Video Tutorial by Gauging Gadgets
Reduce file size while keeping your document crisp and readable.
Open Compress PDF Tool →That dreaded bounce-back email: "Message not delivered. Attachment exceeds size limit." You've got a 15MB PDF that needs to be under 5MB, and you're wondering if you need to buy Adobe Acrobat just to shrink a file. The answer is no, and you don't need to upload your documents to sketchy websites either.
PDFGadget compresses PDFs right in your browser. The file never leaves your computer, so confidential documents stay confidential. Most PDFs can be reduced by 50-80% without any noticeable quality loss.
Navigate to pdfgadget.com/compress-pdf in your browser. Works on any device — desktop, laptop, tablet, or phone. No account needed.
Click the upload area or drag your PDF directly onto the page. The file loads into your browser's memory; it doesn't upload to any server. You'll see a preview confirming the file was recognized.
Select your preferred balance between file size and quality. Higher compression creates smaller files but may reduce image clarity. For text-heavy documents, even maximum compression rarely affects readability.
Click the Compress button. Processing happens locally on your device, you'll see the progress for larger files. When finished, the compressed PDF downloads automatically. The original file remains unchanged.
PDF compression works primarily by optimizing images embedded in the document. Here's what to expect:
Most "free" PDF compressors have a catch. Either they watermark your files, limit you to a few compressions per day, or upload your documents to their servers (where who knows what happens to them). PDFGadget takes a different approach:
Getting the smallest possible file while maintaining usability:
Some PDFs are already optimized or contain mostly text with few images. These files have little to compress. The tool isn't broken, there's just nothing to shrink.
Try a lower compression setting for better image quality. There's always a tradeoff between size and clarity. If you need perfect images, consider a lighter compression or accept the larger file size.
Large PDFs with many high-resolution images require more processing time. This is normal. The work is happening on your device, so faster computers compress faster.
Very large files (100+ pages with images) can strain browser memory. Try closing other tabs to free up resources, or compress the PDF in sections if possible.
Typical compression reduces files by 50-80%. Results vary based on content, image-heavy PDFs compress more than text-only documents. Some already-optimized files may only shrink 10-20%.
No. Text in PDFs is stored as vector data, not images. Compression focuses on optimizing embedded images while leaving text perfectly sharp.
Only if it's unlocked. You'll need to enter the password in another PDF reader first, save an unlocked copy, then compress that copy.
No artificial limit from PDFGadget. Your browser and device memory set the practical limits. Most modern devices handle files up to several hundred megabytes without issues.
No. All pages, text, and images remain. Compression only reduces the quality/resolution of embedded images and optimizes how data is stored internally.
Not directly, compression is lossy for images. That's why PDFGadget never modifies your original file. The compressed version downloads as a new file, leaving your original intact.