CloudlessToolsHow to compress a PDF
Drop your PDF above, choose a compression level and click Compress PDF. You'll see the new size before downloading. If the result isn't smaller, the tool tells you instead of giving you a bigger file.
Which level should I choose?
- Recommended suits most scanned documents, receipts and photo-heavy PDFs. Typical reductions are 50–90%.
- Strong is for strict upload limits, such as government or job portals that only accept files under 1 or 2 MB.
- Light keeps more detail for documents you'll print.
- Lossless is for text-based PDFs (exported from Word, for example) where you need to keep selectable text. These are usually already small.
Why didn't my PDF get smaller?
PDFs created directly from Word, Google Docs or similar apps mostly contain text, which is already very compact. Compression works best on scanned pages and photos. Try the Strong level, or grayscale for black-and-white scans.
Is my document uploaded?
No. Most online compressors upload your file to their servers. This one processes everything inside your browser, so it's safe for bank statements, IDs and contracts.