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Compress PDF
Shrink a PDF below an upload or email limit.
100% FreeBrowser-basedNo watermark
- 1UploadAdd your file from your device.
- 2Choose optionsPick the output settings you need.
- 3ProcessRun the tool in your browser.
Private by designProcessed on your device where possible.
Works on any deviceDesktop, tablet and mobile browsers.
No installationOpen the page and start working.
Always free coreUse the free plan for everyday tasks.
How to use Compress PDF
Pick the output settings you need.
02Run the tool in your browser.
03Save the finished result.
04Your files stay private
Your work is processed locally in your browser where possible and is never added to a Vootkit upload library.
Learn more about privacyPDFs are usually large because of the images inside them, not the text. A scanned document is a stack of photographs in a wrapper — which is why a ten-page scan can be 40 MB while a hundred-page text document is under one.
What Compress PDF does
Re-renders each page and re-encodes it at a lower image quality and, optionally, a smaller scale. That is what actually shrinks a PDF, because it targets the part carrying the weight.
The trade-off is worth stating plainly: because pages are re-rendered, text in the output becomes part of the image rather than selectable text. For a scan that changes nothing — it was already an image. For a text document it does, so compress those only when you have to.
Settings
| Quality | Strong (smallest), Balanced (default), Light (best quality) |
|---|---|
| Page scale | 100%, 75% or 50% |
| Best results on | Scans and image-heavy documents |
| Little effect on | Text-only PDFs — there is nothing heavy to shrink |
| Selectable text | Not preserved — pages are re-rendered |
| Common email limit | 25 MB (Gmail and most providers) |
Detailed steps
- Drop the PDF in.
- Start on Balanced at 100% size and see what that gives you.
- Still too big? Drop the scale to 75% before reaching for Strong quality — fewer pixels usually looks better than the same pixels encoded harder.
- Compress and download.
Worth knowing
If the document is mostly text and only a few pages carry images, it is often better to extract those pages, compress the images separately and rebuild — you keep selectable text everywhere else.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can I no longer select the text?
Compression re-renders each page as an image, which is what makes the file smaller. If you need the text to stay selectable, this is the wrong tool for that document.
My PDF barely got smaller. Why?
It was probably already text-only or already compressed. There is no image weight to remove, so there is little to win.
How small do I need it for email?
Most providers cap attachments around 25 MB, and some corporate systems are stricter at 10 MB. Aim under 10 MB if you do not know the recipient’s setup.
Is the quality loss permanent?
Yes. The pages are re-rendered at a lower quality and the original detail is not recoverable from the output, so always compress a copy and keep the source file. If the result is too soft, go back to the original and try a lighter setting rather than compressing the compressed version — that compounds the loss.
Is Compress PDF free?
Yes. The Vootkit free plan includes 5 tool runs a day. Upgrade to Vootkit Pro for unlimited daily use, an ad-free workspace and saved workflows.
Are my files uploaded?
No. Compress PDF runs entirely in your browser — your file is processed on your own device and never sent to a server. There is nothing for us to store or delete.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Compress PDF works in any modern browser on desktop, tablet or phone. Open the page and start.
How often can I use it? Is there a daily limit?
On the free plan you get 5 tool runs a day. When you reach the limit you'll see a prompt to upgrade, and it resets the next day. Vootkit Pro removes the cap entirely for unlimited daily use.
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This tool processes everything locally in your browser. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it will still work.