Size-specific
Compress PDF to 500KB
500KB is the upload limit a surprising number of older enterprise portals still enforce — state tax filings, older HR systems, legacy SFTP queues. If you've been told 'your PDF is too large' even after one compression pass, you probably need the Strong preset.
Our compressor does three things in sequence: re-encodes JPEG images at lower quality, downsamples any 300dpi scans to 150dpi (screen-readable), and subsets embedded fonts to only the glyphs your document actually uses. Each pass is lossless for pure text and cumulative for images, which is why PDFs with lots of photos shrink the most.
If your PDF is below 500KB already, don't bother compressing — you'll lose image quality for no benefit. The tool refuses to run if the estimated output size is within 5% of the input.
How it works
- 1Upload your PDF (drag-drop or click to browse).
- 2Pick the Strong preset for the aggressive size target.
- 3Check the estimated size — should read under 500KB.
- 4Compress and download. No watermark added.
Frequently asked
Will my signatures still work after compression?+
Digital signatures are invalidated by any modification, including compression. Compress first, then sign. Visual signature images survive compression but remain non-cryptographic.
Will form fields still be fillable?+
Yes. All three presets preserve AcroForm and XFA form fields.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?+
Not directly. Unlock the PDF first (free tool at /unlock if you know the password), compress, then re-apply the password with /protect if needed.
Image quality hit at 500KB?+
Noticeable on photo-heavy PDFs at the Strong preset — expect the kind of softening you see on a mid-quality JPEG. For text documents with occasional figures, often indistinguishable from the original at normal zoom.
Does the tool work offline?+
The compressor specifically runs server-side (see the 1MB page for why). Other PennyPDF tools (merge, split, rotate) run entirely in the browser and work offline once loaded.
Why PennyPDF
- No subscription. Ever.
- Coins never expire — use them in 5 years.
- Client-side processing for 14 of 22 tools.
- No watermarks at any tier.
- Per-operation pricing, shown before you click.
- Same coins for web + public API.