Compress PDF to 1 MB
1 MB is a common limit for email attachments and upload portals. Most documents can get there with images reduced to screen or print resolution, and text left untouched.
Processed on your device. Nothing is uploaded. How we know
How to approach a 1 MB limit
1 MB is generous for most single documents; it usually matters for longer scans, presentations and reports full of photos. In our tests up to five scanned A4 pages stayed at print quality (150 dpi), and ten pages kept around 100 dpi, still comfortable to read.
For presentations and brochures, the large savings come from photos that are stored far bigger than they appear on the page. Those are reduced to the size they are shown at, while slides' text and shapes stay sharp.
Steps to get under 1 MB
Choose the PDF
The compressor opens with a 1 MB target, counted as 1,000,000 bytes.
Compress
Short documents keep print-quality images; long scans are reduced only as far as 1 MB requires.
Check the result
See the exact size and how many images were optimised.
Send or upload
The file keeps its links, bookmarks and selectable text, so it works like the original.
What usually fits in 1 MB
- Most text documents, reports and forms, including ones with charts.
- Scanned documents of about ten pages at a readable resolution.
- Presentations exported to PDF, once their photos are reduced.
When 1 MB is hard to reach
- Books, catalogues and long photo-heavy documents.
- High-resolution artwork where every image must stay at full detail.
- PDFs with very large embedded fonts or attachments.
If your PDF won't go under 1 MB
- Try Strong, which reduces images to 100 dpi.
- Remove pages the recipient doesn't need.
- Send large documents as several smaller PDFs.
Frequently asked questions
Is 1 MB counted as 1,000,000 or 1,048,576 bytes?
We aim for 1,000,000 bytes, which fits either definition. The exact byte count is shown with the result.
Will links and bookmarks still work?
Yes. Only image data is rewritten; links, bookmarks, form fields and text are kept.
Does it work on my phone?
Yes, in current mobile browsers. Very large files may need a computer because phones have less memory.
Compress to a specific size
Pick the limit your upload form asks for. The compressor opens with that target already set.