Compress a PDF to 1 MB
Need a PDF under 1 MB for a portal or an email? The tool tries stronger settings one by one until it fits, all on your device.
Files never leave your deviceNeed more settings? Open the full Compress PDF tool.
How to compress a PDF to 1 MB
- Drop your PDF onto the box above.
- Target size is preset to 1000 KB (1 MB).
- Press Compress PDF. The tool tries progressively stronger settings and stops as soon as the file fits.
- Read the result line, which says the final size and whether text is still selectable, then download.
What the tool tries, in order
PDFs get large mostly because of the images inside them: scanned pages, photos and screenshots. Text and vector drawings take very little space. So the tool starts gently and only goes further when it needs to:
- Re-compress images at good quality and limit them to about 2000 pixels. Text, links and form fields are untouched.
- Lower image quality and resolution in a few steps, down to 1000 pixels. Text is still real, selectable text.
- Turn pages into images as a last resort. This shrinks scanned documents a lot, but text is no longer selectable or searchable. The result line tells you when this happened.
If the PDF is already under 1 MB, it is returned unchanged.
When 1 MB is not reachable
A long report with hundreds of pages, or a document full of large photographs, may still be over 1 MB at the strongest setting. You then get the smallest version the tool could make. To get under the limit:
- split the PDF into parts and send them separately;
- remove pages you do not need with organize PDF;
- or check whether the destination accepts a larger file, for example 500 KB is common for forms, while many email services accept 10 to 25 MB.
For full control over quality and resolution, use the main compress PDF tool.
Documents stay on your device
Payslips, contracts and ID scans are the kind of PDF people most often need to shrink, and they should not be uploaded to a stranger’s server. This compressor runs entirely in your browser with pdf-lib and pdf.js, so the file never leaves your computer. It works offline after the first visit.
Frequently asked questions
Is it guaranteed to reach 1 MB?
Not always. Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs almost always fit. A long document that is mostly text and vector drawings may already be as small as it can get without removing pages.
Will the text stay selectable?
The tool first only re-compresses images, which keeps text selectable. If that is not enough, the last steps turn pages into images, and the result notes when that happened.
What if it still does not fit?
Split the PDF into smaller parts with the split tool, or remove pages you do not need with the organise tool, then compress again.
Are my files uploaded anywhere? How can I check?
No. The PDF compressor runs entirely in your browser using JavaScript and WebAssembly, so your files never leave your device. You can verify it: open your browser's DevTools (F12, or Cmd+Option+I on a Mac), switch to the Network tab, tick "Preserve log", clear the list and process a file. You will only see requests for this site's own static files, never one that carries your data. You can also turn on "Offline" in the Network tab (or disconnect from the internet) once the page has loaded, and the tool keeps working.
Does it work offline?
Yes. After your first visit a service worker saves the tool to your device, so it opens and works without a connection. Only advertising needs the internet; the processing never does.