Kodigo Labs ToolsHow to compress a PDF
- Choose a setting. Recommended suits most uploads. If the form says “maximum 2 MB”, choose Target size and 2 MB.
- Drop one or more PDF files in the box above, or click it to choose them from your phone or computer.
- Each file shows its size before and after, and how much was saved.
- Click Download next to each file. Not small enough? Pick a stronger setting and click Re-compress.
How it works
Most of the size of a big PDF comes from the images inside it: scanned pages and phone photos are often saved at far more detail than a screen or printer needs. This tool finds those images, lowers them to a sensible resolution (220 DPI for Light, 150 for Recommended, 100 for Strong) and saves them as JPEG. A new image is only used if it is clearly smaller than the old one. Text, vector drawings, links, bookmarks and form fields are not touched, so they stay sharp. Images the tool can’t safely handle, such as CMYK print images or black-and-white fax scans, are kept as they are.
Example
You scanned your diploma, transcript and NBI clearance into one 6-page PDF and it is 14 MB, but the job portal only accepts files up to 2 MB. Choose Target size and 2 MB, then drop the PDF. The scans are reduced from 300 DPI to about 150 DPI and the file comes out at around 1.5 MB, with every page still easy to read. Need to combine files first? Use Merge PDF, then compress the result. Have photos instead of a PDF? Shrink them with the Image Compressor and turn them into a PDF with JPG to PDF.
What shrinks and what doesn’t
- Shrinks a lot: scanned documents, PDFs made from phone photos, brochures and reports full of pictures.
- Shrinks a little or not at all: PDFs that are mostly typed text, such as resumes and letters exported from Word. They are usually already small.
Frequently asked questions
Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is compressed inside your browser on your own phone or computer. Your files are never uploaded, stored or seen by anyone, which matters for IDs, payslips, bank statements and signed forms.
Why did my PDF barely get smaller?
This tool makes PDFs smaller by shrinking the photos and scans inside them. A PDF that is mostly typed text (for example a resume exported from Word) is already small, so there is little to remove. Scanned documents and PDFs with phone photos shrink the most, often by 50–90%.
Will the text still be sharp and searchable?
Yes. Text, lines, tables, links and form fields are kept exactly as they are. Only images are re-saved at a lower resolution and quality. Scanned pages are images, so their text gets slightly softer, especially with Strong.
Which setting should I pick?
Start with Recommended. It keeps scans readable at 150 DPI, which is enough for screens and normal printing. Use Light if the PDF will be printed in high quality, and Strong or a target size if an upload form has a strict limit.
Why can’t I compress a password-protected PDF?
Encrypted PDFs cannot be read without the password, so their images cannot be changed. Open the file with its password (for example in Chrome or Edge), choose Print, then “Save as PDF” to make an unprotected copy, and add that copy here.
The result is still over the limit. What else can I do?
Try the Strong setting or a target size. If it is still too big, the PDF may have many pages of text or vector drawings that cannot be shrunk this way. You can also split off pages you don’t need, or photograph each page and rebuild the PDF with the JPG to PDF tool after compressing the photos.