Upload forms rarely ask for "a smaller file". They ask for a number: 300 KB for many public-sector and visa portals, 1 MB or 2 MB for job applications, 5 MB or 10 MB for tender submissions, 20–25 MB for most email services. Guessing a compression level, checking the size, and trying again wastes time. This tool takes the number and does the searching for you.
The file is sent to our server. Each page is redrawn as a JPG image at a chosen resolution, and the pages are assembled into a new PDF with the same page size as the original. The server starts with a JPG quality of 75 and searches resolutions between 30 and 200 dpi, keeping the highest resolution whose result still fits under your target. If even 30 dpi is too large, it lowers the JPG quality in steps (65, 55, 45, 35) until it fits.
If the file still cannot reach the target at the lowest settings, you get the smallest version it could make, and the result message says it is slightly over. That usually means the document has too many pages for the limit — see the tips below.
A rough rule for A4 pages: at 300 KB you have about 60–100 KB per page for a three-page document, which is readable at around 100 dpi. At ten pages the budget drops to 30 KB per page and small print starts to smear. If the limit is tight, reduce the page count first: remove blank pages and cover sheets with Rotate & reorder, or submit only the pages the form actually asks for with Split.
The output is always image-based, so text in it cannot be selected. That is normally fine for scans of IDs, certificates and signed forms. For a text-heavy document where you only need a modest reduction, high-quality compression keeps the text layer.
This tool runs on our server, not in your browser. The file is processed in memory and returned in the same request; it is not written to a folder or kept. Free use is limited to 10 files per day, counted by an anonymous key stored in your browser.
"Slightly over" message. The document has too many pages, or very large pages, for the limit. Cut pages, or split the upload if the portal allows several files.
The portal still rejects it. Check that it is really a size problem. Some portals also reject files with passwords, unusual characters in the file name, or PDF versions they do not expect. A plain name like passport_scan.pdf avoids the second problem.
Daily limit reached. Try again the next day, or use the browser compressor, which has no limit.
It is the sharpest version at or under your target. It is usually a little under, because resolution is searched in steps.
100 MB per file.
Every page is redrawn as an image to control the size precisely. That is the trade-off for hitting a number.
Whichever the form uses. 1 MB is treated as 1,024 KB here.
No. The file is processed in memory and discarded after the response is sent.
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