How does this PDF compressor actually reduce file size?
Each page of your PDF is rendered as an image in your browser, then re-compressed as a JPEG. The tool automatically tries several resolution/quality combinations, starting from the highest quality, and stops as soon as one fits under the target size you entered — then rebuilds everything into a new PDF. This is the most effective method for scanned or photographed documents, which make up most PAN/Aadhaar-related PDF uploads.
Will compressing reduce the quality of my document?
Yes, some quality reduction is expected — that's how file size is reduced. The tool always tries to use the highest quality that still fits your target size, so a larger target (e.g. 1 MB) keeps documents sharper than a very small one (e.g. 100 KB).
What happens if my target size can't be reached?
If even the most aggressive compression setting still can't get under your target (this can happen with very high page counts or an unrealistically small target), the tool gives you the smallest file it was able to produce and lets you know it couldn't hit the exact number.
Is my PDF uploaded to any server?
No. All processing — reading, rendering, compressing and rebuilding the PDF — happens entirely inside your browser using the pdf.js and pdf-lib JavaScript libraries. Your file is never sent to any server, so it stays completely private.
Why is my compressed PDF still large?
If your original PDF is mostly text (e.g., exported from Word), it's likely already small and efficiently encoded, so compression gains will be modest. The biggest reductions happen on scanned or camera-photographed PDFs with large embedded images. Try the "High" compression level for maximum reduction.
Is there a limit on PDF size or number of pages?
There's no hard limit, but since everything runs in your browser, very large PDFs (50+ MB or 100+ pages) may take longer to process or use significant memory depending on your device. For typical government document PDFs (a few pages), compression takes just a few seconds.