Compress PDF

Why Use PDF.Live to Compress a PDF File?

Safest way to reduce PDF file size

Our cloud-based platform is the safest way to compress PDFs because we use bank-level encryption to secure your documents, no matter what they contain. We do not store your compressed PDFs on our servers.

Easiest way to compress PDF files

Locate your PDF on your device — laptop, desktop or mobile — drag it to the conversion tool and watch while we reduce your file size. That's all it takes to compress a PDF online with our free compressing tool. It’s as easy as a tap or a click and dragging the file to our conversion tool.

No bulky (and risky) software downloads

Our PDF compression tool lives in “the cloud,” which means no need to download and install software. PDF Live works with any operating system, including Mac, Windows and Linux.

Compress PDF, keep quality

This is the best way to compress PDF files, not only because it is secure and easy to use, but also because it protects the integrity of your PDFs. All text and image quality is preserved so you don’t lose quality with our online PDF compressor.

How to Compress a PDF Online

Sometimes, you want to send a PDF as a mail attachment or through a social media platform, but the file is too large for the servers to handle. A PDF size reducer is needed to compress your PDF, to reduce the file size, so it’s easier to handle. Our online PDF compression tool is incredibly easy to use, and it is secure and fast. Follow these steps to compress a PDF.

Simply locate the PDF file on your device and follow the prompts to upload and retrieve the compressed PDF file. Remember, the larger your file is, the longer it will take to compress. Also, if you have a better internet connection, resizing a PDF will compress much quicker.

FAQs About PDF.Live’s PDF Compression App

What does it mean to compress a PDF document?

Compressing files refers to condensing a big PDF into a small PDF so it's easier to send for things like email, text, and other online file sharing platforms. For example, if you need to upload a resume for a job application, the hiring company might limit the size of the PDF that you can upload. Compressing a PDF removes certain elements or reduces the file size without quality loss. Technically speaking, the compression process looks for redundant elements in files and gets rid of them, while retaining the quality of the file. The compression process produces a compact PDF.

So, can I condense a PDF file with no quality loss?

That is correct. To compress a PDF without losing quality, use PDF.Live's high quality PDF compressor. When you compress a PDF, you won’t be able to detect any changes in the quality of your file.

What PDFs can I compress?

PDF.Live’s limited, free plan allows you to compress .pdf files every day. If you need more, see our answer to the next question about unlimited options (our plans are super low). Our service is the best way to compress a PDF online.

How much do you charge for compressing PDF documents?

We offer a limited number of free transactions every day, including converting files to PDFs, converting them from PDFs, merging into one PDF, and compressing PDFs. If you need a multiple PDF file compressor, we offer very reasonable subscription plans for bulk compressions, which you can cancel any time. Learn more about PDF.Live limited and unlimited subscriptions.

Do you compress other types of files?

Currently, we compress only PDFs, because that is the most versatile file type to work with and send as an attachment. If you have other files that are very large that you’d like to compress for storage or for sending as attachments, consider converting them to PDFs and then compressing them: Excel to PDF, PPT to PDF, and Word to PDF. Once you've converted the files to PDFs, return here to learn how to compress the PDF.

Does PDF.Live work with Windows and Mac?

Because PDF.Live is web-based, it works with Windows and Apple's Mac laptops and desktops. As long as you have an internet connection and can upload your PDF, you will be able to compress a single PDF or a batch of PDFs.

Can you make my PDF editable?

If you need to markup a PDF, you can use the free online PDF editing tool to add text, redact text and images, and proofread PDFs. To use the PDF.Live editor, upload your PDF and wait while it converts to an editable online version. Enter your information from your computer or mobile device.

Is PDF file compression the same as zipping files?

Short answer is, no, compression and zipping files are not the same. Compressing files reduces the size of individual files by permanently changing certain features such as images, graphics and colors on the PDF. Zipping files retains the original elements and temporarily “squishes” them into a smaller, more sharable .zip format. When you double click the zip file, that returns it to its original formats. You cannot compress multiple PDFs into one file; however you can merge them. And you can zip multiple file types together. Make sense? Read more on how to zip files.

More Ways to Work With PDFs

Merge Multiple PDFs

Combine two or more PDFs into a single PDF with our online PDF merge tool.

Convert JPGs to PDFs

Use our .jpg to .pdf converter online to change JPEGs into PDFs easily online.

Edit PDFs

Use the PDF editor to type on a PDF, redact text or markup a PDF.

Fax a PDF

Upload and fax a PDF online, quickly and easily without needing your own fax machine.