Compress PDF to 1 MB
A 1 MB limit is common on job boards, court e-filing systems and older web forms. Drop your PDF and we'll squeeze it under 1 MB in your browser, keeping it as readable as the limit allows.
Drop a PDF to squeeze
Up to 300 MB. The file is read by your browser and never uploaded.
What fits in 1 MB?
Rough guide for A4 or Letter pages. These are typical ranges from common scanners and exports, not promises; the tool measures your actual file.
| Kind of page | Typical size per page after compression | Pages that usually fit in 1 MB |
|---|---|---|
| Typed text, no images | 5–30 KB | 34+ |
| Grayscale scan, flattened ~90 dpi | 40–90 KB | 11–25 |
| Colour scan or photo page | 80–200 KB | 5–12 |
If it still won't fit
- Tick grayscale: colour scans of black-and-white forms waste two thirds of their data.
- Remove blank or unneeded pages first, or split the file into several uploads.
- Rescan at 150 dpi instead of 300 dpi: that alone cuts pixels by three quarters.
Questions people ask
Can every PDF be compressed to 1 MB?
No. A one-page scan or a short typed document usually fits easily, but a 30-page scanned file may not reach 1 MB and stay readable. The tool tells you when it can't hit the target and gives you the smallest readable version instead.
Why is my text blurry after compressing?
To reach small targets the tool may flatten pages into images at a lower resolution. If that happens, try grayscale (it saves a lot on scans), remove pages you don't need, or split the document into parts that each meet the limit.
How do I get a scan under 1 MB in the first place?
Scan at 150 dpi in grayscale rather than 300 dpi colour. A 150 dpi grayscale A4 page usually lands between 100 and 300 KB before any compression, and far smaller after.
Is my document uploaded?
No. The compression runs in your browser. Identity documents and certificates stay on your device.