Many websites and email providers limit attachment size — often to 2 MB, 5 MB or 25 MB. A PDF that is too large will be rejected, and large files are slow to open on phones. Compressing a PDF removes unnecessary data and, when needed, reduces the resolution of embedded images so the document becomes smaller.
Why are some PDFs so large?
The size of a PDF depends mostly on what is inside it. Text and vector graphics are very small. Scanned pages and photos are large because each page is stored as an image. A 20-page scan at 300 DPI can easily be 30 MB or more, while a 20-page text report may be under 1 MB.
- Scanned documents – every page is a full-size image.
- Embedded fonts – full font files add size, especially for many fonts.
- High-resolution photos – images straight from a camera or phone.
- Duplicate resources and metadata left behind by editing software.
Step-by-step: compress a PDF with ToolsPoint
- Open the PDF Compressor.
- Select or drag your PDF file into the upload area.
- Choose a compression level. Balanced keeps good quality for most documents; stronger compression gives smaller files for scans and photos.
- Start the compression and wait for processing to finish in your browser.
- Compare the new file size with the original, then download the compressed PDF.
- Open the result and check that text and images are still clear.
Which compression level should you choose?
| Document type | Suggested level |
|---|---|
| Text reports, invoices, contracts | Light or balanced – text stays crisp |
| Scanned forms and ID documents | Balanced – readable and much smaller |
| Photo-heavy brochures | Strong – best size reduction |
| Print-ready artwork | Avoid heavy compression |
Tips for even smaller PDFs
- Scan documents at 150–200 DPI instead of 600 DPI when they are only for on-screen viewing.
- Scan in greyscale when colour is not needed.
- Remove pages you do not need with Remove PDF Pages before compressing.
- Compress large images first with the Image Compressor before converting them to PDF.
Is it safe to compress PDFs online?
ToolsPoint's PDF compressor processes the file in your browser, so the document does not need to be uploaded to our server. Even so, for highly confidential documents always follow your organisation's rules, and keep your original file until you have checked the compressed version.
Try it now: PDF Compressor
Reduce PDF size using browser-side optimization where possible. Free, fast and private.
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