Why portals reject PDFs
Many portals enforce strict file-size caps and will fail uploads instantly when your PDF is too large. Compression is the fastest fix.
- Designed for strict upload limits (1MB/500KB)
- Compact mode keeps text sharp; Rasterize hits the smallest sizes
- No signup, no watermark — download instantly
- Works on mobile (upload from phone camera scans too)
- Clear next steps if you miss the limit
Hit the limit, upload, done
Compact keeps quality for text-heavy PDFs. Rasterize is the “strict limit” mode for scans.
If you still miss the cap: compress again, lower DPI, or split pages.
Open CompressorHow to compress a PDF for upload (3 steps)
1) Upload your PDF
Upload over TLS. Big scans may take a moment.
2) Choose Compact or Rasterize
Compact for quality, Rasterize for strict caps (1MB/500KB).
3) Download & upload to the portal
Download the smaller PDF and retry the portal upload.
Smart PDF Compression
- Guaranteed Size Reduction
- Smart Mode: Preserves Text (Vectors)
- Force Mode: Flattens to printable images
Drop your PDF here
We'll analyze it to see how much we can compress.
Portal Upload Compression — FAQs
How do I compress a PDF for a portal upload?
Upload your PDF, start with Compact mode, then switch to Rasterize if the portal has a strict size cap. Repeat with lower quality/DPI until you meet the requirement.
What if the portal limit is 1MB or even 500KB?
Use our target pages for strict limits. Rasterize usually works best for scanned/image-heavy PDFs: 1MB, 500KB, 300KB and similar constraints.
Why won’t my scanned PDF compress enough?
Scanned PDFs are mostly images. To go very small, you typically need Rasterize at lower DPI/quality. If it’s still too big, split the PDF or upload fewer pages.
Is my file uploaded to your servers?
Yes for compression. Your PDF is sent over encrypted TLS to our compression backend and Adobe PDF Services for processing. Avoid uploading extremely sensitive documents.