How to use Compress PDF
- Choose your PDF.
- Pick a level: Good quality, Smaller, or Smallest.
- Press Compress PDF, compare the sizes, and download.
How it works — and the trade-off
Each page is redrawn as a compressed picture. For scans and photographed documents this can cut the size dramatically. The trade-off: text on the pages becomes part of the picture, so it can no longer be selected, searched or copied.
When not to use it
A PDF that is mostly typed text is already small, and this method can even make it larger — the tool tells you when that happens, so you can keep the original. Keep an uncompressed copy of anything important.
Other names for this job
Also known as reducing PDF file size, making a PDF smaller, shrinking a PDF, or compressing a PDF for email. People often need a PDF under a limit — below 1 MB, 500 KB, 200 KB or 100 KB — for a job application, a government form or a WhatsApp message. Choose a level, compare the before and after size, and try a stronger level if you need it smaller.
Free, private and without a watermark
Compress PDF runs in your browser, so the file is not uploaded and no watermark is added. You can open a file and try the tool without signing in. To download the result, create a free Bol Ke Likho account — an email address and a six-digit code, no password and no card.
Questions people ask
Will the text still be selectable?
No. Pages become pictures. Use this for scans and photos, or when file size matters more than selectable text.
How small will it get?
It depends on the document. You see the before and after sizes before downloading.
Is the original changed?
No. A new file is made.
How do I reduce a PDF to under 1 MB or 200 KB?
Start with “Smaller”. If the result is still above your limit, run it again with “Smallest”. How small it gets depends on the number of pages and how they were scanned.
How do I compress a PDF for email or WhatsApp?
Compress it here, check the new size shown on the page, and attach the downloaded file.
Is Compress PDF free? Is there a watermark?
Yes, it is free, and no watermark is added to your file. You can try the tool without an account; a free Bol Ke Likho account is needed to download the result. No payment details are asked for.
Is it safe to use Compress PDF online here?
Your file is processed inside your own browser and is not uploaded to our servers, which is the main risk with online PDF tools. Close the page and nothing is kept.
More PDF tools
- Crop PDFTrim the margins of every page by the amount you set.
- Flatten PDFLock a filled-in form so the answers can no longer be edited.
- Sign & edit PDFSign, add text and dates, cover mistakes, highlight, draw — then share or email.
- Merge PDFJoin several PDFs into one file, in the order you choose.
- Split PDFCut one PDF into several files by page ranges, or one file per page.
- Delete PDF pagesRemove the pages you do not want and keep the rest.