Compress PDF — Smaller Files, Sharp Text, Any Target Size
Make a PDF lighter without handing it to a server. Balanced mode re-compresses the photos and scans inside the file at the resolution they are shown at, while text, vector graphics, links, bookmarks and form fields stay exactly as they were. If a portal or an email has a hard limit, choose Target size: pick 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or your own number and PDFSpark finds the gentlest settings that fit, telling you plainly if the only way there is turning pages into images.
Your file is processed by your own browser and never uploaded. Most online tools send your document to their servers and delete it later — this one never receives it at all.
Why use Compress PDF
- Balanced mode keeps text selectable and leaves links, bookmarks and form fields untouched
- Target size: 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or any custom size
- Tries lossless and text-preserving settings before ever turning pages into images, and says so if it must
- Images are downsampled to the resolution they are actually shown at
- Lossless mode removes unused objects and metadata without touching quality
- Before-and-after file size shown instantly, with your original offered back if compression doesn't help
- No watermark and no account on the free plan
Popular uses
- Get a PDF under the upload limit of a job, visa or university portal
- Shrink scanned documents and photo-heavy reports for email
- Trim bloated PDFs exported from office or design software without losing selectable text
- Remove author and software metadata before sharing a document
Compress PDF: frequently asked questions
Does compressing a PDF reduce quality?
Lossless mode doesn't: it rewrites the file more compactly and removes unused objects and metadata. Balanced mode only touches photos and scanned images, re-compressing them at the resolution they are displayed at, so text and vector graphics stay perfectly sharp. Strong mode trades quality for size by turning each page into a JPEG image. Pick the mode that fits the job.
Can I compress a PDF to 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB?
Yes. Choose Target size, pick 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB or 1 MB, or type any size, and PDFSpark searches for the gentlest settings that fit: a lossless clean-up first, then Balanced image compression that keeps text selectable. Only if that can't reach the size does it fall back to turning pages into images, and it tells you when it does. If a target is impossible, you get the smallest version it could make and a plain explanation.
Will the text in my PDF still be selectable after compression?
In Lossless and Balanced mode, yes. Text, fonts, links, bookmarks and form fields are left exactly as they were, so you can still search, copy and click. Only Strong mode, or a target size so small that nothing else fits, turns pages into pictures, and PDFSpark warns you before you download.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what's inside. Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink by 80 to 95 percent in Balanced mode, because their images are stored at far more detail than a screen or printer needs. PDFs made mostly of text are already compact, so the savings are smaller. PDFSpark shows the original and new size side by side and offers the original back if the result isn't smaller.
Why is my PDF so large?
The usual causes are high-resolution photos or scans, embedded fonts, and leftover data from editing, such as duplicate objects or old revisions. Scanned documents are essentially one big image per page. Balanced mode tackles the images and Lossless mode removes leftover data; for very large scans, a target size will find the right balance for you.
Is it safe to compress confidential PDFs?
Yes, because PDFSpark never receives your file. Compression runs in your browser on your own device, so there's no upload, no server copy and nothing to delete afterwards. Many online compressors process files on their servers and delete them after an hour or more; here, the document simply never leaves your computer or phone.
Does compressing a PDF remove its metadata?
Yes. The compressed copy has its title, author, subject, keywords, creator and producer fields cleared, which helps when you'd rather not reveal who created a document or which software was used. Your pages and text are kept, and the original file on your device is not changed.