Step by step
How to compress a PDF
You do not need installed software to shrink a PDF. The compressor above does it in our secure workspace; the steps and answers below explain what is happening and what to try when a file stays stubbornly large.
Compress a PDF right here
Processed in our secure workspace — your file stays private.
Drag a PDF here, or choose one from your files
What you get
Three clicks
Add, compress, download — no settings to learn.
Nothing to install
It runs in our secure workspace you already have open.
Works everywhere
Windows, Mac, Linux, Chromebook or any modern platform.
Free allowance
Everyday compressing is covered without an account.
How to compress a PDF step by step
- 1
Open the compressor
Use the tool at the top of this page — there is nothing to install.
- 2
Add your document
Drag the PDF in or select it from your files.
- 3
Compress it
Layers rewrites the file locally with optimised images and resources.
- 4
Download and check
Save the smaller file and compare it against whatever limit you have to meet.
Common questions
What is the easiest way to compress a PDF?
Use a secure compressor like the one above: drop the file in, download the smaller version. No installs, no uploads.
Does compressing a PDF lose quality?
Text stays sharp. Images are re-encoded, so heavy photos may soften a little at large reductions.
How do I compress a PDF to a specific size?
Compress once and check the result. If you need a hard target, see our pages for 100 KB, 1 MB and email attachments.
Is it safe to compress a PDF online?
Here it is, because the file never leaves your workspace — there is no upload to a server at all.