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How to compress a PDF to 100 KB, 200 KB or 1 MB
Form portals often limit uploads to a few hundred KB. Learn what makes PDFs large and how to shrink one to a target size without making it unreadable.
Quick answer
Open Compress PDF, choose the strength that gets you under the limit, and check the page still reads clearly. If it will not get small enough, split the file or see what is taking the space with PDF Size Analysis.
What makes a PDF big
Almost always it is images: scanned pages and photos. Text is tiny. A 30-page scan can be 30 MB while 300 pages of plain text can be under 1 MB. Embedded fonts and unused objects add a little.
Steps
- Run PDF Size Analysis to see whether images or fonts dominate.
- Open Compress PDF and try the lighter level first. Compare size and sharpness.
- If it is still too big, use the stronger level. Check the smallest text on the page is still readable before you upload anywhere.
- Still over the limit? Split the PDF into parts, or drop pages you do not need.
Tips for hitting a hard limit
- Scan in black and white at 150 to 200 DPI instead of colour at 600.
- Remove pages that are blank or duplicated.
- Avoid compressing twice. Each pass loses a little more quality.
- Keep the original. Upload the compressed copy.
Frequently asked questions
Can any PDF be compressed to 100 KB?
Text-only files, yes. Image-heavy files may be unreadable at that size, so split them or reduce the page count instead.
Does compressing upload my file?
No. It happens in your browser.