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Compress PDF online, even under 1 MB

Shrink a PDF to fit email limits and upload forms. Need it under 1 MB? Choose Target size and GrovePDF finds the lightest compression that gets there. You see the new size before you download.

  1. 1Choose file
  2. 2Set options
  3. 3Download

Drop your PDF here

PDF → smaller PDF · up to 100 MB

Choose file You can also paste a file or screenshot with Ctrl+V.

    AI assistant

    Add a PDF above to ask questions about it, summarise it or give it a better name.

    Compress PDF in 3 easy steps

    1. Choose your file (PDF → smaller PDF): drop it on this page or click “Choose file”.
    2. Check the options (smart suggestions can set them for you), then click “Compress PDF”.
    3. Download the result. Everything runs in your browser, so your files are never uploaded.

    Why use GrovePDF

    • Free, with no signup, no watermark and no daily limit.
    • Private: your files are processed on your device, never on a server.
    • AI built in: smart suggestions and an assistant that answers questions about your PDF.
    • Works on any device with a modern browser, in nearly 110 languages.

    Updated · GrovePDF team

    Choose how much to compress

    GrovePDF gives you four levels, from "nothing you can see changes" to "as small as possible".

    Keep text: compress PDF without losing quality

    A lossless clean-up: unused data is removed and the file is rewritten more efficiently. Nothing on the page changes. Good for text documents that are only slightly too big.

    Balanced and Smallest

    The pictures inside the PDF (photos, scanned pages) are compressed again, at 150 dpi for Balanced or 100 dpi for Smallest. Text stays sharp and selectable, because only the pictures are touched. This is where big size reductions come from.

    Target size: compress a PDF to 1 MB, 500 KB or 200 KB

    Type the size an upload form or email allows, for example 1 MB or 0.2 MB (200 KB). GrovePDF tries the lightest compression first and stops as soon as the file fits. Only if nothing else reaches the size are pages turned into images, and the result tells you when that happened.

    Why is my PDF so big?

    • Scans and phone photos: each page is a large picture. Balanced usually cuts these files the most.
    • Embedded fonts and high-resolution images from design programs.
    • Many pages merged together. If you only need part of the file, split out the pages you need or remove pages first.

    Tips for upload portals

    • Use Target size with a little margin: 0.95 MB for a 1 MB limit.
    • Scanned in colour but the page is black text? Grayscale PDF makes the file smaller before compressing.
    • More tips in our guide: How to compress a PDF under 1 MB.

    Compress PDF: questions and answers

    Which level should I pick?

    Keep text cleans up the file without changing anything you can see. Balanced and Smallest compress the pictures inside (photos, scans) and leave the text sharp. Target size finds the lightest compression that reaches the size you need.

    Will the text still be selectable?

    Yes, with Keep text, Balanced and Smallest: only pictures are compressed. With Target size, pages are turned into images only if nothing else reaches the size, and the result says so.

    How do I compress a PDF under 1 MB?

    Choose Target size and enter 1 MB (or any size your form or email asks for). GrovePDF tries the lightest compression first and stops as soon as the file fits, so text stays sharp. If a file can't get that small, the result tells you how close it got.

    The file didn't get smaller.

    Some PDFs are already well optimized, or are mostly text, which is already small. Try Target size to see how small it can go, or keep your original.

    How do I compress a PDF to 200 KB?

    Choose Target size and enter 0.2 MB. GrovePDF uses the lightest compression that gets the file under 200 KB. Long scanned files may not get that small; the result then shows the smallest size it could reach.

    Can I compress a PDF without losing quality?

    Yes: Keep text is lossless, so nothing you can see changes. Balanced also keeps text sharp and only lowers the resolution of pictures, which is usually invisible on screen.

    Guide: How to compress a PDF under 1 MB (and keep the text sharp)