Free tool
Compress a PDF, free
Shrink a PDF to fit an email attachment or an upload limit. It all happens in your browser: your file is never uploaded.
Need it under an exact size for a form? Compress PDF to 100 KB · 200 KB · any size
Need other people to sign?
PactPen sends your PDF to each signer by email, records their consent, time and IP address, and gives you the signed PDF with a certificate of completion. Free for 5 documents a month.
Try PactPen freeHow it works
- Choose the PDF you want to make smaller.
- Pick a level. Light keeps the text selectable; Balanced and Strong turn each page into an image, which shrinks scans the most.
- Press Compress. You see the new size, and the smaller PDF downloads.
Questions
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Compression runs inside your browser. Nothing is sent to PactPen or any other server.
Which level should I use?
For a scanned document or a PDF full of photos, Balanced usually makes the biggest difference while staying readable. For a PDF made from Word or similar, try Light first, since it keeps text searchable.
Why can I no longer select text after compressing?
Balanced and Strong redraw each page as a picture, which is how they make the file small. Use Light if you need to copy or search the text.
Will a compressed PDF still be valid for signing?
Yes, it is an ordinary PDF. Compress before anyone signs: changing a signed PDF breaks the record of what was signed.
Is there a limit?
Files up to 25 MB. Balanced and Strong handle up to 150 pages.