Compress PDF to 1 MB,
right in your browser.
Bring a PDF down to 1MB, which is 1,024KB. At this size most multi-page scans can stay clear and keep their text.
Select Compress PDF to 1 MB file
or drag and drop here — up to 25MB free
Accepts: .pdfBefore you start
Shrink a PDF to 1 MB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Workspace availability
This page has a wired workspace. Availability of external services and individual output cases must still be checked.
Before you start
Supported input selection: .pdf.
Review the result
This upload workspace processes the selected files in the browser. Review the downloaded output before use.
Use compress pdf to 1 mb in three steps
Select supported files
Choose files using the input control or drag and drop.
Set your options
Review the selected files and available controls before processing.
Review the output
Download only a completed result and check it before use.
What 1MB allows
1MB is a generous target for most documents. A 10 to 15 page grayscale scan at moderate resolution, or a shorter colour scan, usually fits using the text-keeping mode. The result normally looks close to the original on screen.
Files that are well above 1MB, such as 10 to 20MB scans straight from a phone or scanner, often contain very large photos. Those usually shrink a lot, because there is plenty of image data to recompress.
Where 1MB limits appear
Many job application portals, document upload sections and online forms set a 1MB limit per file. It is also a sensible size for sending a document by email, where large attachments may bounce. Use the limit stated by the site you are uploading to.
How the target is reached
The tool begins in the text-keeping mode. It reduces the quality and resolution of embedded images step by step, and stops at the best-quality step that is at or under 1MB. Selectable text, links and fillable fields are kept.
If that is not enough, Strong mode is offered. It rebuilds each page as an image, which is smaller but loses selectable text and links. You must choose it yourself. If 1MB still cannot be reached, the tool says so and gives you the smallest file it reached.
Tips for 1MB
For long scans, a scanner setting of 150 to 200 DPI in grayscale is usually readable and much smaller than 300 DPI colour. Avoid saving each scanned page as a PNG before converting; JPG pages compress far better.
Capabilities and limitations
Target 1 MB preset
Shrink a PDF to 1 MB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Text kept when possible
Shrink a PDF to 1 MB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Runs in your browser
Shrink a PDF to 1 MB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Questions, answered
Why is my PDF still bigger than 1MB?
Will compressing to 1MB reduce the quality much?
My text-only PDF is 3MB. Why will it not shrink?
Is 1MB the same as 1,000KB?
Is my file uploaded?
Start with compress pdf to 1 mb.
Shrink a PDF to 1 MB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.