Starting point
A report with photos is too large for an attachment limit, but its charts and small labels still need to be readable.
Online PDF tool
Compress PDF files online with quality options
Shrink an oversized PDF for email, forms, portals, or storage while choosing the quality level that suits the document.
Nothing to install, and your first eligible task finishes before you sign in. TapScanner has 100M+ mobile downloads
Drop your PDF here
Drag a file in, or choose one — it opens in the workspace below, already loaded.
PDF, up to 20 MB. Larger files still work — add them in the workspace itself.
What you get
A smaller PDF that is easier to send and upload
Choose the size and quality balance for the job, then download a compressed PDF for email, forms, portals, or storage.
- Choose the compression level
- Reduce large attachments quickly
- Download a ready-to-share PDF
See the workflow before you start
Choose the balance between size and readability
Upload the PDF, adjust the available quality setting, then review the finished copy before sending or storing it.
Add your PDF
Tune size & quality
Download a smaller copy
Your file
PDF file
Choose the setting
Smaller fileBalancedSharper pages
Ready to review
Smaller PDF
Check the output before downloading
Result to check
A smaller PDF with pages, charts, and fine text ready for your review.
How it works
How to use Compress PDF in three steps
Select the PDF you want to make smaller.
Choose the balance between file size and visual quality.
Compress the file and download the result.
Complete the job
Compress PDF from upload to a checked result
Follow the whole path before you start: choose the source, set the job, run the workspace, verify the output, and continue only when the result is right for its next use.
Choose the source
Configure the job
Run the tool
Check the result
Continue
After processing
Review, download, and continue after Compress PDF
A completed result still deserves a quick check. Keep the original, inspect the output type and contents, and decide what should happen next before you share it.
Output to verify
Result type: PDF outputChoose the size and quality balance for the job, then download a compressed PDF for email, forms, portals, or storage.
Check page order, orientation, text, permissions, and any visible signatures before sharing the PDF.
Review the output
Check page order, text, orientation, and the number of files in the workspace before sending anything.
Download your copy
Use the workspace Download action after the result is ready. A browser handoff does not prove that a file was saved to disk.
Delete now when offered
If this workspace offers Delete now, use it after downloading. Availability depends on the tool and current result path.
Continue with the next task
Keep the source until you have verified the result, then move to a related PDF task or return to the tools catalog.
Practical example
Make an illustrated report easier to email
Result to check
Choose a suitable compression level, download the smaller PDF, and inspect detailed pages before sending it.
Choose a compression approach
Match PDF compression to how the file will be used
A smaller file is only useful when its important content still works for the recipient. Choose a level for the delivery channel, then inspect the result instead of relying on file size alone.
Email or portal submission
Use this approach when
An attachment or upload portal rejects the original file and you need to reduce it without changing the document’s page order.
Check before sharing
Confirm the new file is below the stated limit, then zoom into signatures, charts, small labels, and identification details.
Screen-first sharing
Use this approach when
The PDF will mainly be opened on phones or laptops and faster downloading matters more than high-resolution printing.
Check before sharing
Review photographs, screenshots, and fine lines at normal reading zoom on at least one device similar to the recipient’s.
Print or archive copy
Use this approach when
The document may be printed or retained as a reference, so preserving detail matters more than reaching the smallest possible size.
Check before sharing
Use a lighter setting, keep the source PDF, and test a detailed page before replacing any working or archival copy.
Premium and Compress PDF
When Compress PDF needs more than Free
Compressing a batch of large scans hits the Free 100 MB and 3-jobs-a-day limits fast. Premium raises the task to 1 GB and removes the daily plan cap.
Usually next: Merge the compressed files, or protect the final PDF before you send it.
Paddle shows the exact amount, taxes, renewal date, and any eligible trial before you confirm. Stop future renewals yourself from your TapScanner billing account.
- OCR that makes scans searchable and selectable
- Editing the text that already exists in a PDF
- Repair for files that refuse to open
- Compare two revisions and see what changed
- Up to 100 files and 1 GB in one task, no page cap
- No daily job cap, subject to fair-use protection
Work with confidence
Clear limits and an output you can review
Know the access level
The first eligible task can be completed before login. Current file, page, and usage limits are shown in the workspace.
Keep document data out of analytics
TapScanner web's application data layer rejects filenames and document contents. Published analytics destinations require separate configuration verification.
Temporary storage during processing
Hosted processing paths may use temporary files. In the pinned core's normal download path, the output file is removed when the stream closes; scheduled cleanup covers stale temporary files.
Hosted processing
Web tools may send files to TapScanner's hosted processing service. We do not currently offer a customer-selectable processing region, so do not assume processing stays on your device or in a particular country.
Delete when offered
Delete-now is available only when a result screen explicitly offers it; it is not yet supported by every web tool.
Check the finished file
Open the downloaded result and verify important pages, values, formatting, and permissions before relying on it.
Compare PDF tools
Choose between Compress PDF and the next likely tools
Match the tool to the result you need now. The current choice is shown first, followed by three focused alternatives for a different document outcome.
Current tool
Compress PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- A smaller PDF that is easier to send and upload
Alternative
Merge PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- One ordered PDF instead of a stack of separate files
Alternative
Split PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- Focused PDF files containing only the page ranges you need
Alternative
Organize PDF
- Choose this tool when you need
- A PDF with every page in the correct place and orientation
Before you start
Not sure this is the right job? Read this first
Questions
Compress PDF FAQ
Can I use Compress PDF for free?
Yes. Your first eligible task can be completed before login. TapScanner shows the current file, page, and daily limits before processing.
Will compressing a PDF reduce its quality?
Higher compression can reduce image detail. Choose a lighter setting when print quality matters and stronger compression when file size is the priority.
Do I need to install software for Compress PDF?
No. TapScanner runs in a modern web browser, so you can upload, process, and download the result without installing desktop software.
Which PDF compression level should I choose?
Choose the lightest setting that meets the email, portal, or storage limit. Use stronger compression for screen-first sharing and a lighter setting when photographs, diagrams, or printing detail matter, then inspect the result.
Can I restore the original quality after compressing a PDF?
Not reliably. Compression can discard image detail, so keep the source PDF and treat the compressed file as a separate delivery copy until you have checked every important page.
Ready to use Compress PDF?
Add your file and finish the job. The limits that apply are shown before processing starts, not after it fails.
Open Compress PDF