Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size in seconds. Text stays sharp and selectable.
Compress as many PDFs as
you like. No watermark.
No account or email
required. Just upload and go.
Processed in your
browser. Never uploaded.
Text stays selectable. Images inside the PDF are compressed to cut the size.
Compress PDF online to reduce file size
Make a PDF smaller so it fits an email attachment, a job application or a government form upload. DockFlip compresses the PDF in your browser, so the document is not uploaded to a server.
It is free, with no signup and no watermark.
How to compress a PDF in 3 steps
- Choose a PDF file, or drag it onto the page.
- Pick a level: Less, Recommended or Extreme.
- Wait a moment, then download the compressed PDF.
What gets compressed
DockFlip finds the images inside your PDF and saves them again at a smaller size. Text, fonts, links and page layout are left alone, so text stays sharp and you can still select, copy and search it.
How much smaller will my PDF get?
It depends on what is inside. Scanned documents and PDFs full of photos often shrink by more than half. A PDF that is only text is already small and may not shrink. If your file cannot be made smaller, DockFlip says so and returns the original unchanged.
Which level should I choose?
- Less: keeps images sharp. Good when quality matters.
- Recommended: a good balance for most files.
- Extreme: smallest file. Use it for forms with a strict size limit, such as 200 KB or 1 MB.
When to reduce PDF size
- Email: stay under attachment limits, usually 20 to 25 MB.
- Online forms: upload to portals that cap files at 1 MB, 500 KB or 200 KB.
- Scans: shrink a phone scan before you send it.
- Messaging and storage: share and store lighter files.
Good to know
- Large PDFs with many pages take longer and use more memory. Split a big file first with Split PDF.
- Password-protected PDFs cannot be compressed. Remove the password first.
- Text inside a scanned page is part of the image. It is not selectable before or after compression.
- Need to reduce a photo instead? Use Compress Image.
Frequently asked questions
How do I compress a PDF to under 1 MB, 500 KB or 200 KB?
Add your PDF and choose Extreme. If the result is still too big, try a PDF with fewer or smaller images, or split it first. Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs shrink the most.
Will the text in my compressed PDF still be selectable?
Yes. DockFlip only compresses the images inside the PDF. Real text, fonts and links stay as they were. Text that is part of a scanned image was never selectable, and it stays an image.
Why did my PDF not get smaller?
A PDF with only text and no large images is already small, so there is little to compress. When DockFlip cannot make the file smaller it shows “Already optimized” and gives you your original unchanged.
Which PDFs compress best?
Scanned documents, phone camera scans, and PDFs with large photos. These often shrink by more than half. Reduce PDF size before you email it or upload it to a form.
What do the compression levels mean?
Less keeps images sharper and saves less. Recommended balances size and quality. Extreme gives the smallest file with lower image quality.
Is my PDF uploaded to a server?
No. The PDF is read and compressed in your browser. The first time you use the tool, your browser may download the PDF library from a public CDN, but your file is not part of that download.
Is Compress PDF free?
Yes. There is no signup and no watermark. Each file can be up to 100 MB. Ads may be added later to help cover running costs.