PDF Tools
Compress PDF to 2 MB
Compress a PDF to under 2 MB - enough room for high-quality multi-page scans and image-heavy PDFs.
The algorithm
2 MB is a loose target that preserves nearly all visual quality. The tool uses mild JPEG compression (85-95% quality) and typically produces output almost indistinguishable from the source.
Good for sharing PDFs via messaging apps (WhatsApp caps at 100 MB but prefers smaller), uploading to portals with 2-5 MB limits, or archiving while keeping file sizes reasonable.
A real use case
Common use: WhatsApp and Telegram document shares behave better under 2 MB - faster to upload, send, and open on mobile. Many legal and government portals accept up to 2 MB per document.
Common questions
If my PDF is 1.5 MB, do I need to compress at all?
No. The tool detects when the input is already under target and returns the original file unchanged.
Will images in the PDF stay sharp at 2 MB?
Yes - JPEG quality is high enough that most images remain visually sharp. Only very large, high-resolution photographs may show slight compression artifacts.
Is this really private?
Yes. The whole compression runs in your browser using JavaScript and Canvas APIs. Your PDF is never uploaded, stored, or seen by us. You can disconnect from the internet after the page loads and it will still work.
Will the text still be selectable in the compressed PDF?
For aggressive KB targets, each page is rasterized into a JPEG and embedded as an image, which makes text non-selectable. If you need searchable text, pick a larger target or use the regular compressor at /tools/pdf-compressor/.
What file size can I compress?
Up to around 200 MB on most devices. Very large or very long PDFs may exceed browser memory limits - if that happens, try splitting the PDF into smaller sections first.
Why does my file end up slightly under the target rather than exactly at it?
The tool uses a binary search to find the highest JPEG quality that still fits under the target. It stops at the first setting that lands under the limit, so output is always a little below the ceiling - which is exactly what upload portals want.