PaperHeroHow it works
- Choose the PDF you want to shrink.
- Pick the level: "Balanced" for good image quality, "Smallest file" for the strongest reduction - text stays selectable with both. "Save as images" is meant for pure scans.
- Start the compression and compare the new size with the old one.
- Download the result.
Compress a PDF for email and upload forms
Many inboxes and portals cap attachments at a few megabytes - scanned documents easily exceed that. To reduce a PDF's file size, compress it right here in the browser: the tool makes the PDF smaller, often a fraction of its original size. Three options let you decide: "Balanced" keeps the best readability for screen and email, "Smallest file" makes the PDF as small as possible and "Save as images" is for pure scans - free and without a sign-up.
Shrink a PDF without making it unreadable
During compression the images inside the PDF are brought to a resolution that suits screens and email and saved again; data no program needs any more is removed. Text, fonts, bookmarks and form fields stay unchanged - the text remains selectable and searchable. For pure scans you can alternatively save every page as an image. You see the reduced file size next to the old one before you download, and your file never leaves your computer at any point.
And where does the finished PDF go?
PaperHero stores it encrypted in Germany, reads the text and finds it again when you need it. 30 days for €1, then €5.99 per month - cancel monthly.
Frequently asked questions
How does the compression work?
The tool shrinks the images inside the PDF - usually the largest part of the file - and removes data no program needs any more. Text, fonts and pages stay as they are. The "Save as images" option instead saves every page as a compressed image: that helps with pure scans, but the text is no longer selectable afterwards.
How much smaller does the file get?
It depends on the content. Scans and photo-heavy PDFs often shrink to a half down to a fifth. Files that are mostly text, or whose images are already small, barely change - and the tool tells you so instead of pretending.
Does the quality suffer?
Text and graphics stay sharp because they are not touched. "Balanced" brings photos and scans to a resolution that stays clearly readable on screen and in print. For documents where every image detail matters, check the result before sending it.