Can I compress scanned PDFs for email or portal uploads?

Yes. Balanced or Extreme mode (especially with Grayscale enabled) is ideal for shrinking large scanned contracts, IDs, and academic forms under strict 2 MB or 5 MB upload limits.

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Smart PDF Size Reducer

Compress PDF Online for Free

Q: Will this make every PDF smaller?

Scanned PDFs and image-heavy documents typically shrink by 40% to 85%. If a PDF is already a tiny text-only file, image-based compression may not shrink it further—in that case, use Lossless mode or keep the original.

Q: Will the compressed PDF still have selectable text?

Lossless mode keeps all selectable text, links, and vector graphics intact while optimizing PDF object streams and stripping metadata. Extreme, Balanced, and High Quality modes convert each page into an optimized image for maximum size reduction.

Q: Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. Your PDF is opened, compressed, and saved entirely inside your web browser. Confidential documents never leave your device.

Shrink PDF file sizes for email attachments and portal uploads. Pick a 1-click compression preset, preview page clarity in real time, and process everything privately on your device.

Compression Level

Page Resolution (DPI) ~115 DPI

Image Quality (65%) Balanced compression

Convert pages to Grayscale (Black & White) for smaller scans

Note: Balanced, Extreme, and High Quality modes flatten each page into an optimized image. Switch to Lossless above if you need selectable text or clickable links.

Remove hidden PDF metadata (Author, Creator, Title tags)

Document & Quality Preview

No PDF selected

Drop your PDF here or click to browse PDF files up to 100 MB · Processed 100% locally in your browser

Why Use Filediter PDF Compressor?

Balance file size and document legibility without uploading sensitive files.

100% On-Device Privacy

Your contracts, bank statements, and academic records stay inside your browser. Nothing is ever uploaded to an external server.

Live Clarity Preview

See exactly how your chosen DPI resolution, JPEG quality, and grayscale settings look on the page before compressing a multi-page PDF.

Raster & Lossless Modes

Use image-based presets to drastically shrink heavy scanned PDFs, or choose Lossless mode to keep text selectable while cleaning PDF structure.

How to Reduce PDF File Size Without Losing Readability

Large PDF files often fail to send over email or get rejected by university, visa, and job application portals with strict 2 MB or 5 MB file size limits. Most bloated PDFs contain uncompressed high-DPI camera scans or embedded metadata.

With Filediter's online PDF compressor, you can downscale page resolution to a crisp ~115 DPI (Balanced) or ~83 DPI (Extreme), convert color scans to Grayscale for an extra 30–50% reduction, or run a Lossless rewrite when you need selectable text preserved.

Related PDF & Document Tools

Need to combine documents before compressing? Use the PDF Merger, or pull specific pages out using the PDF Extractor. You can also stamp documents with the PDF Watermark Tool, sign contracts in the E-Sign PDF Pad, or convert pages with the PDF to Image Converter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this make every PDF smaller?

Scanned PDFs and image-heavy files typically shrink by 40% to 85%. If a PDF is already a small, pure-text vector document, rasterizing its pages into images can sometimes make it larger—if that happens, the tool alerts you automatically and lets you switch to Lossless mode or keep the smaller original.

Will the compressed PDF still have selectable text?

The Lossless preset preserves all selectable text, clickable links, forms, and vector paths. The Balanced, Extreme, and High Quality presets flatten each page into an optimized JPEG image to achieve major file size reductions.

Can I compress scanned PDFs?

Yes. Image-based compression is specifically designed for scanned PDFs. Enabling the Convert pages to Grayscale checkbox reduces scanned document sizes even further while keeping text easy to read.

Is my PDF uploaded to a server?

No. This tool processes your document entirely inside your browser using open-source WebAssembly/JavaScript libraries loaded from public CDNs. Your file contents are never sent to Filediter or any third-party server.