Shrink a PDF to send by email or WhatsApp, or fit it under the size a job or admission form asks for, like 200 KB or 1 MB.
Two waysKeep the text as it is, or turn pages into pictures to go much smaller.
Fit under a sizeWe find the best quality that still fits.
Stays on your deviceThe file is opened and saved in your browser. It isn't uploaded.
How it works
Add your PDF
Drag it in or choose it.
Choose how
Keep text, or smaller for scans. Add a size if you need one.
Download
See the size before and after.
How to compress a PDF to 200 KB, 100 KB or 1 MB
Many online forms reject a file that is even a little too big. Here is how to reduce PDF size to the limit the form gives:
Add your PDF.
Under How, choose Keep text or Smaller.
Under Size, pick Under 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB, or choose another size and type your own number of KB, from 20 up.
Press Compress PDF.
Check the before and after size, then download.
When you pick a size, the tool aims to stay just under it. Sites count a KB in different ways, so it leaves a small margin to be safe.
With a target size, it tries the best picture quality first and only goes lower when it must. So a 200 KB result is as clear as a 200 KB file can be, not blurrier than needed.
Keep text or Smaller: which one to choose
Keep text repacks the file and changes nothing you can see. Text stays sharp and can still be selected and searched. It works best on PDFs made on a computer, like a CV saved from Word.
Smaller turns every page into a picture. This is the way to shrink scans and phone photos a lot. The page looks the same, but the text can no longer be selected or copied, and links stop working. Without a target size you can pick Good, Medium or Low picture quality.
If a Smaller file would come out bigger than the repacked one, you get the repacked one instead, with a note.
Why your PDF is too big
It was scanned at a very high resolution, or made from full-size phone photos.
Several scans were merged, and each one carries its own large pictures.
The PDF contains big images that were never reduced.
It has many pages, such as a full year of bank statements.
For a scan, Smaller with a target size usually does the job. For a long file, removing pages you do not need also helps a lot.
Reduce PDF size for a job application or admission form
NTS, PPSC, FPSC, university and visa portals often set limits like 100 KB, 200 KB or 500 KB per document. Email can also refuse large attachments. Pick the matching size, then download the result and upload it.
If the PDF can't get under the size even at the lowest readable quality, you still get the smallest version and a message saying so. Then split the PDF or remove pages and try again.
As a rough guide, one or two scanned pages usually fit under 200 KB without trouble. A ten page scan under 100 KB will look soft, because each page gets only a few KB. If a form gives you a tight limit for many pages, check whether it allows several uploads instead of one.
With Smaller and a target size, the file is first repacked the Keep text way. If that alone fits under your size, the pages are not turned into pictures, the text stays selectable, and you are told so.
Tips and privacy
A password-protected PDF must be unlocked before it can be compressed.
If the file is already packed tightly, you get your original back unchanged.
Reduce PDF size on a phone the same way; it all runs in the browser.
Compression happens on your device. Your PDF is never uploaded, which matters for CNIC, degree and bank scans.
Questions people ask
How do I reduce a PDF to 200 KB?
Open Compress PDF, pick 200 KB as the target and download. It makes the PDF as small as needed to fit, keeping it as clear as possible.
Can I pick my own size, like 300 KB?
Yes. Choose a custom size and type any number of KB, from 20 KB up.
Will the text in my PDF still be selectable?
With Keep text, yes: nothing is redrawn, so the text stays sharp. To reach a small target size the pages are turned into pictures, which shrinks scans a lot, but then the text can no longer be selected.
Why does a form reject my PDF?
Job, admission and visa portals often limit uploads to 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB. Compress the PDF to that size first.
Why is my compressed PDF not under the size I chose?
Some files can't get that small and still be readable. You get the smallest version with a note; removing pages or splitting the PDF will help.
Can I compress a PDF without losing quality?
Use Keep text. Nothing is redrawn, so quality stays the same, though the file may not shrink as much as with Smaller.
Why did compressing a PDF make no difference?
Some PDFs are already packed tightly. If the result would be bigger, the tool gives you your original file unchanged.
Can I compress a PDF for email?
Yes. Choose Smaller, or pick a target like 1 MB, and the file becomes easier to attach and send.
Do I need to unlock a PDF before compressing it?
Yes. A password-protected PDF can't be compressed, so remove the password with Unlock PDF first.