Marked scans from a classroom printer often come out at 300 DPI and weigh 20-40 MB, which stalls older tablets. Use the Recommended preset (~150 DPI) to cut file size by up to 95% while keeping handwriting readable. A 16-page scan takes about 1 second to process.
Upload your PDF (max 50 MB), pick a preset, and download. The tool rewrites the file, drops metadata, and keeps the text layer if present. Files are deleted after one hour, and you can do up to 40 conversions per hour per IP. No signup, no watermark.
Frequently asked questions
Will my students' handwritten comments stay sharp at 150 DPI?
Yes, for most pen marks. If you need extra clarity, use Light (~200 DPI). Extreme (~96-120 DPI) is best for plain text but may blur fine pencil lines.
Can I compress multiple scanned worksheets at once?
No, upload one file at a time. Each file must be under 50 MB. You can convert up to 40 files per hour per IP address.
Does compression remove the text layer or make it searchable?
It keeps an existing text layer intact but does not add OCR. If your scan lacks a text layer, use the OCR tool first.
Do it in the full tool
Open Compress PDF for all options, or jump straight to another step below.
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