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How to Compress PDF to Under 100KB for Email - Step by Step

Reduce PDF file size by up to 90% without losing quality. Perfect for email attachments and file uploads.

5 min read

The Email Attachment Problem

You've just created the perfect PDF report, but when you try to email it, you see that dreaded message: "Attachment too large." Gmail limits attachments to 25MB, Outlook to 20MB, and many job application portals cap at just 2MB or even 500KB!

This guide will show you how to compress PDF files to any size you need.

Why Are PDFs So Large?

PDFs become large due to:

  • **High-resolution images** embedded in the document
  • **Fonts** included in the file
  • **Unnecessary metadata**
  • **Unoptimized graphics** and charts
  • How to Compress PDF Online (Free)

    Using Convertify's PDF Compressor, you can reduce file size by up to 90%:

    Step 1: Open the Tool

    Go to convertify.work/compress-pdf

    Step 2: Upload Your PDF

    Click upload or drag your PDF into the upload area.

    Step 3: Choose Compression Level

    Select your preferred compression:

  • **High Compression** - Smallest file size
  • **Medium Compression** - Balanced (recommended)
  • **Low Compression** - Best quality retention
  • Step 4: Download

    Your compressed PDF is ready! Check the file size - you'll be amazed.

    Compression Results Examples

    | Original Size | After Compression | Reduction |

    |--------------|-------------------|-----------|

    | 15 MB | 1.5 MB | 90% |

    | 5 MB | 800 KB | 84% |

    | 2 MB | 350 KB | 83% |

    | 500 KB | 95 KB | 81% |

    *Results vary based on content type (images compress more than text)*

    Target Size Guidelines

    | Purpose | Target Size | Compression Level |

    |---------|-------------|-------------------|

    | Gmail attachment | Under 25 MB | Low/Medium |

    | Job application | Under 2 MB | Medium/High |

    | WhatsApp sharing | Under 16 MB | Medium |

    | Government forms | Under 500 KB | High |

    Tips for Maximum Compression

  • **Remove unnecessary pages** first using our [Split PDF tool](/split-pdf)
  • **Use High compression** for image-heavy documents
  • **Keep Medium** for documents with text you need to read clearly
  • Quality vs Size Trade-off

  • **Text documents**: Almost no visible quality loss at any compression
  • **Photo-heavy PDFs**: Some quality reduction at high compression
  • **Charts/Graphs**: Usually compress well with minimal impact
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Q: Will compression affect text quality?

    No. Text remains sharp and readable at all compression levels.

    Q: Can I compress PDFs to a specific size like 100KB?

    Yes! Our tool compresses aggressively. Most documents can reach under 100KB with high compression.

    Q: How many PDFs can I compress?

    Unlimited! Compress as many files as you need, completely free.

    Compress Your PDF Now

    Stop struggling with file size limits. Compress your PDF now and send it anywhere!

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does compressing reduce text quality?

    No, text remains perfectly sharp. Only images may show slight quality reduction at high compression.

    What's the maximum compression possible?

    You can typically reduce file size by 70-90% depending on the content.

    Ready to Try This Tool?

    Put what you learned into action. Try Convertify's free PDF tools now - no sign up required!

    Try Compress Pdf Tool →

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