Does compression reduce quality?

Stronger presets shrink embedded images more (like “screen/ebook” modes on other sites). Use “minimal” or “light” when you need the closest match to the original.

How big can my PDF be?

The default max upload size is 100MB and can be changed via env.

Is there a daily limit?

Rate limiting is enabled per IP to keep the service stable for everyone.

What if my file doesn’t get smaller?

If the PDF is already well-optimized, the tool returns the original file unchanged and reports 0% reduction.

Do I need an account or signup?

No. PDFBaba does not require signup for these tools. Upload, process, and download without creating an account.

Is there a watermark on the output?

Output from this tool is not watermarked by PDFBaba. You get a clean file suitable for work and sharing.

What is the maximum file upload size?

The default limit is 100MB per file on the server. Your host or administrator can change this via environment configuration. If a file fails to upload, try compressing or splitting it first.

Can I use this tool on my phone or tablet?

Yes. PDFBaba works in modern mobile browsers. Very large files or complex previews may be smoother on a desktop with a stable connection.

Is there a daily usage limit?

To keep the service fast for everyone, rate limits may apply per IP. Typical personal use is rarely affected. If you hit a limit, wait briefly and try again.

What if my PDF is password-protected?

For Compress PDF, use an unlocked PDF when possible. If the file asks for a password in a reader, unlock it with our Unlock PDF tool first, then run Compress PDF on the decrypted file.

Will compressing my PDF lose quality?

Compression recompresses images and may reduce visual fidelity depending on the preset—stronger settings shrink files more. Text-only PDFs may change little; image-heavy files show the most difference.

Online PDF Tool

Compress PDF

Reduce PDF size while keeping readable quality.

Why use Compress PDF?

Email inboxes, mobile data plans, and court filing portals all punish oversized PDFs. Compression reduces embedded image weight while leaving text readable, which is why marketing PDFs, scanned packets, and photo-heavy reports benefit the most. PDFBaba exposes strength presets plus optional DPI and JPEG controls so you can choose between aggressive shrink and conservative fidelity. If a file is already optimized, the tool can return the original rather than making it larger. You never need an account to run compression, and downloads are not watermarked by PDFBaba. Files are deleted automatically after a short window, aligning with privacy-conscious workflows while still giving you room to download and verify results.

Supported files & limits

Upload one PDF. The default upload limit is 100MB per file; administrators can raise or lower this via server configuration. Compression re-encodes images inside the PDF; text-only documents may shrink less. You can strip metadata optionally for extra privacy.

Privacy & data retention

PDFBaba is built for quick tasks: your uploads and generated downloads are kept only long enough to process your request and are automatically deleted after about one hour. We do not require signup for these tools, and we do not use your documents to train AI models. For full details on cookies, analytics, and legal terms, read our Privacy Policy.

Features

Strong image downsampling and JPEG recompression for smaller files

Strength presets: strong to minimal, plus optional grayscale

Custom target DPI and image quality overrides

Strip document metadata (title, author, keywords) for privacy

Before/after file size stats with percentage saved

Smart output: keeps the original if compression would increase size

Secure one-hour auto-delete

How to use

1
Upload the PDF file you want to compress.
2
Choose compression strength, and optionally adjust image DPI, quality, grayscale, or metadata stripping.
3
Download the optimized PDF and review the before/after size comparison.

Compress file

PDF file

PDF up to the server upload limit (default 100MB).

Drop files here or browse

PDF files up to 100MB

Compression strength

Stronger settings shrink images more. Minimal keeps the closest match to the original.

Target image DPI

Override the preset default. Auto uses the quality preset's DPI.

Image quality

Controls JPEG recompression quality for embedded images. Auto uses the preset default.

Convert to grayscaleReduces size for color scans and documents when color is not needed.Strip metadataRemove title, author, keywords, and other document metadata for privacy or size reduction.