Compress PDF to 500KB

To compress a PDF to 500KB, add it to PDFWrangle with the target set to 500KB, compress and download. Scanned documents usually reach this size with little visible loss. It's free with no limits and no sign-up, and your file never leaves your device.

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How to compress a PDF to 500KB

  1. Add your PDF. The target is already set to 500KB.
  2. Choose Strong for scans and photos, or Recommended to keep more detail.
  3. Compress, check that the new size is under 500KB, and download.

Where 500KB limits show up

Supporting documents for bank, rental, visa or insurance applications are often limited to a few hundred kilobytes. These are usually phone scans saved at full camera resolution, far more detail than a reviewer needs on screen, so they compress well.

If it won't go below 500KB

PDFWrangle shows the smallest size it reached and explains why. Then try, in this order:

  1. Switch the level to Strong.
  2. Turn on Convert pages to images. This rebuilds each page as a compressed image and gets scans much smaller, but text can no longer be selected or searched.
  3. Remove pages you don't need with Delete pages, or send only the required pages with Extract pages.
  4. Rescan at a lower resolution, such as 150 dpi, which gives a cleaner small file than squeezing a high-resolution scan.

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Frequently asked questions

Will a scanned ID stay readable at 500KB?

For one or two pages, usually yes. Zoom in on the result and check small print, numbers and the photo before you submit.

Will the text stay sharp?

Yes, in the standard mode. Only images are recompressed; text and fonts aren't touched. Convert pages to images is the exception, since it turns whole pages into pictures.

Can I scan in a way that makes the file smaller?

Yes. Scan in grayscale if color isn't required, crop to the page edges, and keep one document per PDF.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Everything happens in your browser on your own device, so your files are never sent to a server.