RapidHow to Compress a PDF to a Specific Size: 2MB to 200KB
A step-by-step plan for the four most common upload limits: 2 MB, 1 MB, 500 KB and 200 KB.
How to compress a PDF to a specific size comes down to what is inside the file. Open the free Compress PDF tool, pick a level and check the new size: PDFs with photos or scans usually get under 2 MB or 1 MB on High quality or Medium. For 500 KB or 200 KB, use Maximum, and if the file is still too big, split it or remove pages. PDFs that are mostly text barely shrink, because the tool only shrinks images.
How the Compress PDF Tool Works
The tool shrinks the images inside your PDF, right in your browser. Your file is never uploaded. There are three levels:
| Level | Images are resized to at most | What it is for |
|---|---|---|
| High quality | 2,500 pixels on the longest side | Keeps images sharp |
| Medium | 1,700 pixels on the longest side | A good balance of size and quality |
| Maximum | 1,100 pixels on the longest side | The smallest file, with lower image quality |
Text is never changed, so it stays sharp and searchable at every level. Because only images are shrunk, a PDF that is mostly text barely changes.
Real Results From Our Tests
We compressed three test PDFs with the tool. These are typical results, and your file will be different:
| Test PDF | Original | High quality | Medium | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PDF with photos (6 pages) | 15.58 MB | 1.51 MB | 553 KB | 249 KB |
| Scanned PDF (8 pages) | 8.77 MB | 4.04 MB | 1.95 MB | 747 KB |
| Text-only PDF (20 pages) | 16.5 KB | 12.9 KB | 12.9 KB | 12.9 KB |
To estimate how big your own PDF is likely to be, use the PDF File Size Calculator.
How to Get a PDF Under 2 MB
Who asks for it: many job portals and online application forms, and some email systems at work.
What usually fits: a typical 2 MB PDF holds about 40 pages of plain text, 10 pages with images or charts, 4 image-heavy pages or 4 pages scanned in color at 300 DPI (see how many pages is 1MB PDF).
Try first: High quality, because it keeps images sharp. In our tests, the 15.6 MB photo PDF became 1.51 MB on High quality, and the 8.8 MB scanned PDF became 1.95 MB on Medium.
Still too big? Try Medium, then Maximum. If that is not enough, split the PDF with Split PDF and upload the parts separately, if the site allows it.
How to Get a PDF Under 1 MB
Who asks for it: job portals, online exam and scholarship applications, and many government forms.
What usually fits: a typical 1 MB PDF holds about 20 pages of plain text, 5 pages with images or charts, 2 image-heavy pages or 2 pages scanned in color at 300 DPI.
Try first: Medium. In our tests, the photo PDF became 553 KB on Medium. The scanned PDF needed Maximum and became 747 KB.
Still too big? Try Maximum. If it is still over 1 MB, remove pages that are not needed or split the PDF with Split PDF.
How to Get a PDF Under 500 KB
Who asks for it: government forms and application portals that ask for scanned documents, such as ID cards, certificates or proof of address.
What usually fits: a typical 500 KB PDF holds about 10 pages of plain text, 2 or 3 pages with images or charts, 1 image-heavy page or half a scanned page. That is why scans usually need Maximum at this size.
Try first: Maximum. In our tests, the 6-page photo PDF became 249 KB on Maximum. The 8-page scanned PDF only reached 747 KB, so a scan of that length needs fewer pages to get under 500 KB.
Still too big? Send only the pages that are asked for, split the PDF, or scan the pages again at a lower resolution (see the scan size table for how resolution and color mode change size).
How to Get a PDF Under 200 KB
Who asks for it: some government and exam portals, usually for a single scanned page such as a certificate, a signature or an ID card.
What usually fits: a typical 200 KB PDF holds about 4 pages of plain text or 1 page with images or charts. A single page scanned in color at 200 DPI or more is usually larger than 200 KB before compressing, while a black and white scan usually fits.
Try first: Maximum. Even so, 200 KB is hard to reach: in our tests, the 6-page photo PDF only got down to 249 KB on Maximum.
Still too big? Upload only the one or two pages that are asked for, and scan them again at a lower resolution, in black and white if color is not needed. Be honest with yourself about readability: a large scanned document may not reach 200 KB without becoming hard to read, so it is often better to send fewer pages than to squeeze many pages into a tiny file.
If Your PDF Is Still Too Big
- Try Maximum: it gives the smallest file the tool can make.
- Split the PDF: use Split PDF to make smaller files, if the site accepts more than one upload.
- Remove pages: keep only the pages you were asked for. Split PDF can also pull out just those pages.
- Scan again at a lower resolution: a lower DPI makes every scanned page smaller. The PDF File Size Calculator shows how size changes with resolution.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I compress a PDF to under 1 MB?
Open the free Compress PDF tool, choose Medium and compress. In our tests, a 15.6 MB PDF with photos became 553 KB on Medium. If your file is still over 1 MB, try Maximum. If it is still too big, split it into smaller files or remove pages you do not need. Results vary by file.
How do I make a PDF smaller than 200 KB?
Use Maximum first. 200 KB is a very small limit, and in our tests even a PDF with photos only reached 249 KB on Maximum. Most files need fewer pages to get there: send only the pages that are asked for, split the PDF, or scan again at a lower resolution. A large scanned document may not reach 200 KB without becoming hard to read.
Which compression level should I choose?
Start with the gentlest level that could work. High quality keeps images sharp and suits limits of 2 MB or more. Medium is a good balance and suits limits around 1 MB. Maximum gives the smallest file with lower image quality and suits limits of 500 KB or 200 KB. If the result is still too big, try the next level down.
Why did my PDF barely get smaller?
The tool only shrinks images. Text, fonts and drawings are never changed, so a PDF that is mostly text barely changes: in our tests a text-only PDF went from 16.5 KB to 12.9 KB. If a text-only PDF is over your limit, split it into smaller files instead of compressing it.
Will compressing make my text blurry?
No. Only the images inside the PDF are shrunk, so text stays sharp, selectable and searchable at every level. Photos and scanned pages lose some detail, most of all on Maximum.