Compress PDF
Drag and drop your PDF here to reduce file size. Files are recompressed locally — nothing leaves your device.
About this tool
Compress PDF Files Online — Free, Private & Fast
Struggling to email a PDF because it's too large? PDFKing shrinks your file by optimizing the images inside it — which is usually what makes PDFs so big in the first place. No signup, no upload to anyone's server. It all happens right here in your browser.
Up to 80% Smaller
Scanned documents, presentations, and image-heavy reports see the biggest reductions. A 50 MB file can often become 5–10 MB.
Completely Private
Your file never leaves your computer. There are no uploads, no cloud servers, and no one else can see your document. Perfect for contracts, medical records, or anything sensitive.
You Choose the Quality
Three simple presets let you decide how much to compress. Need it to look sharp? Use Low. Need it tiny for an email? Use Maximum. Most people are happy with Balanced.
How to compress a PDF
- 1
Open your file
Click "Select PDF File" or drag and drop your document onto the page. It loads instantly since nothing is being uploaded anywhere.
- 2
Pick a compression level
Low keeps everything looking crisp. Balanced is the sweet spot — noticeably smaller with good quality. Maximum makes the file as small as possible (great for email attachments).
- 3
Hit Compress
The tool processes each page and shows a progress bar so you know exactly how far along it is. Sit back for a few seconds.
- 4
Download your smaller PDF
You'll see the before and after file sizes side by side. If you're happy with the result, click Download. If not, try a different compression level.
Frequently asked questions
How does this make my PDF smaller?
Most large PDFs are big because of the images inside them — scanned pages, photos, charts, and graphics. This tool shrinks those images to a quality level you choose, then saves a new, lighter version of your document. The result looks very similar but takes up much less space.
Is it free?
Yes — completely free with no catch. No account needed, no watermarks on your file, and no limit on how many PDFs you can compress.
Is my file safe? Who can see it?
Only you. Your file never leaves your computer — there's no upload, no cloud server involved. The compression happens right inside your browser, so it's completely private.
My file didn't get any smaller. Why?
If your PDF is mostly text (like a Word document saved as PDF), it's already small and there's not much to compress. This tool shines with scanned documents, presentations, and files that contain lots of images or photos.
Which compression level should I use?
Start with Balanced — it works well for most situations. If the file is still too large for your needs, try Maximum. If you need the images to stay as sharp as possible (for printing, for example), use Low.
Can I still print the compressed PDF?
Absolutely. The compressed file opens and prints normally in any PDF viewer. At the Low and Balanced settings, most people can't tell the difference from the original when printed.
Is there a file size limit?
There's no hard limit. Since everything runs on your own computer, it depends on your device's memory. Most laptops handle files up to 100 MB without any issues. Very large files (200 MB+) may take a bit longer.