How to Compress a PDF in Smallpdf
Written and fact-checked by The EditPDF AI Team
Smallpdf is one of the most-used PDF compressors, and its basic compression is genuinely free with no account required. This walks through its own stated steps and free-tier limits directly, then shows the same task done with no Pro tier to run into at all.
How do you compress a PDF in Smallpdf?
Drag your PDF into Smallpdf's compressor, pick a compression level, click Compress, then download the result — no installation or account is required to run the basic tier.
- 1Drag and drop your PDF onto Smallpdf's compress-PDF page (or click to browse for the file).
- 2Choose a compression level: Basic, Moderate, or Strong.
- 3Click Compress and wait for the file to process.
- 4Download the compressed PDF, or share it directly from the result screen.
What's free, and what needs Smallpdf Pro?
Only the Basic compression level is free. Moderate and Strong compression — the two settings that shrink a file the most — are gated behind a Smallpdf Pro subscription.
- ·Basic compression — free, no account needed
- ·Moderate compression — requires Smallpdf Pro
- ·Strong compression — requires Smallpdf Pro
- ·The page itself notes "usage limits may apply" without stating an exact number — check Smallpdf's current pricing page directly before relying on a specific figure, since stated limits can change.
Is your file processed locally, or uploaded to a server?
Smallpdf's compress-PDF page doesn't state this directly one way or the other, so it's worth checking yourself rather than assuming.
Open your browser's DevTools (F12), switch to the Network tab, then run the compression. A POST request carrying your file's data means it was uploaded; no such request means it stayed on your device. The full walkthrough is in our guide on what happens to files you upload to online PDF tools.
Want to skip the account and Pro wall entirely?
EditPDF AI's PDF Compressor offers four compression levels — Low, Medium, High, and Maximum — and none of them require an account, sign-in, or Pro subscription. Compression runs locally in your browser in the background, so the file itself stays on your device for this operation.
- ·Choose Low, Medium, High, or Maximum — every level is free, including the strongest setting
- ·No account or sign-in required at any compression level
- ·Runs as a background task in your browser — the PDF is not sent to a document-processing server for this operation
Related PDF tools and guides
PDF Compressor
The core workflow is available without an account. Browser and tool-specific limits apply.
Compress a PDF free, all levels included →