Stayput Tools

Compress a PDF to 500 KB

Get a PDF under 500 KB for email attachments and job portals. There is enough room to keep scans readable, and your file never leaves your device.

Files stay on your device. Free, with no sign-up.

  1. 1Add PDF files
  2. 2Adjust
  3. 3Download

    How it works

    1. Add your PDF.
    2. Leave the limit at 500 KB, or change it.
    3. Press the button and download the smaller PDF.

    Room for readable scans

    At 500 KB a multi-page scan can stay comfortably legible. It is a common limit for CVs with attachments, invoices and short reports.

    Text-based PDFs, such as documents exported from a word processor, are often already below this size. In that case the tool returns your file as it is.

    Frequently asked questions

    Will a CV or resume PDF fit in 500 KB?

    Almost always. A resume exported from a word processor is normally well under 500 KB. If yours is larger because of an embedded photo or scanned pages, this tool will shrink it to fit.

    How does it get the PDF under my size?

    First it tries to shrink the file without touching its pages. If that is enough, your text stays selectable. If not, every page is saved as an image and the size budget is shared out page by page: pages with little on them use less, which leaves more room for the busy ones.

    Will I still be able to select and copy the text?

    Only if the file could be shrunk enough without touching its pages, and the result says so when that happens. Otherwise each page becomes an image, so the text is no longer selectable or searchable.

    What if it cannot reach my size?

    You are told the closest size it could reach, and you still get that file. A higher limit, fewer pages (see Remove Pages or Split PDF) or a lower-resolution original are the usual fixes.

    Why is the result a little under my limit?

    It aims just below your limit on purpose. It also counts 1 KB as 1,000 bytes, so the file passes upload forms that count either 1,000 or 1,024 bytes per KB.

    Are my files uploaded anywhere?

    No. Everything happens inside your browser, on your own device. Your files are never sent to a server, and you can confirm that in your browser's network tab. Close the tab and they're gone.

    Is there a file size limit?

    Each file can be up to 100 MB, and up to 300 MB in total. Because the work happens on your device, very large files depend on your available memory. A desktop browser handles them best.

    Can I use a password-protected PDF?

    Not directly. Use Unlock PDF on this site to remove the password (you need to know it), then add the unlocked copy here.

    More tools

    Guides