Compress PDF to 500KB
Use the 500KB allowance when your destination permits it, then compare scanned text and image detail in the result before submitting.
Drag a PDF in, paste, or click to choose
A whole folder works too · Ctrl/Cmd+V pastes · on phone this opens your file picker · up to 60 MB per file
Add a PDF above and it compresses toward 500 KB automatically. Nothing is uploaded — the file never leaves this tab.
Using a 500KB budget to preserve quality
Choose the largest file allowance your destination permits when image detail matters. A 500KB target gives the encoder more space than 100KB or 200KB, but the outcome still depends on page count and the images in the source. The tool tries supported JPEG quality and resolution settings locally, then reports the resulting byte count. Open the output at a useful zoom and compare small lettering, diagrams and photographs with the original. The tool does not judge whether those details survived well enough for your purpose.
More room does not guarantee more usable detail
- A 500KB allowance is shared by the whole document. Many detailed scans can still exceed it when the available encoding attempts end; page count alone cannot predict the outcome.
- The tool has no way to judge whether fine print, a diagram label or a scanned signature is clear enough. Those features can soften with image compression. Text stored as actual PDF text and vector drawings is retained.
- Consider whether rewriting is worthwhile. A file that already fits is returned unchanged, and an encrypted file is not processed. A digitally signed file loses signature validity if it is rewritten.
Questions about compressing a PDF to 500KB
Is 500KB a per-page allowance?
No. It is the target for the complete PDF: 512,000 bytes using this tool’s 1,024-byte kilobytes. One source file up to 60 MB can be processed at a time, entirely in your browser.
Why should I choose 500KB instead of a smaller target?
Use it if the destination permits 500KB and keeping image detail matters more than obtaining the smallest file. A larger budget may allow higher quality settings, but does not guarantee readable scans. There is no need to recompress a file that already fits.
Will the formatting of my typed document change?
Existing text objects, vector drawings and page positions are not re-encoded. Embedded images can change quality, dimensions or transparency, and rewriting invalidates digital signatures. Review the result rather than assuming every visual detail is unchanged.
Why can a long scan remain above 500KB?
Its image data may still be too large after the supported encoding attempts, or it may contain images the decoder skips, including JPEG 2000, indexed-colour, CMYK or explicit-mask objects. The reported size is the result actually reached. It is not a guarantee of the smallest possible output.
What else should I compare with the original?
Look for changes around transparent images, which are flattened onto white when re-encoded. Rewriting also clears basic Info fields and document-level XMP and application data, but not the dedicated metadata remover’s page-level and comment fields. None of that cleanup runs on a file already within the target.
