Compress a PDF — free

Make a PDF smaller so it's easy to email or upload. Real PDF Editor compresses your file in the browser and keeps the smallest result — so it never makes the file bigger — free, with nothing uploaded.

100% free · no sign-up · files never leave your device

Reduce PDF size without making it worse

Pick “Smaller file” for the biggest reduction, “Balanced” for everyday use, or “Higher quality” to stay crisp. The tool builds a few candidates and keeps whichever is smallest, so your download is never larger than the original — scans and image-heavy PDFs shrink the most.

Compress a PDF on Mac or Windows, without Adobe

No Adobe Acrobat and no desktop install. Compression runs in your browser, so reducing PDF size works the same on a Mac, a Windows PC, or a phone — free, with the file never uploaded.

How it works

  1. 1

    Open the PDF

    Launch the editor and open the document you want to shrink.

  2. 2

    Open Compress

    Go to Tools → Compress and choose a quality level (smaller, balanced, or higher quality).

  3. 3

    Compress

    The tool builds a few versions and keeps the smallest one automatically.

  4. 4

    Download

    Save the compressed PDF — the toast tells you how much smaller it is.

Why use Real PDF Editor

  • Shrinks large and scanned PDFs
  • Never inflates a file — keeps the smallest result
  • Choose your quality/size trade-off
  • Free, private, and runs in your browser

Frequently asked

How do I compress a PDF?

Open your PDF in Real PDF Editor, go to Tools → Compress, pick a quality level, and download. The tool keeps the smallest version automatically.

How do I reduce the size of a PDF for free?

Compression is free with no watermark. It runs in your browser, so the file isn't uploaded — and it never makes your PDF larger.

How do I compress a PDF without losing quality?

Choose the “Higher quality” option for a lighter, lossless-leaning re-save; scanned or image-heavy PDFs shrink the most while text stays sharp.

How do I compress a PDF on a Mac?

Open Real PDF Editor in any Mac browser, choose Tools → Compress, pick a level, and download — there's no Mac app to install.

Can I compress a PDF to a specific size like 100 KB?

There's no exact target-size setting, but the “Smaller file” option gives the biggest reduction. How small it gets depends on the content — scans compress far more than text.

Is my file uploaded when I compress it?

No. Compression happens locally in your browser, so your document stays on your device.