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Compress PDF to under 1 MB

Make a PDF smaller than 1 MB for an upload form. Text stays sharp and searchable. No upload, works in your browser.

  1. 1Choose a file
  2. 2Adjust
  3. 3Download
  • No upload
  • No sign-up
  • No watermark

Want proof? Turn off your internet, the tool keeps working.

Ready presets

Compress PDF to under 1 MBCompress PDF to under 500 KBCompress PDF to under 2 MB

How to compress a PDF

  1. Choose your PDF file.
  2. Choose how much to compress. Recommended is right for most documents.
  3. If you have an upload limit (1 MB, 2 MB…), choose it under Must be under.
  4. Press Compress PDF, then Download.

Which setting should I use

  • A little: when photo quality matters (portfolios, brochures). The file gets somewhat smaller and looks almost the same.
  • Recommended: scanned documents, invoices, application papers. Sharp on screen and in print, much smaller file.
  • A lot: when the limit is very low. Images stay readable on screen but get softer when you zoom in.

After compressing, open the file once and check that the important parts (signatures, stamps, small print) are readable.

Frequently asked questions

Why is my PDF so big?

Almost always because of the images inside. Every page scanned with a phone or made from a photo is really a large photo. The tool shrinks those images to a size that still looks sharp on screen and on paper.

Will the text get blurry?

No. Text, lines and fonts in the PDF stay exactly as they are; you can still select, copy and search them. Only the images inside are made smaller.

An upload form says my file is too large. What do I do?

Pick the form's limit under Must be under (for example 1 MB). The tool tries your chosen setting first, then stronger settings until the file fits. If it still does not fit, try black and white, or split the PDF into parts.

What does black and white do?

In colour-scanned documents the colour is often not needed. Turning it black and white makes the file a bit smaller without hurting readability.

The file did not get smaller. Why?

PDFs with only text (like documents saved from Word) are already small and have no images to shrink. In that case the tool leaves you the original file.

Is my PDF uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything happens in your browser and the file never leaves your device. It is safe for IDs, diplomas, contracts and other private documents.

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