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Compress PDF for Email

Compress PDF for email attachments online for free — under Gmail and Outlook limits.

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Maximum file size: 50 MB

Your file is processed securely and deleted automatically after conversion. Your data is protected under GDPR.

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1 Select PDF
2 Compress PDF
3 Download Compressed PDF

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How to compress PDF

  1. Upload your PDF (up to 50 MB).
  2. Click 'Compress PDF for Email' — takes 10-30 seconds.
  3. Download the email-ready PDF.

Quick fact about PDF

Most email services cap attachments at 10-25 MB. Compressing a PDF to under 10 MB makes it email-friendly — typically reducing size by 60-90% with no visible loss.

Why compress PDF?

Email services and corporate mail servers impose strict size limits — 10 MB on most, 25 MB on Gmail. Scanned documents and image-heavy PDFs often exceed these limits. Compressing to email-friendly sizes ensures delivery without bouncing.

Technical details

Input format PDF
Output format PDF 1.7
Target size Under 10 MB (typical)
Typical reduction 60-90%
Image compression Downsample + re-encode
Text/vector Preserved losslessly
Max file size 50 MB per file
File retention Auto-deleted after compression

How the conversion works

The compressor analyzes the PDF structure, downsamples high-resolution embedded images to email-appropriate resolution, re-encodes them efficiently, and strips redundant metadata. Text and vector content are preserved losslessly.

When to compress PDF

Quality considerations

Email-optimized PDFs compress images to screen resolution — fine for reading on phones and laptops. Text stays sharp (vector content is lossless). For print-quality, use the general PDF compressor.

Limitations and caveats

Compatibility

Tips for best results

Compression levels explained

Level Size reduction Best for
Email (under 10 MB) ~60-90% Email attachments

Target a specific file size

Need to hit an exact size? Use our dedicated target-size tools:

Common problems and fixes

PDF still over 10 MB
Use the target-size variants (5 MB or 2 MB) for more aggressive compression.
Text looks blurry
Text should stay sharp (vector). If blurry, the PDF was likely scanned.
Images are pixelated
Email-optimized PDFs compress images to screen resolution. For higher quality, use the general PDF compressor.

Frequently asked questions

Is PDF compression for email free? +
Yes — completely free, no signup, no watermark.
What size will the PDF be? +
Typically under 10 MB, suitable for most email services.
Will text stay sharp? +
Yes — text is vector and stays perfectly sharp.
Is my file safe? +
Yes — files are auto-deleted after compression.
Can I compress multiple PDFs at once? +
Currently one file at a time.
What's the maximum file size? +
50 MB per PDF file.
How does it differ from the general PDF compressor? +
This tool targets email-friendly sizes (under 10 MB). The general compressor gives you more control over quality vs size.

Sources and references

Last reviewed: 2026-10-01