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Compress PDF to 200 KB

Files never leave your device

Need a PDF under 200 KB for an application or email form? Drop it here: the page keeps text selectable when it can, and otherwise picks the highest page resolution that fits in 200,000 bytes.

Make the PDF smaller than
Only used if pages must be turned into images

How to use it

  1. Drop the PDF. The limit is already set to 200 KB; switch it if the form asks for another size.
  2. Turn on Grayscale for black-and-white scans, then press Compress.
  3. Check the byte count (it must say under 200 KB) and download. If it cannot fit, split the PDF or remove pages and try again.

Details

Step 1, lossless
The PDF is rewritten with compressed object streams and unused objects dropped. Text, links and bookmarks stay; often 5–30% smaller
Step 2, if needed
Pages are rendered with pdf.js and stored as JPEG at the highest resolution (150 down to 72 DPI) and quality (85 down to 35) that fits
Target
At or under the limit in bytes (1 KB = 1,000 bytes, so it also passes a 1,024-byte check)
If it cannot fit
You get the smallest readable version and its exact size, with a note, instead of an unreadable file
Engine
pdf-lib and pdf.js, downloaded once and run in this tab. Password-protected PDFs need the password removed first

Questions

How many pages fit in 200 KB?

Roughly twice what fits in 100 KB: a few scanned pages, or many more text pages. Photos and colour charts take the most space. The result shows the DPI used, so you can judge sharpness.

Is 200 KB enough for a certificate or mark sheet?

For a one-page scan it usually is, at a higher resolution than 100 KB allows, which helps small print and seals stay legible. Check the DPI in the result: 120–150 DPI is comfortable for small print.

Are my files uploaded?

No. The page loads its code once, then reads and processes your files inside the browser tab. Nothing is sent to a server; you can confirm it in your browser's network panel while a file is processed.

Will the text still be selectable?

If the lossless step reaches the limit, yes: nothing about the content changes. If pages had to be turned into images to fit, the new file looks the same but its text cannot be selected or searched. The page tells you which one happened.

Why does 72 DPI stop the search?

Below about 72 DPI, normal 10–12 pt body text in a page image becomes hard to read, and a portal that accepts the file may still reject an unreadable document. You get the smallest readable version and a clear message instead.

My PDF is a scan. How small can it go?

A scanned page is already a picture, so the tool re-renders it at a lower resolution. Clean scans on white paper shrink the most; grainy phone photos of paper and colour pages need more bytes. Turn on Grayscale for black-and-white documents, and check the DPI shown in the result.

Does 500 KB mean 500,000 or 512,000 bytes?

The tool aims at or under 500,000 bytes, so the file passes either way of counting. The exact byte count is shown before you download.