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Free tool · runs in your browser

Compress PDF to under 200 KB (or any size)

Quick answer: Choose the PDF, pick the size limit from your portal (100 KB, 200 KB, 500 KB, 1 MB or your own number) and press Compress. The tool shrinks the file step by step until it fits, in your browser, with no upload.

Compress PDF to a target size

Pick the limit printed on your portal. We shrink until the file fits.

Choose a PDFTap to choose, or drag and drop here

Files are processed on your device with JavaScript. Nothing is uploaded, so your CNIC, degrees and photos never leave your browser. Works offline once the page has loaded.

How the compressor works

  1. Lossless pass. The PDF is rebuilt with compressed object streams and without duplicate data. Scanned PDFs rarely shrink much here, but exported Word files often do.
  2. Smart redraw. If still too large, each page is redrawn at 115, 100, 86, 72 dpi and so on, as a JPEG with falling quality, until the file is under your target.
  3. Check and download. The before/after sizes are shown. If the target was not reached, the smallest readable version is offered.

Portal upload limits

Where you uploadTypical limit printed in guidesPreset
NTS, PTS and most testing services (scanned documents)often 200 KB per file, JPG or PDFUnder 200 KB
PPSC online form (documents section)commonly around 200 KB to 500 KBUnder 200 KB
FPSC online applicationusually up to about 500 KBUnder 500 KB
National Job Portal (NJP)CV and documents, typically 1 MB or lessUnder 1 MB
University admission portals, scholarships (HEC, PEEF)varies, 500 KB to 2 MBUnder 500 KB

These are typical figures seen in the portals' own instructions and can change with each advertisement. Always read the limit printed on the portal's upload screen and pick the matching preset or type the exact KB. Last checked: 1 November 2026.

Worked example

A 6-page scanned degree PDF of 3.4 MB with a 200 KB target: the lossless pass gives 3.1 MB (not enough), the first redraw at 115 dpi gives 410 KB, the second at 100 dpi gives 265 KB and the third at 86 dpi gives 188 KB: done, still readable on screen and in print.

Frequently asked questions

All answers, in full:

How do I compress a PDF to under 200 KB?
Choose the PDF, tap the Under 200 KB preset and then Compress PDF. The tool first tries a lossless re-save; if the file is still too big it redraws each page as a compact image, lowering quality step by step until it fits.
Will the text still be selectable after compression?
If the lossless pass is enough, yes. If the tool has to redraw pages as images to reach the target, the text becomes part of the picture. Portals accept both; the page remains readable.
Why can't my PDF get under 100 KB?
A 10-page scanned PDF cannot fit in 100 KB and stay readable. Split it into separate PDFs per document, or ask whether the portal wants one file per document (most do).
Does compressing change the page size or count?
No. The page count and page dimensions stay the same. Only the picture quality changes.
Can I compress a password-protected PDF?
Not directly. Open it in a PDF viewer, print it to a new PDF without the password, then compress that file.
Is the PDF uploaded to your server?
No. Everything runs in your browser with the open-source pdf.js and pdf-lib libraries. Large files take longer on slow phones, but they never leave your device.

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Written and checked by the Educativz Editorial Team. Facts come from official sources listed above; see how we verify. Last checked: 1 November 2026.