Calculator
What the Compress PDF does
Compress PDF: recompresses the images embedded in the PDF while leaving the text as selectable text, which typically removes 50-75% of a scanned or photo-heavy file. Everything runs in your browser and the file is never uploaded.
Pick a file and the Compress PDF processes it right here in the page. The work happens inside your browser tab, so there is no upload to wait for and no queue.
It is mostly used by readers assembling paperwork. Keeping the file on your own machine removes the question of who else can read it.
Your data stays on your machine. Once the page has loaded you could disconnect entirely and it would still work.
The sections after the tool cover usage, the method, and the questions this pdf tool gets asked most.
What do the Compress PDF fields mean?
The Compress PDF uses 1 input. Rather than an empty form you get a filled one, useful when you only want to test a single change.
| Field | What to enter | Default |
|---|---|---|
| PDF File | stays on your device | none |
How does the Compress PDF work?
The result is produced in one pass over your input.
Bad input produces a message, not a silently incorrect figure.
What a typical run looks like
You provide: PDF File
What happens: the file is read into memory by your browser, processed locally, and offered back as a download. It is never uploaded.
You get back: a new file plus a brief account of what happened to it, shown in the panel.
How long this takes is a property of your computer, not of our infrastructure, and file size is bounded by browser memory.
Read next: How PDF Compression Actually Works
How to use it
- Choose your file under PDF File, or drag it onto the drop area.
- Press Optimize.
- Check Status, Original KB and New KB on the right.
- If you need a record, Copy Link saves the inputs and Print produces a clean page.
What this tool does not do
- Encrypted or password-protected files must be unlocked before they can be processed.
- Very large documents are limited by your device's available memory, not by a server quota.
- Precision beyond what the inputs justify is not meaningful, however many digits appear.
- Large files are limited by your available memory, not by an upload quota.
Frequently asked questions
The form asks for PDF File. A starting value is in place for each, so the form is usable immediately, without filling anything in first.
No. The file is read by your browser and processed inside the page. It is never sent to us, which is also why it keeps working offline once loaded.
No cost and no account. Use it as often as you like.
As accurate as the inputs allow. The arithmetic itself introduces no error beyond display rounding.