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Compress PDF

Runs in browser

Reduce PDF file size without losing quality — compress images and strip metadata entirely in your browser.

Last updated 31 Mar 2026

Compress PDF files online for free by re-encoding pages at adjustable quality levels — light, balanced, or maximum compression. The quality slider lets you control the trade-off between file size and visual clarity. All processing runs entirely in your browser using PDF.js and jsPDF. Your documents are never uploaded to any server, so your files stay private on your device.

Click to upload or drag and drop

PDF up to 100MB
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How to use

  1. 1

    Upload your PDF

    Click the upload area or drag and drop a PDF file — up to 100 MB is supported.

  2. 2

    Choose a compression level

    Select Light (best quality), Balanced (good trade-off), or Maximum (smallest file size) using the quality slider.

  3. 3

    Preview the size saving

    The tool shows the estimated compressed size and percentage reduction before you download.

  4. 4

    Compress and download

    Click Compress PDF and save the smaller file to your device instantly.

Frequently asked questions

Is my file uploaded to a server?
No. Compression runs entirely in your browser using PDF.js and jsPDF. Your files never leave your device and nothing is stored on any server.
How much can I reduce PDF file size?
Image-heavy PDFs typically shrink 50–80%. Text-only PDFs see smaller reductions because content is re-rasterised as JPEG images. The actual saving depends on the original content and chosen compression level.
Does compressing reduce PDF quality?
Yes — pages are re-rendered as JPEG images at the chosen quality level. Light compression preserves most detail; Maximum compression produces the smallest file but with noticeably lower image quality.
Will text remain selectable after compression?
No. The compressed PDF contains rasterised page images, so text is no longer selectable or searchable. Use Light compression if you need the output to remain print-ready.
Is there a page limit or watermark?
There is no hard page limit and no watermarks are added. Large PDFs process fine — keep files under 50 pages for fastest results on slower devices.
What compression level should I use?
Light is best for documents you need to print clearly. Balanced works well for email and web uploads. Maximum is ideal when file size is the only priority and quality is secondary.
Can I compress a scanned PDF?
Yes. Scanned PDFs are image-based, and the compressor re-encodes each page image at the chosen quality. Scanned documents typically achieve the highest compression ratios.
Does this work on password-protected PDFs?
Only if the PDF does not require a password to open. Permission-restricted PDFs you can already open will process normally.
How does this compare to SmallPDF or iLovePDF?
Unlike those services, Kordu's compressor is entirely client-side — your files are never uploaded. You also get a precise quality slider rather than fixed preset tiers, giving you more control over the size-quality trade-off.

Shrink bloated PDFs without sacrificing readability. Choose light, balanced,

or maximum compression to control exactly how much you reduce the file size.

Image-heavy PDFs commonly shrink 50–80% — ideal for email attachments, web

uploads, or sharing through platforms with strict file-size limits. Text-only

PDFs see smaller reductions since content is re-rasterised at the chosen quality.

All compression happens locally in your browser using PDF.js and jsPDF — no

upload, no account, no watermark. Your documents never touch a server.

Who is this for: anyone who needs to email a large PDF, upload a document to

a portal with a size cap, reduce storage usage, or pass a file-size check

before submitting a form. Bloggers, students, HR teams, and legal professionals

all rely on PDF compression daily. Kordu's compressor gives you full control

with a quality slider — not just a single "compress" button.

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