How to compress a PDF to a specific size (100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB)

Compress to a target size

1. Open Compress PDF and add your file.
2. Under “Compress by”, choose the size you need: under 100 KB, 200 KB, 300 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or 2 MB. For any other limit, choose Custom size and type it in.
3. Click Compress PDF. The result shows the size before and after.
4. Download the file and open it to check that it is still readable.

What happens when you choose a size

Foldline tries a range of settings, from gentle to strong, and keeps the best-looking one that still fits under your target. The settings reduce the resolution and quality of the images inside the PDF. Text stays sharp.

Some upload forms count 1 KB as 1,000 bytes and others as 1,024. Foldline aims below the 1,000-byte figure, so a file that fits passes either way.

If the file won't get small enough

A PDF made of text and vector graphics has little to shrink, and a very long scanned document may not fit under 100 KB at any quality. When the target can't be reached, Foldline gives you the smallest file it could make and tells you its size. Then you can:

• Choose a larger target if the form allows it.
• Remove pages you don't need first, with Remove pages.
• Split the document into parts with Split PDF, if the form accepts several files.
• Switch on grayscale if the colour isn't important.
• Re-scan at a lower resolution if you have the original paper.

Before you upload

Check the limit on the form: whether it says KB or MB (1 MB is about 1,000 KB), and whether it applies to each file or to all files together.

Open the compressed PDF and look at the pages, especially small print, signatures and stamps, because strong compression makes images softer.