Reduce the file size of a PDF by re-encoding each page as an optimized image. Choose the quality and resolution, then download the smaller file.
OR DRAG & DROP HERE — ONE FILE AT A TIME
The tool renders every page with a PDF engine (pdf.js) and re-saves it as an optimized JPEG image inside a new PDF. That is very effective for scanned documents and photo PDFs — usually 50–90% smaller — because the images are re-compressed.
Because pages become images, text is no longer selectable or searchable in the compressed file. For text-only documents (a Word export, for example) this method can even make the file bigger — it shines on PDFs with photos and scans. The tool always shows the percentage, so you can compare before downloading.
It depends entirely on what is inside. Realistic expectations after thousands of documents:
Sweet spot: quality 70–80% keeps text sharp for printing. If the file is still too big after compressing, split it or remove pages instead of pushing quality below 50%. Read the full compression guide with real numbers →
Compression runs entirely in your browser. Your PDF is never sent to any server and never stored.
This method re-renders each page as an image, so the text layer is lost. It is the trade-off for a much smaller file. For documents where you need selectable text, keep the original and only compress copies.
Yes — that is the best use case. Scanned pages are already images, so re-compressing them as optimized JPEGs usually cuts the size by 50–90% with little visible loss.
PDFs that are mostly text (like a Word export) are already very compact. Converting them to images adds pixels, so the result can be larger. The tool shows the percentage — just don't download if it grew.
Quality (10–100) sets the JPEG compression of every page — lower is smaller and slightly softer. Resolution scales the pixel size of each page: 1× keeps it, 0.5× halves it, which shrinks scans a lot.
No. Remove the password first with our PDF Unlock tool (you need the password), then compress the unlocked file.
No. Everything happens locally in your browser — the file never leaves your device.