Optimize
Free PDF compressor
Reduce PDF file size for email and uploads, free in your browser. Choose lossless optimization or stronger image-based compression. Results depend on your PDF.
Drop one pdf here
or browse your device · up to 50 MB
Files never leave your browser. Nothing is uploaded.
Choose the right PDF compression
Start with Lossless when document features matter. For scanned pages and image-heavy PDFs, try an image-based setting if you can accept a change in quality. Always keep the original and review the result before sharing it.
- Lossless
- Optimizes PDF structure without rasterizing pages. Preserves text and document features, but size savings may be small.
- Balanced · 150 dpi
- Rebuilds pages as compressed images at the highest resolution of the image-based settings.
- Strong · 110 dpi
- Uses lower-resolution page images for greater size reduction, with less fine detail.
- Smallest · 72 dpi
- Uses the lowest-resolution page images. Best when file size matters more than sharpness.
Limits: one PDF up to 50 MB. Image-based compression supports up to 150 pages. For a longer document, try Lossless or split the PDF first.
PDF compression questions
Can I compress a PDF without losing selectable text?
Choose Lossless to preserve selectable text and avoid turning pages into pictures. Balanced, Strong and Smallest rebuild every page as a JPEG image: text is no longer selectable or searchable, and links and form fields are lost. Keep your original if you need those features.
Why is my compressed PDF not much smaller?
A PDF that already contains optimized images or mostly text may have little room for further reduction. If compression does not make your file smaller, PDFVan returns the original unchanged. Image-based compression can help with image-heavy files, but savings are not guaranteed.
Can I reduce my PDF below a specific file-size limit?
PDFVan does not guarantee an exact output size such as 200 KB or 1 MB. Try a stronger setting and check the downloaded file against your email or upload limit. Stronger settings can make small print and detailed graphics harder to read.
Is this PDF compressor free, and are my files uploaded?
Compression is free and does not require an account. Your document is processed locally in your browser, not uploaded to a server. Use a current browser on a device with enough available memory; large or complex PDFs may take longer.