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Compress a PDF to 1 MB, free, without uploading it

Many web forms, job sites and email systems cap a file at 1 MB. Drop the PDF and the target is already set to 1 MB: the pictures in it are made smaller step by step until the file fits, and the result says exactly how it got there. Text stays text. Nothing is uploaded, which matters for ID documents.

PDF · any size

✓ no upload✓ target 1 MB✓ no watermark✓ works offline

Compress to a size:50 KB100 KB200 KB500 KB1 MB

How a PDF gets under 1 MB

  1. Drop the file. The PDF opens in a worker in your tab, with the target already at 1 MB. Change it in the options if your form asks for another number.
  2. Compress. The pictures in the file are shrunk and re-encoded, first gently, then further, until the whole file is under the target. The gentlest setting that fits is the one you get.
  3. Check and download. The result shows the size before and after and the setting it took. Open it to check it is still readable, then upload it.

What it does

  • Counts 1 MB as 1,000,000 bytes, the stricter way, so the file passes a portal whichever way it counts.
  • Keeps text as real text and drawings as drawings; only pictures change.
  • Picks the gentlest setting that reaches the target, so the file is as readable as the limit allows.
  • Works best for CVs with photos, statements, longer scans.

What it does not do

  • It cannot make every file smaller than 1 MB: a file whose size is text, fonts or many pages may stay above it, and the result says how close it got.
  • It does not turn pages into pictures or remove pages; split the file or delete pages if it is still too big.
  • It does not shrink 1-bit black and white scans; they are usually small already.

Questions

What if my file cannot get under 1 MB?

The result says so and gives you the smallest file it could make. Remove pages you do not need with Delete pages, split the file, or scan at a lower resolution, then try again.

Will it still be readable?

Text stays sharp because it is not touched. Pictures and scans get softer the smaller the target; the tool stops at the gentlest setting that fits. Open the result before you upload it.

Is 1 MB counted as 1,000,000 or 1,024,000 bytes?

The tool aims for 1,000,000 bytes, the smaller of the two, so the file is accepted either way.

Can I use it on my phone?

Yes. Open the page in your phone's browser, choose the PDF from your files, and download the result.

Does my file leave my device?

No. Everything runs in your browser tab, so ID documents and certificates are never sent anywhere.