PCPDFCraft

Compress PDF Online

Reduce the size of a PDF while keeping it readable. Upload a PDF, pick a compression level, and download the optimized file. PDFCraft uses safe, conservative PDF optimization in the browser — for very large PDFs with many images, server-side compression with deeper image re-encoding will be added in a future release.

Quick answer: A PDF compressor reduces PDF file size. Upload a PDF, choose a compression level, and download the smaller file. Compression is conservative in the browser — image re-encoding may be limited.
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Maximum file size: 50 MB
This tool processes your files directly in your browser. Files are not uploaded to our servers.

How it works

  1. Upload PDF. Drag a PDF onto the upload area.
  2. Pick a level. Choose Low (best quality), Balanced, or High compression.
  3. Compress. Click Compress PDF and wait for processing.
  4. Review sizes. Compare the original file size and the new size.
  5. Download. Download the compressed PDF.

Common use cases

  • Make a PDF small enough to send by email
  • Shrink a scanned document before uploading to a portal
  • Reduce file size for a job application or form submission
  • Speed up PDF loading on mobile

Options explained

Low compression keeps the highest quality and produces the smallest size reduction. Balanced uses object stream optimization for moderate size savings. High applies the most aggressive optimization available in the browser. For PDFs that are large because they contain many embedded images, the browser-based compressor cannot fully re-encode images — that requires server-side processing, which is on our roadmap.

Privacy

PDF compression runs in your browser. The file is not uploaded to a server in this version of the tool. When server-side compression is added later, files will be deleted automatically after processing.

This tool processes your files directly in your browser. Files are not uploaded to our servers.

Troubleshooting

  • Files must be under 50 MB.
  • Already-compressed PDFs may not shrink further.
  • Image-heavy scanned PDFs need server-side image re-encoding for big savings.
  • Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I compress a PDF?

Upload a PDF, pick a compression level, click Compress, and download the smaller file.

How much smaller will my PDF be?

It depends on the PDF. Text-heavy PDFs may shrink modestly. Image-heavy scanned PDFs may need server-side re-encoding for big savings.

Is the Compress PDF tool free?

Yes. It is free for any file up to 50 MB.

Are my files private?

Yes. Browser-based compression keeps your file on your device.

Will compression hurt quality?

The current browser-based tool uses safe, conservative optimizations and does not aggressively re-encode images.

Can I compress a scanned PDF?

Yes, but big size reductions for scanned PDFs typically need server-side image compression, which is on our roadmap.

Definition: Compress PDF means reducing the file size of a PDF document so it is easier to share or upload.

Technical notes: This tool runs in your browser using JavaScript. PDFCraft does not upload your files to a server for this tool.

Last updated: 2026-06-08

More tools: See all PDF tools.