Compress PDF files online for free. Make your PDF smaller for email and uploads. Nothing is uploaded.
FreeNo signupNo watermarkFiles stay on your device
How to compress a PDF in 3 steps
- Choose your PDF. Drop one file onto the box or pick it from your device.
- Pick a level. Light keeps text, Balanced and Strong give smaller files.
- Compress and download. Check the new size, then save the smaller PDF.
How the three levels work
PDF files get large for two main reasons: embedded images, and extra structure inside the file. Light rewrites the file in a more compact structure and keeps every page exactly as it is, so text stays selectable and searchable. The savings are usually modest, but there is no loss of quality.
Balanced and Strong redraw each page as a compressed image and rebuild the PDF from those images. This can cut scanned documents and photo-heavy files by a large margin, which is often enough to pass an email or website upload limit. The trade-off is that text becomes part of the picture, so it can no longer be selected, copied or searched. Always keep your original file as well.
When this tool is the right choice
Use it when a job application portal rejects a file for being too big, when an email bounces because of an attachment limit, or when you want a lighter document for a website download. Because everything runs in your browser, it is also a good fit for private papers such as contracts, ID copies and medical letters. Your file is not uploaded to our server, and we add no watermark.
If your document is made of several files, join them first with the PDF merger, then compress the result. To give people an easy way to open the finished PDF from print or a poster, make a code with the QR code generator. Our free tools page lists everything we offer.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PDF compressor free?
Yes. It is free, with no signup, no watermark and no daily limit that we set. Nomira Digital offers it as a free tool for small businesses, students and freelancers.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Compression runs inside your browser on your own device, so your PDF is never sent to us. Your browser downloads the open-source PDF libraries it needs the first time you press Compress.
What is the difference between Light and Strong compression?
Light keeps your text selectable and only re-saves the file in a more compact form, so savings are small. Strong turns each page into an image, which can shrink scanned or picture-heavy files a lot, but text can no longer be selected or searched.
Which compression level should I choose?
Start with Light. If the file is still too big for email or an upload form, try Balanced or Strong. Use Strong for scans and photos, and keep your original file if you need searchable text.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
Some PDFs are already well optimized, so Light finds little to save. The tool never gives you a larger file by mistake: if the result is not smaller, it tells you and you keep your original.
Is there a file size limit?
We do not set one. Because your device does the work, very large files may be slow or fail on older phones. If that happens, split the PDF into parts, compress each one, and merge them again.
Built by Nomira Digital, a web design and SEO agency founded in Nepal, serving clients worldwide. This tool loads the open-source pdf.js and pdf-lib libraries from a public CDN when needed; your documents are never uploaded.
Need more than a free tool?
Nomira Digital is a web design and SEO agency founded in Nepal, serving clients in the USA, UAE, UK, Canada and Nepal. If you want a fast website that wins customers, we are happy to give you a clear, no-pressure quote.