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Compress PDF Free
in Your Browser

Reduce PDF size and remove password protection — entirely on your device.

Local processing
No watermark
Unlimited files
PDF compressed!
Your compressed PDF is ready to download
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Original
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Compressed
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Saved
Download Compressed PDF

Your files never leave your device. Squishyfile processes everything locally using your browser's built-in engine — no server uploads, no accounts needed. Files are cleared from memory after download.

Serious Compression
Shrinks PDFs by re-encoding embedded images and removing redundant data — without corrupting text, fonts, or structure.
Fully Private
Everything runs in your browser. Your file never leaves your device, so no data ever touches a server.
Two Quality Modes
Balanced mode cuts size for everyday sharing; Maximum mode pushes harder for the smallest possible file.

How to Compress a PDF

Reduce your PDF file size in seconds — no account, no upload, no data ever leaves your browser.

Step 1: Select Your PDF

Click the drop zone or drag and drop your PDF file directly onto the page. You can also click Browse to open the file picker. Any PDF is supported — scanned documents, presentations, forms, and more.

Step 2: Choose a Compression Mode

Pick the mode that fits your needs:

  • Balanced — Significantly reduces file size while keeping images and text looking sharp. Best for everyday sharing, email attachments, or uploading to web forms.
  • Maximum — Pushes compression as far as possible for the smallest output. Ideal when file size is the top priority, such as messaging apps or strict upload limits.

Step 3: (Optional) Remove Password Protection

If your PDF is password-protected and you want to unlock it, check Remove password protection and enter the current password. The output file will be a clean, unlocked PDF.

Step 4: Compress

Click Compress PDF. The entire process runs locally in your browser using WebAssembly — nothing is sent to any server.

Step 5: Download Your File

Once compression is complete, you'll see the original size, compressed size, and how much space was saved. Click Download to save the optimised PDF to your device.

Tips for Best Results

  • Already compressed? If a PDF was previously optimised or consists only of plain text, the file size may not decrease much — this is expected.
  • Scanned PDFs contain embedded images and usually compress well.
  • Large presentations with many high-resolution slides benefit most from Maximum mode.
  • Your files are never uploaded. All processing happens entirely in your browser, so your documents stay private.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much can a PDF be compressed?
It depends on the content. PDFs with many high-resolution images typically shrink by 40–70%. Text-heavy PDFs may only see a 10–20% reduction since text is already compact. Scanned document PDFs with embedded images usually compress well.
Can I remove the password from a PDF?
Yes. Check the "Remove password (Optional)" box, type in the current password, and click Compress PDF. The downloaded file will have no password protection. This only works if you already know the correct password.
Is there a file size limit for PDF compression?
There is no server-enforced limit since everything runs in your browser. For smooth performance we recommend files under 200 MB. Very large PDFs (300 MB+) may take longer depending on your device.
Will the compressed PDF look different or lose text quality?
Text and vector graphics are not degraded during compression. Only embedded images may see a slight quality reduction. The resulting PDF remains fully selectable and searchable.
Is it safe to compress confidential PDFs here?
Yes. Your PDF never leaves your device. Squishyfile processes everything locally in your browser — no server upload, no cloud storage. Your document is cleared from memory as soon as you close or refresh the page.
Can I compress a PDF to send as an email attachment?
Absolutely. Most email providers cap attachments at 10–25 MB. Drop your PDF into Squishyfile, compress it, and download the smaller version ready to attach — all in under a minute.