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Compress PDF

Compress PDF Online

Compress PDF online for free. Choose low, medium, or high compression to reduce PDF file size while keeping text selectable.

What is PDF compression?

PDF compression reduces file size so documents are easier to store, share, and upload. PhoEdit Compress PDF works as a simple PDF compressor for embedded images while keeping PDF text as text.

Why choose PhoEdit Compress PDF?

Choose the compression level that fits your document. Larger compression resources are loaded only when needed, then your file is processed in the browser without uploading it to PhoEdit servers, helping you reduce PDF size for forms, email, and portals.

How to compress a PDF

1

Upload one PDF file from your device or drag it into the upload area.

2

Choose Low, Medium, or High compression.

3

Click Compress PDF and wait for processing to finish, then check whether the smaller file meets your upload limit.

4

Download the compressed PDF.

Compress PDF features

Low, medium, and high compression

Pick a quality level for your PDF. Stronger levels reduce image quality more, but text should remain selectable.

Text-preserving output

The compressor avoids turning full pages into flat images, so normal PDF text is kept as text whenever the source PDF has a text layer.

On-demand resources

Larger compression files load only when needed from the configured PhoEdit asset domain.

Browser PDF processing

Your PDF is processed locally in the browser after the compression engine resources are loaded. The document does not need to be uploaded to PhoEdit servers.

PDF compression workflow

Text PDFs and scanned PDFs need different checks

A text-based PDF may already be compact because most of its content is fonts and vectors. A scanned PDF is usually dominated by page images and may shrink more, with readability as the tradeoff. Compare the output with the source rather than judging success only by the reduction number.

Common tasks and a safer order of work

A text document is slightly over a limit

  1. Try Low or Medium first and note whether the file changes meaningfully.
  2. Confirm that text remains selectable and search works in the output.
  3. Check fonts, links, page order, annotations, and forms that matter to the document.

A scanned document is image-heavy

  1. Inspect the smallest important text before compression.
  2. Compare Low, Medium, and High using separate copies rather than repeatedly compressing one output.
  3. Choose the lightest level that meets the destination limit.

An official submission must remain complete

  1. Keep the original and work from a copy.
  2. Open the result in a second viewer and compare page count, signatures, stamps, and attachments.
  3. Do not delete the source until the receiving system accepts the compressed file.

What the settings change

Low

Use this first when image quality matters and only a modest reduction is needed.

Medium

A practical comparison point for ordinary sharing, but still requires visual and structural review.

High

Use only when the limit justifies more image degradation. Small scanned text and thin lines deserve close inspection.

Result checklist

  • Compare output size without treating a large reduction as proof of quality.
  • Confirm page count, order, orientation, and page dimensions.
  • Test text selection and search when the source has a text layer.
  • Inspect scans, signatures, diagrams, and fine print at useful zoom levels.
  • Open the file in another PDF viewer before submission.

Limits and recovery steps

The PDF barely shrinks.
It may already be optimized or mostly text and vectors. Repeated compression can add risk without a useful size reduction.
A scan becomes hard to read.
Return to the original and use a lighter level. If needed, rescan with appropriate resolution rather than compressing the damaged copy again.
Protected or unusual PDF features fail.
Encrypted, damaged, interactive, signed, or feature-rich PDFs may not survive browser processing unchanged. Use the source application when those features are essential.

Tested guides and workflows

Related reading

Browse the Blog

PDF

Compressing Text PDFs vs Scanned PDFs

Two self-made one-page PDFs demonstrate the structural difference that controls compression: one exposes 559 extractable characters, while the scan exposes none.

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Frequently Asked Questions