 4.5 cm" really mean, and how to meet each one.
- Why is my PDF so large, and how do I make it smaller?
What really takes up space in a PDF, and the quickest way to shrink each kind of file.