How to compress a PDF to 500 KB
- Choose the PDF (scanned documents, photo PDFs and forms compress the most).
- Pick the target size.
- Tap Compress PDF. The tool first tries a light clean-up that keeps text selectable; if the file is still above the target, pages are re-rendered as compact images at the highest quality that fits.
Which method?
- Auto — best for most people: light first, strong only when needed.
- Light — rebuilds the file structure and strips bloat (10–40% smaller); text stays searchable; may not hit a tight target.
- Strong — turns every page into a JPEG at 60–150 DPI. Always reaches the target for normal documents; text becomes part of the image (fine for uploads and printing, not for copy-paste).
Common PDF limits on Indian portals
| Where | Limit |
|---|---|
| PAN application documents (Protean/NSDL) | 300 KB per page |
| Scholarship portals (NSP), many university forms | 200 KB – 500 KB |
| Passport Seva, visa portals | 1 MB – 2 MB |
| Email attachments | Keep under 10 MB; 1 MB sends instantly |
Only need certain pages? Split or remove pages first — fewer pages, smaller file. Images instead of PDF? Use compress image to KB.