Compress PDF to 500 KB,
right in your browser.
Get a PDF under 500KB. This size suits multi-page documents. The target is set; add your file to start.
Select Compress PDF to 500 KB file
or drag and drop here — up to 25MB free
Accepts: .pdfBefore you start
Shrink a PDF to 500 KB 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 500 kb 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 you can expect at 500KB
Half a megabyte gives room for a handful of scanned pages. A five to eight page grayscale scan, or three to five pages in colour at moderate resolution, usually fits with readable text. A typed PDF of dozens of pages normally fits without much change.
Many PDFs that are just over the limit, say 600 to 900KB, only need light recompression of their images to drop under 500KB, and usually look much the same afterwards.
Where 500KB limits are used
A 500KB cap is common on online forms that accept combined documents, such as a set of marksheets, a short contract or proof of several items in one file. Some contact forms and support desks use similar limits for attachments. Check the exact figure on the form you are using.
How the tool gets there
First it uses the text-keeping mode: images inside the PDF are recompressed at gradually lower quality and resolution. Text, links and form fields stay as they are. When it says done, the file is at or under 500KB.
If that is not enough, you can choose Strong mode, which converts pages into images. It is smaller, but text can no longer be selected or searched. If even that cannot reach 500KB, you are told, and you get the smallest version produced.
Tips for multi-page files
If one or two pages are full-colour photos and the rest are text, those pages use most of the space. Consider rescanning them in grayscale or at lower resolution. Merging several separately compressed PDFs also works; check the total after merging.
Capabilities and limitations
Target 500 KB preset
Shrink a PDF to 500 KB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Text kept when possible
Shrink a PDF to 500 KB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Runs in your browser
Shrink a PDF to 500 KB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.
Questions, answered
How many scanned pages fit in 500KB?
Why is my PDF still bigger than 500KB?
Will the text stay searchable?
Can I merge files and then compress to 500KB?
Does this work offline?
Start with compress pdf to 500 kb.
Shrink a PDF to 500 KB or less for an upload limit, keeping text where possible.