Fastest way to get a PDF under 10MB
“10MB” is usually an email constraint. You want a clean-looking PDF that sends without errors.
Best quality (recommended)
Start with Compact. It preserves sharp text and vector elements while shrinking images/metadata to fit under 10MB in most cases.
If you’re still above 10MB
Switch to Rasterize and reduce Quality/DPI step-by-step until the file is under 10MB. (This is most common for scanned PDFs.)
Avoid email failures
Target 9–9.5MB (not exactly 10MB). Email systems can add overhead, and corporate servers may enforce stricter limits.
- Compress a bit more (Rasterize with slightly lower DPI/quality).
- Split the PDF and send in parts if allowed.
- Share a link instead of attaching (if your workflow allows it).
Why people compress PDFs to 10MB
This is a high-intent query. Users want the file to send successfully on the first attempt.
Email attachment limits (10MB)
Many corporate email systems reject attachments around 10MB. This page is built for the “under 10MB” requirement: compress → check size → strengthen settings if needed.
Send proposals, invoices, reports
Large PDFs fail to send or bounce. Keeping files under 10MB improves successful delivery and speeds up uploads.
Mobile-friendly sending
Smaller PDFs upload faster on mobile data and open more smoothly for recipients on phones.
Better performance & storage
Compression reduces storage use and makes PDFs faster to download/view, especially image-heavy files.
How to compress a PDF to under 10MB (3 steps)
1) Upload your PDF
Upload the PDF you want under 10MB. The file is transferred over an encrypted TLS connection for processing.
2) Choose Compact or Rasterize
Start with Compact for best quality. If still above 10MB, switch to Rasterize and reduce quality/DPI step-by-step.
3) Download & attach
Download the smaller PDF and attach it to your email. No signup and no watermark.
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.
Compress PDF to 10MB — FAQs
Can you compress a PDF to exactly 10MB?
Often you can get under 10MB, but “exactly 10MB” isn’t guaranteed because PDFs vary. For reliable email sending, aim for ~9–9.5MB. Scanned/image-heavy PDFs may require Rasterize with lower DPI/quality.
Is there a one-click “under 10MB” button?
Not reliably. Best workflow: Compact first → if still above 10MB, switch to Rasterize and lower quality/DPI step-by-step until it’s under the limit.
What’s the difference between Compact and Rasterize?
Compact keeps the PDF structure (sharp text/vectors) while optimizing images and metadata. Rasterize converts pages to images at your chosen quality/DPI for maximum size reduction (best for strict limits and scans).
Why is my PDF still above 10MB after compression?
Usually because it contains high-resolution images/scans, many pages, or is already optimized. Use Rasterize, reduce DPI/quality, remove unnecessary pages, or split the PDF if allowed.
Will Rasterize affect text selection or search?
Yes. Rasterize makes pages image-based, so text may no longer be selectable/searchable. If you need searchable text afterward, run OCR after compressing.
Is my PDF uploaded to your servers?
Your PDF is transferred over an encrypted TLS connection to our compression backend and Adobe PDF Services for processing. As with any online service, avoid uploading extremely sensitive documents.
Does it work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari (iOS) or Chrome (Android) to compress PDFs without installing an app.
What should I do if email still rejects the PDF?
Try compressing a bit more (Rasterize with lower DPI/quality), or use Split PDF and send parts separately, or share a link instead of an attachment if your workflow allows it.
Related targets & tools
Need a different limit? Use the matching target: