PDFs balloon in size when they contain scanned images, embedded fonts, or high-resolution photos. The trick is to compress the parts that grow (images) while leaving text and vector graphics untouched.
What actually makes a PDF big
Text and vector shapes take almost no space. What blows up a PDF is embedded imagery — scans, screenshots, product photos. A single 12MP photo can add several megabytes on its own.
How Fileopard compresses
We re-encode embedded images at a smart quality level and strip metadata that PDF readers don't need. Text stays sharp because it isn't touched.
- Upload your PDF.
- Wait a few seconds while images are re-encoded.
- Download the compressed copy — usually 40–70% smaller.
When to compress twice
If a PDF is still too large after one pass, it's usually because a scan was already high-resolution. Reducing scan DPI at the source (300 → 200 DPI) is more effective than compressing repeatedly.
FAQ
Will my text become blurry?
No. Compression targets embedded images only. Text and vector graphics are preserved at full quality.
Is there a size limit?
Very large files may take a moment to process. Try to keep individual PDFs under a few hundred megabytes for the smoothest experience.