Compress PDF to 200 KB, 300 KB or 500 KB — Free & Private

Every portal picks its own PDF limit: 200 KB for one job site, 300 KB for a university, 500 KB for a bank. The method is the same for all of them — here's how to land under any limit on the first try, free and without your document ever leaving your device.

Match the compression level to your target

Your limit	Recommended level	Typical result from a 2–5 MB scan
500 KB	Light or Balanced	200–450 KB, near-original sharpness
300 KB	Balanced	150–300 KB, crisp text
200 KB	Balanced or Strong	100–200 KB
100 KB or lower	Strong	see the 100 KB guide

The steps (same for every size)

1. Open the free PDF Compressor — it runs in your browser, no upload.
2. Drop your PDF in and pick the level from the table above.
3. Click Compress PDF — the before/after size shows immediately.
4. Over the limit? Re-run at a stronger level, or cut pages you don't need with the Page Extractor first.

Combining documents under one limit

Portals often want one PDF under 500 KB containing several documents. Do it in this order: compress each file first, then join them with Merge PDF. Compressing before merging gives a much smaller final file than the other way round.

Why did my PDF barely shrink?

• It's already a digital PDF (exported from Word) — those are efficient. Remove pages instead.
• It's image-heavy — try Strong; photos compress dramatically.
• It's a huge scan — even 10 MB scans typically fall under 500 KB at Balanced.

Is it safe for certificates and bank statements?

That's the point of this tool: unlike upload-based sites, compression happens entirely in your browser. Your certificates, statements and ID proofs never touch a server — you can even use it with Wi-Fi turned off.