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Compress PDF Online — Shrink PDF File Size

Reduce your PDF file size without losing quality. Optimized for fast email sharing and web uploads. Safe, private, and 100% free.

Compression Engine is Warming Up!

We are fine-tuning our smart compression algorithms to ensure maximum size reduction. This tool will be available very soon.

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Compress PDF — make files smaller

Shrink your PDF documents while keeping professional quality

Struggling with a PDF that's too large to email? headPDF uses intelligent compression technology to strip out unnecessary data and optimize images, making your files up to 90% smaller without losing visual clarity.

Lossless quality
Optimized text and vector graphics
Secure Processing
Encrypted transfer & auto-deletion
Fast Results
Get your small PDF in seconds

What is PDF compression?

PDF compression is the process of reducing the file size of a document. It works by optimizing embedded images, removing duplicate fonts, and streamlining the internal structure of the file. This makes the PDF easier to share, store, and upload.

Basic Compression: Best for daily use with high quality.

Strong Compression: Maximum size reduction for large files.

Why use headPDF for compression?

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Perfect quality

Our tool analyzes every element in your PDF to ensure that text remains sharp and images look great even at smaller sizes.

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Privacy first

We use end-to-end encryption. For advanced compression, files are processed on secure servers and deleted immediately after.

When to compress your PDF?

Email attachments

Avoid 'file too large' errors when sending contracts or resumes.

Government portals

Meet strict file size limits for tax, visa, or legal uploads.

Frequently asked questions

What are the different compression levels?

We offer three smart compression modes:
  • Basic (Low): Slight reduction, perfect quality. Ideal for documents with lots of text.
  • Recommended (Medium): The best balance between file size and image clarity.
  • Extreme (Strong): Maximum size reduction. Images are heavily optimized. Great for huge files.

Will my PDF lose quality after compression?

Our tool uses "smart compression." This means it keeps text and vector graphics in high resolution while only optimizing large images and removing metadata. In the "Recommended" mode, the quality difference is virtually invisible to the human eye.

Are my files secure during compression?

Absolutely. We use high-level encryption (SSL) to transfer your files. Unlike local merging, advanced compression requires server-side processing, but we automatically delete your files from our system exactly 60 minutes after processing.

What is the maximum file size I can upload?

You can compress PDF files with a size of up to 100 MB per document.

Is headPDF Compress really free?

Yes, the tool is 100% free to use. There are no hidden fees, and you don't need to create an account to shrink your files.

Does the compressed PDF have a watermark?

No. We never add watermarks or branding to your documents. Your files remain clean and professional.

Why didn't my PDF file size change?

Sometimes a PDF is already highly optimized or created using settings that leave no room for further compression. If images are already low-res, our engine won't be able to shrink the file much further without destroying the content.

Can I compress PDFs on my iPhone or Android?

Yes! headPDF is a web-based service, meaning it works perfectly in any mobile browser. No need to install bulky apps.

Can I compress a password-protected PDF?

For security reasons, our engine cannot process encrypted files. You will need to remove the password protection before uploading the file for compression.

What happens to images inside the PDF?

Our algorithm downsamples images to a web-friendly resolution (usually 72–150 DPI) and applies smart JPEG compression to reduce their data weight.

Does it work on Mac and Windows?

Yes, headPDF is platform-independent. Whether you use macOS, Windows, Linux, or ChromeOS, all you need is a browser.

Can I compress multiple PDFs at once?

Currently, we support processing one document at a time to ensure the highest compression quality and speed for each file.

How long do you keep my files?

Files are kept for 60 minutes. This gives you enough time to download the result even if your internet connection is slow. After that, they are permanently wiped from our storage.
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