Compress PDF to 200KB
200 KB is a common limit for scanned ID documents, certificates and supporting papers on application forms. PDFHive fits your PDF under it with the best quality it can, and one or two scanned pages usually keep their colour.
Your files are processed in your browser and never leave your device.
How to use Compress PDF to 200KB
- Select your PDF or drag it into the box. The 200 KB target is already filled in.
- Click "Compress PDF" and wait a few seconds while the images are re-saved.
- Check the new size and download the PDF.
- If it doesn't fit, the message under the result suggests what to try next, such as black and white for a scanned document.
How to compress a scanned passport or ID to 200 KB
ID pages contain a photo and coloured security printing, so they should stay in colour. In our tests, two-page scans of a passport and photo came out at about 180 KB in colour with the strongest readable setting, comfortably under 200 KB.
Don't use Black and white for IDs: it removes colour and makes photos look poor, and some offices reject black-and-white copies.
What if your scan won't go under 200 KB?
200 KB suits one scanned page, such as a passport photo page or one side of an ID card. In our tests, single scanned passport pages came out at around 180 KB on the Strong setting. Longer scans need one of these.
- Upload only the pages the form asks for: keep them with Split PDF, then compress again.
- If the form accepts several files, send the front and back of an ID card as two separate PDFs.
- For black text on white paper, choose Black and white: it is far smaller. Don't use it for photos or ID pictures, which look poor in black and white.
Frequently asked questions
Will my scanned passport or ID still look clear?
Yes. PDFHive keeps the best quality that fits under 200 KB, and it never lowers quality so far that text or faces become hard to make out. If that would be needed, it tells you instead.
Can I keep the colour at 200 KB?
Usually, for one or two scanned pages. Colour is only lost if you choose Black and white yourself; PDFHive never switches to it on its own.
My PDF has several pages. Can it fit in 200 KB?
A text document can, easily. Scanned pages take more room, so a scan of more than two or three pages may not fit in colour. Black and white helps for text-only scans, or keep only the pages that are needed with Split PDF.
Is 200 KB counted as 200,000 bytes?
PDFHive aims for 200,000 bytes, which is the smaller of the two ways websites count a kilobyte, so the file is accepted whichever way the form checks it.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes. It works in the browser on iPhone and Android, so you can compress a scan saved on your phone and upload it straight away.
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.
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