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Compress a PDF to 1MB

Compress a PDF down toward a 1MB target for tight upload limits and forms. Free and private. Tool is being set up.

100% private: this tool runs entirely in your browser. Your file never leaves your device — nothing is uploaded, nothing is stored.

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Compress a PDF to 1MB

A 1MB target shows up a lot on upload forms — job portals, visa and government applications, and web forms that reject anything larger. Reaching it depends heavily on what the PDF contains: a document that is mostly text can often get close to or under 1MB with strong compression and little visible change, while a file built from full-page scans or photographs is much harder to squeeze that small without noticeably softening the images. If your file is scan-heavy, the practical levers are reducing the image resolution and converting color scans to grayscale, both of which cut size sharply. Treat 1MB as a goal rather than a guarantee: get as close as the content allows while keeping the document legible, since an unreadable 1MB file defeats the purpose. Your file is handled under our strict privacy promise — encrypted in transit, never logged, and deleted automatically within about an hour.

Frequently asked questions

Can every PDF reach 1MB?
Not always. Text-heavy files often can; scan- or photo-heavy files may not get that small without visibly softening the images.
How do I get a scanned PDF closer to 1MB?
Lower the scan resolution and convert color scans to grayscale — both cut size substantially while keeping pages readable.

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