200 KB is the most common upload limit on government and university portals. Compressing at the Recommended level gets most documents there in one click.
If your file is a 20-page scan, expect to use the Extreme level, or reduce the scan resolution before uploading.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take?
About one second per ten pages.
Does it add a watermark?
Never.
Can I hit an exact size?
Compress first, check, then split or re-compress — these three moves cover almost every limit.
Do it in the full tool
Open Compress PDF for all options, or jump straight to another step below.