How to compress a PDF to 500 KB
- Tap "Add a PDF" or drop it onto the box. "Under a set size" and 500 KB are already chosen.
- Tap "Compress PDF".
- Check the new size, then download the PDF.
Good to know
The photos and scanned pages inside the PDF are made smaller step by step until the file is under 500 KB. Text, fonts and drawings are left exactly as they are.
If that still isn’t small enough, the pages are saved as images to reach 500 KB. The text then can’t be selected or searched, and we tell you when this has happened.
We count 1 KB as 1,000 bytes and 1 MB as 1,000,000 bytes, so the file also fits forms that count in 1,024s.
Questions
Is 500 KB enough for a scanned document?
Usually, for a few pages. Each scanned page is a photo, so the more pages, the more each one has to be compressed. If the result is hard to read, split the document with Split PDF and send it in parts, if the form allows that.
Will the text still look sharp?
Yes, unless the pages had to be saved as images to reach the size. In that case the result says so, and you can try a bigger size instead.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Remove the password first with our Unlock PDF tool (you need the password), then compress it here.
How big a PDF can I add?
Up to 50 MB, free and without an account. Free accounts, coming soon, will take PDFs of up to 100 MB.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. Your PDF is compressed by your browser on your device. Nothing is sent to us.
Page last reviewed 23 October 2026.