Compress PDF
Reduce PDF file size for email or upload. Server-side via Ghostscript.
Server-side processing
File is uploaded over HTTPS, processed with Ghostscript, then deleted. Nothing logged.
Reduce PDF file size with low/medium/high compression. Server-side Ghostscript engine. Free, no signup, no watermark.
Compress PDF is needed when a file is too large to email, too slow to upload, or simply taking up unnecessary space. Most PDFs — especially those with embedded images — can be compressed by 30-80% with no visible loss for screen reading.
Pick Rack's Compress PDF tool uses [Ghostscript](https://www.ghostscript.com), the industry-standard PostScript and PDF processor, to re-encode embedded images at lower resolution and strip redundant metadata. Three preset levels balance file size against visual quality.
Free, no daily limit, no signup, no watermark. Files up to 100MB.
Key features
- Three compression levels — Low (300 dpi, modest reduction, print-ready), Medium (150 dpi, balanced for screen), High (72 dpi, max reduction).
- Industry-standard engine — Ghostscript powers PDF compression in major commercial tools. Output is broadly compatible.
- Real reduction stats — After compression, the tool shows original vs compressed size and the percentage saved.
- Server-side processing — File uploads over HTTPS, gets compressed, then deleted immediately. Nothing logged or stored.
- No watermark, no signup — Output is your compressed PDF, nothing added. No daily quota, no premium tier.
How to use
- Step 1: Upload your PDF — Drop or click to add a single PDF (up to 100MB). Encrypted PDFs need to be unlocked first.
- Step 2: Choose compression level — Medium for general use, Low for print quality, High for maximum size reduction.
- Step 3: Click Compress — Server processes typically in 5-30 seconds depending on file size.
- Step 4: Review and download — See before/after sizes and percentage saved, then download compressed.pdf.
When to use
- Email attachments under 25MB Gmail limit (or 10MB for stricter providers)
- Speed up uploads to file-sharing services or cloud storage
- Reduce mobile data usage when sharing PDFs over cellular connections
- Save server storage for archives of historical PDFs
- Faster website downloads for hosted PDF documents (e-books, reports, brochures)
- Meet upload size limits on government forms, job applications, or LMS submissions
Frequently asked questions
How much will my PDF shrink?
Image-heavy PDFs typically reduce 50-90%. Text-only PDFs reduce 5-30%. Already-optimized PDFs may not reduce much. Run the tool to see actual results — there's no guess-and-check needed.
Will text become blurry after compression?
Text in PDFs is stored as vector instructions, not as images, so compression doesn't affect text sharpness at any level. Only embedded images are re-encoded.
What's the difference between Low, Medium, High?
Internally these map to Ghostscript PDFSETTINGS=/printer (300 dpi, suitable for printing), /ebook (150 dpi, balanced for screen), and /screen (72 dpi, smallest files, web-only quality).
Can I use this for confidential documents?
The file is uploaded over HTTPS, processed, and deleted from server temp storage immediately. Nothing is logged or stored. Still, for highly sensitive content, consider self-hosting Ghostscript locally (apt install ghostscript on Linux) for full control.
Why are encrypted PDFs not supported?
Ghostscript needs the PDF in a readable form to re-encode it. Use Unlock PDF first to remove password protection, then compress. You can re-encrypt afterward with Protect PDF.
Does compression damage scanned documents?
High compression at 72 dpi may make scanned text harder to read, especially for small fonts. For scanned documents, prefer Medium (150 dpi) or run OCR first to convert images to text, which compresses much better.
Can I batch-compress multiple PDFs?
Currently one file at a time. For batch compression, run Ghostscript locally with a loop, or use this tool repeatedly.