Compress PDF to a Target Size
Compress a PDF to 100KB, 200KB, 500KB, 1MB or a custom limit. Measured target-size results in your browser — free, private and no upload.
Hit a PDF upload limit — privately
Need to email or upload a PDF that’s too big? This free compressor reduces PDF file size right in your browser — your scanned contracts, IDs and statements are never uploaded to DraftFort. Many online compressors use a remote server; this one does not send the selected PDF for processing.
How to compress a PDF to a target size
- Add your PDF — drag and drop it above, or click to browse.
- Choose a target — 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or a custom limit.
- Compress and verify — DraftFort reports whether the measured file is actually at or below the target.
- Inspect and download — zoom into small text before using the result.
If you do not have a strict upload limit, switch to Choose quality and use Light, Recommended or Maximum instead.
How target-size compression works
DraftFort allocates the available byte budget across the PDF’s pages, then tries progressively smaller render scales and tunes JPEG quality for each page. It checks the byte length of the completed PDF—not an estimate—before showing Target met. The 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB and 1 MB presets use decimal limits; for example, 1 MB means 1,000,000 bytes, which is safer for strict portals than assuming a larger binary megabyte.
The goal is to stay at or below the limit while retaining as much readable detail as the budget permits. It does not pad a result to an exact byte count. If the original already fits, DraftFort returns the original bytes instead of rasterising a document unnecessarily. If a target cannot be reached within the tool’s quality floor, it labels the result as a best attempt rather than falsely claiming success.
What the three levels actually change
Compression renders every page to a canvas and saves it as a JPEG inside a new PDF. The three controls change render scale and JPEG quality:
| Level | Render scale | JPEG quality | Use when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | 1.5× | 82% | Readability matters more than the smallest size |
| Recommended | 1.2× | 70% | You want a balanced first attempt |
| Maximum | 1.0× | 55% | A smaller result matters and you will inspect legibility |
This is most suitable for scanned or image-heavy PDFs, but it is still lossy: fine print and line art can soften, and hidden OCR text is removed. For a clean text PDF, keep the original unless the measured result and visual check justify the trade-off.
Important limitations before download
- The result is image-only: it is not searchable, selectable or screen-reader friendly unless accessibility is provided elsewhere.
- Links, form controls, attachments, bookmarks and digital signatures are not preserved as interactive features.
- Password-protected files are not supported.
- A target can be too small for the page count and content. Trust the displayed Target met or Target not reached result rather than the filename.
- Large PDFs use device memory and can take longer on phones.
After compression, compare the displayed sizes, download only if the result is useful, and zoom into the smallest text before deleting the original.
We’d rather be honest about the result than overpromise. Need other PDF tools? Try Merge PDF, Split PDF, or Image to PDF.
Frequently asked questions
Is this PDF compressor free?
Yes — free with no account, no sign-up, and no watermark.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Your PDF is compressed entirely inside your web browser and is never uploaded to or stored on our servers. That's especially important for the scanned IDs, contracts and statements people often need to shrink.
What kind of PDFs does this compress best?
Scanned and image-heavy PDFs have the best chance of becoming smaller because each page can be re-encoded as a JPEG. A clean text PDF may already be efficient; this method can produce little saving or even a larger file. The tool shows the measured before-and-after size.
Will the text still be selectable?
No. This compressor renders each complete page as a JPEG image. Selectable text, hidden OCR text, links, form fields, attachments and digital signatures are not preserved as interactive document features. Keep the original whenever search, accessibility, forms or signature validity matters.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
There is no honest fixed percentage: the result depends on page count, image resolution, colour, existing compression and the chosen level. The tool reports the exact result and warns when the original is already the better version.
Can I compress a PDF to exactly 1 MB, 500 KB or 100 KB?
Choose 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or a custom target. DraftFort tests multiple render scales and JPEG qualities, then marks the target as met only if the measured output is at or below that byte limit. It aims to fit under the limit rather than produce an exact byte-for-byte size. Very small targets can be impossible for long or complex PDFs, and the tool says so clearly.
Can it compress a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. If you know an authorised password, use DraftFort's Unlock PDF tool first, then compress the unlocked copy.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes — it works in any modern browser on phone, tablet or desktop.