Compress a PDF to under 1 MB (or 2 MB) for upload forms — free, in your browser
2026-09-28
Most 'file too large' errors come from scanned pages and photos embedded at full camera resolution. Open Compress PDF, choose 'medium', and a 10 MB scan typically lands around 1–2 MB. The before/after size is shown immediately, so you can pick a stronger level if you're still over. Files are processed on your device, which is what you want for passports, pay slips and ID documents.
Use the tool
Which level to choose
- Light (150 dpi): looks identical on screen and prints fine — try this first
- Medium: images downsampled to ~110 dpi — the usual sweet spot for 1–2 MB limits
- Strong (72 dpi): screen-only; text stays readable, photos get soft
- Structure only: keeps the text layer untouched; small savings, but the PDF stays searchable
Typical limits you'll run into
- Job boards and applicant-tracking systems: 1–5 MB per file
- US visa (DS-160) photo upload: 240 KB; supporting documents on many embassy portals: 1–2 MB
- University applications and scholarship portals: 2–10 MB
- Email: Gmail and Outlook 25 MB, many corporate servers 10 MB
When compression isn't enough
A 200-page scan won't fit in 1 MB no matter what. Extract only the pages the form actually asks for, or split the file into parts and upload them separately if the form allows multiple files. If the portal accepts images, exporting the single required page as a JPG is often the smallest option.