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How to compress a PDF
"Attachment too large" is a solvable problem. PDF compression re-encodes the heavy images inside at screen quality and can cut a scan’s size by 80%+.
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Step by step
- Upload the PDF.
- Run Compress PDF — images are re-encoded at ebook quality and redundant objects are dropped.
- Download and check the new size before attaching.
Tips from people who do this a lot
- Scanned documents compress the most (they are secretly giant images). Text-native PDFs are already lean.
- Still too big? Split the PDF and send two emails, or compress at a lower quality for drafts.
- Government portals often cap uploads at 2–5 MB — compress before you start the form, not mid-application.
FAQ
Will the text stay selectable?
Yes — compression re-encodes images and object streams; the text layer is untouched.
Why did my PDF barely shrink?
It was probably already compressed when created. Some files are simply at their floor.
Is this really free?
Yes — every tool on this site is free. A short ad before your download is what pays the server bills, so nothing needs a paywall or an account.