How to compress a PDF to 200 KB
- Click Select PDF file or drop your PDF onto the page.
- The target is already set to 200 KB. Change it if your limit is different.
- Tick Black and white for text documents to make room for more pages.
- Click Compress to 200 KB and download. The result screen confirms whether the file is within the limit.
When you need a 200 KB PDF
200 KB is a common limit for admission forms, job applications, bank KYC and visa document uploads. Uploading a larger file fails with errors such as "File size exceeds the maximum limit", and scans straight from a phone are often 2–10 MB.
How the 200 KB target is reached
With 200 KB the tool can usually keep 110–130 DPI for a few pages of a scanned document, which looks crisp on screen and acceptable when printed. Colour photos of documents take roughly twice as much as black and white. The tool tries settings from sharpest to smallest and stops at the first that fits, so you never get a file that is worse than it needs to be. If even the smallest readable setting is too big, it tells you and gives you the smallest version instead of an unreadable one.
Check before you upload
Open the downloaded PDF and zoom to 100% on the page with the smallest text, such as a certificate number, date or stamp. If it is readable on your screen, the reviewer will be able to read it too. If not, remove a page you don't need and compress again, or untick Black and white if a coloured stamp or photo became unclear. For more ways to get under a limit, see how to make a PDF smaller for upload forms.
Good to know
- Pages are re-saved as optimized images, so text can no longer be selected or searched. Keep your original.
- Page size and order stay exactly the same.
- Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked first.
Other sizes: 100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB, or the full PDF Compressor. For photos, use Compress Image to 100 KB. Your PDF is processed on your device and never uploaded.
Frequently asked questions
How many pages fit in 200 KB?
Typically 3–6 pages of scanned text in black and white, or 1–3 pages in colour.
I made my PDF from JPG photos. Will this work?
Yes. That is exactly the kind of PDF that shrinks most. You can also create it with JPG to PDF and then compress it here.
Does it add a watermark?
No. There is no watermark, sign-up or limit.