Compress & Reduce PDF Size

Adjust compression levels tailored to your needs.

or drop files here

Supports multiple files • 100% local process in your device

100% local process in your device • No uploads to any remote server

How does auto-detection work?

• We check the average page size. Files >200KB/page usually contain scans or images, while smaller files are mostly text/vectors.

• Text-heavy → Text Mode (strips metadata, keeps text sharp & selectable).

• Image-heavy → Image Mode (rasterizes & compresses for maximum size reduction).

• You can always override the recommendation manually.

How to Compress PDF Files Online

Reduce your PDF file size for email, web upload, or storage without losing quality. Our smart engine automatically detects the best compression strategy for your document.

1

Upload Your PDF

Click Select PDF files or drag and drop your document. You can upload multiple files at once to compress them in batch.

2

Choose Compression Mode

Our tool analyzes your file and recommends the best mode, but you have full control:

  • Text Mode (Recommended for documents): Optimizes structure and removes hidden data without converting text to images. Keeps text searchable and links clickable. Typical reduction: 3-30%.
  • Image Mode (Recommended for scans/photos): Compresses images inside the PDF by adjusting quality and DPI. Ideal for scanned documents or image-heavy files. Typical reduction: 20-90%.

For Image Mode, you can further adjust the compression level from Low (high quality) to Strong (smallest size).

3

Compress & Download

Click Optimize PDF. Once processed, you'll see the exact size reduction percentage. Download individual files or get them all in a convenient ZIP archive.

Why Choose CedarPDF for Compression?

Smart Dual-Engine Compression

Unlike basic tools that use a one-size-fits-all approach, we offer two specialized modes. Text Mode preserves vector quality for documents, while Image Mode aggressively optimizes scans and photos for maximum size reduction.

100% Private & Secure

Compressing documents often involves sensitive data like contracts or financial reports. CedarPDF processes everything locally in your browser. Your files never leave your device, ensuring complete confidentiality.

Full Quality Control

Don't guess the result. Our interactive sliders let you preview the trade-off between file size and quality. Choose "Low Compression" for archival quality or "Strong Compression" for email attachments.

Completely Free & Unlimited

No hidden fees, no watermarks, and no daily limits. Compress as many PDFs as you need, regardless of file size (up to 100MB per file), completely for free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between Text Mode and Image Mode?
Text Mode is designed for documents created digitally (like Word exports). It cleans up hidden metadata and optimizes the file structure without converting text to images, keeping everything searchable.

Image Mode is designed for scanned documents or PDFs with many photos. It rasterizes pages into high-quality images and compresses them, achieving much higher size reduction but making text non-searchable.
Will compressing my PDF affect its quality?
It depends on the mode. Text Mode preserves original quality perfectly. Image Mode reduces image quality to save space. However, our "Low" and "Regular" presets are optimized to maintain visual clarity while significantly reducing file size. You can preview the result before downloading.
Why did my file size increase after compression?
This can happen if you use Image Mode on a file that was already highly optimized or contains mostly vector text. Converting vectors to images can sometimes increase size. If this happens, simply click the "Retry with Text Mode" button suggested in the results, which will likely reduce the size instead.
Is it safe to compress confidential documents?
Absolutely. Unlike online converters that upload your files to a server, CedarPDF runs entirely in your web browser. Your confidential documents never leave your device and are never uploaded to the internet. This makes it safe for legal, financial, or personal documents.
Can I compress multiple PDFs at once?
Yes! You can select multiple files during upload. They will all be processed with your selected settings. Once finished, you can download them individually or click "Download All as ZIP" to get a single archive containing all your compressed files.
Are there any limits on file size or number of files?
There are no artificial limits imposed by us. You can compress unlimited files for free. The only limitation is your device's memory and processing power. For best performance on standard computers and phones, we recommend keeping individual files under 200MB.
Does this work on Mac, Windows, or Mobile?
Yes, CedarPDF is web-based and works on any device with a modern browser, including Windows PCs, Macs, Linux, iPhone, iPads, and Android tablets. No software installation is required.