Step by step
- Open the PDF Compressor and choose your PDF.
- Pick Keep text for documents you want to search or copy from.
- Pick Strong for scans and image heavy files. It turns pages into compressed images, so it shrinks much more.
- Press Compress PDF, compare the before and after sizes, then download.
Common attachment limits
| Service | Attachment limit | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB total | Bigger files turn into a Google Drive link |
| Outlook.com | 20 MB | Business accounts may be set lower by IT |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB | Includes all attachments together |
| Many job and government portals | Often 2 to 10 MB | Check the form before you start |
Why some PDFs barely shrink
A PDF made from typed text is already small. Most of the weight in big PDFs comes from scanned pages and photos. The Strong option recompresses those pages as images, which is why it works so well on scans. If your PDF is still too big, split it into two parts with the PDF Splitter and send two emails.
Tips
Scanning a new document? Scan at 150 to 200 DPI in grayscale instead of 600 DPI color. The file is a fraction of the size.
Keep your original. Compressing is one way, so save the smaller copy with a new name.
Attachment limits count the encoded size, which is about a third bigger than the file. Aim for about 18 MB for a 25 MB limit.
Ready to try it?
The PDF Compressor is free, needs no sign up, and your files never leave your device.
Open the PDF CompressorFrequently asked questions
Will compressing make my PDF blurry?
Keep text leaves text and vector graphics untouched. Strong turns pages into images, so zoomed in text can look softer, but it is fine for reading and printing.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. The compression runs on your device in the browser, which matters for contracts, IDs and medical documents.
Why is my compressed file still too big?
Try Strong, or split the PDF into parts. Very long scanned documents may need both.
Can I compress several PDFs?
Do them one after another. PDF tools on GlowPress have no batch limit.