Compress PDF

Compress PDF online free and reduce file size

Reduce the file size of a PDF so it is easier to email or upload. Folio shrinks the images inside the PDF, trims fonts and cleans up the file, then shows the size before and after.

Free, no account. Compress PDF runs in your browser on this page. Your files are processed on Folio's own server and deleted automatically after 6 hours.

All 41 PDF tools FAQ

How to compress PDF and reduce file size with Folio

  1. Open Compress PDF on this page, or pick it from the list of all tools on the Folio home page.
  2. Add your files: drop them on the page or click to pick them.
  3. Set the options you need, such as compression level and also convert images to grayscale.
  4. Run it and download the result. When there are several output files you can download them together as a ZIP.

What you can set

  • Compression level
  • Also convert images to grayscale

Files it accepts

PDF. Password-protected PDFs work too: enter the password in the options.

Compress PDF: questions and answers

How do I reduce the size of a PDF?

Add the PDF to Compress PDF, pick a compression level and run it. Recommended keeps a good balance of quality and size; extreme makes the smallest file. The result shows the size before and after.

Can I compress a PDF to 100 KB or 200 KB?

Folio doesn't take an exact target size. For the smallest file, choose the extreme level (images are brought down to about 96 DPI) and also turn on grayscale images, then check the new size in the result. Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs shrink the most. If a form still needs a smaller file and accepts more than one, Split PDF can cut it into parts under a size you set.

My upload form says the PDF is too large. What can I do?

Many online forms, such as job, exam and government application portals, cap PDF uploads at a few hundred KB or a few MB. Compress the PDF with the extreme level and grayscale images; if it was made from phone photos, try making it again with JPG to PDF and the black-and-white enhance option, which gives cleaner, smaller pages.

Does compressing a PDF reduce its quality?

Text and vector drawings stay sharp. Only the pictures inside the PDF are recompressed: the low level keeps them close to the original, extreme makes them visibly softer. If Folio can't make a file smaller, it keeps the original.

Can I compress several PDFs at once?

Yes. Add several PDFs and each one is compressed separately; you can download them together as a ZIP.

Is Compress PDF free?

Yes. Compress PDF on Folio is free, with no account, no sign-up and no watermark on the result.

Are my files safe?

Your files are processed on Folio's own server only to run the tool, and deleted automatically after 6 hours. There is no account, so they are not linked to you.

Related tools

  • Repair PDF Rebuild a damaged or corrupt PDF so it opens again.
  • PDF to PDF/A Convert to PDF/A-2B for long-term archiving (best effort without Ghostscript).
  • Grayscale PDF Convert every page to black and white shades of gray.
  • Flatten PDF Burn annotations and form fields into the page so they can't be edited.
  • Remove annotations Strip comments, highlights, stamps and other annotations.
  • Edit metadata Change title, author, subject and keywords, or wipe all metadata.

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