PDF Compressor: Make Any PDF Smaller Instantly
FreeFast PDF compressor. Drag and drop any PDF, pick a quality level, download a smaller file. No upload, no signup, no limits. Free.
What's next
Settings guide
Quality presets explained:
- ·Maximum compression — Images recompressed to 72 dpi. Best for documents viewed only on screen. Typically 60-80% smaller for scanned documents.
- ·Balanced — Images at 150 dpi. Readable on screen and adequate for low-volume printing. Typically 30-50% smaller.
- ·Print quality — Images at 300 dpi. Suitable for professional printing. Gains come from font subsetting and metadata only — typically 10-20% smaller.
When compression plateaus: If your PDF barely changes size, it is either already optimised or the content is not compressible (e.g., a PDF containing only a single JPEG that is already at 80% quality). In that case, the only further reduction comes from reducing the image's pixel dimensions before creating the PDF.
Format note: The output is always a valid PDF. Unlike some tools that flatten pages to images, this compressor preserves text layers, hyperlinks, form fields (where possible), and document structure.
Format comparison
This vs Ghostscript: Ghostscript (open-source command-line tool) produces comparable results for image-heavy PDFs and may slightly outperform for very complex documents. This browser tool is faster for everyday use and requires no software installation.
This vs Adobe Acrobat Pro's PDF Optimizer: Acrobat Pro offers more granular control (per-image compression settings, transparency flattener options). This tool covers the 90% use case without requiring a subscription.
This vs ilovepdf / smallpdf / other online tools: Online tools upload your file to their servers. This tool does not. For any document with names, signatures, financial data, or medical information — local processing matters.
How it works
Drop or select
Drag your PDF onto the tool or click to browse your files.
Choose quality
Maximum for smallest file, Balanced for everyday use, Print to preserve print resolution.
Compress
Processing runs in your browser — typically completes in seconds for most PDFs.
Compare and download
Check the size comparison, then save the compressed PDF.
About this format
Not all PDF compressors are equal. Most online tools upload your file to a server, process it remotely, and return a result — introducing privacy concerns and speed limits. This compressor runs entirely in your browser using WebAssembly. Your PDF is processed on your device. No upload. No wait for a server. No file size cap from bandwidth restrictions.
The compression engine handles the three main PDF weight categories: image data (recompressed at your chosen quality level), font data (subsetted to remove unused characters), and structural overhead (metadata, thumbnails, comments, unused objects). The combination achieves the same results as dedicated desktop software for the majority of PDFs encountered in business and personal workflows.
Results are shown alongside the original file size so you know exactly what you are getting before downloading.