What is the Compress PDF?
To compress a PDF, AnyShift re-encodes the images inside it at a lower resolution and quality while keeping text and vector graphics sharp. Recommended typically cuts image-heavy PDFs by 40–80%; Extreme is designed for scanned documents. If a PDF can’t be made any smaller, AnyShift tells you and gives you the original rather than a bigger file.
How to use the Compress PDF
- Drop your PDF.
- Choose a level: Light (lossless), Recommended, Strong or Extreme.
- Click Compress PDF.
- Compare sizes and download.
Why use AnyShift's Compress PDF
Files stay on your deviceProcessing happens locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded to a server.
Fast, no queueNo upload or download wait. Results are ready as soon as your device finishes.
No signup, no watermarkUse it as often as you like. Output is clean and full quality.
Works everywhereWindows, Mac, Linux, iPhone, Android and Chromebook — any modern browser.
Popular use cases
- Getting under a 10 MB or 25 MB email attachment limit
- Uploading to job or government portals with size caps
- Making scanned documents easier to share
- Saving storage space
Frequently asked questions
Why didn’t my PDF get smaller?
PDFs that are mostly text are already compact. Compression works on images, so text-only files often can’t shrink further.
Will text become blurry?
No. Real text and vector graphics are left untouched; only embedded photos and scans are recompressed.
What level should I use for a scanned PDF?
Strong or Extreme. Scans are full-page images, so they compress the most.
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Last reviewed: Built for: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, France Part of PDF & Documents