Compress a PDF to under 1 MB
Make PDFs smaller — pick a level or a target size like “under 200 KB”.
or drop files here
Files stay on your device
1 MB is a common ceiling for email attachments on older systems, chat apps, e-filing portals and online course submissions. Brochures, reports with pictures and multi-page scans easily exceed it.
This page starts with the 1 MB target selected. With that much room, the tool can usually keep a high quality: text-based documents often only need a lossless clean-up and stay fully searchable, while scans and photo-heavy pages are redrawn at a resolution that still looks sharp on screen and on paper.
You'll see the size before and after, and a note telling you whether text is still selectable. If your document is very long, consider splitting it into chapters — each part can then stay under 1 MB with better quality. Not sure how big your file is now? The tool shows the size of your original next to the result, so you can see exactly how much was saved.
Compression happens in your browser, so even confidential reports never leave your computer or phone.
The options for this task are already set. You can still change them after adding your file. Open the full Compress PDF tool
Your privacy
This tool works entirely inside your browser. Your files are never uploaded to any server.
How to use Compress PDF
- 1
Add your PDF
Drop the file on the page or click to choose it.
- 2
Choose a target or a level
Pick a size limit (for example Under 200 KB) or a compression level.
- 3
Compress and download
See the before and after size, then save the smaller PDF.
Questions and answers
Will images in my report stay sharp?
At 1 MB, usually yes for documents of a few dozen pages. Very long, image-heavy files may need a lower quality.
My file is under 1 MB already. What happens?
It gets a light, lossless clean-up and you keep selectable text.
Can I choose an exact quality instead?
Yes: set the target to No target and pick Light, Recommended or Strong.
Is my file uploaded?
No. All compression happens on your device.