Compress PDF to 5 MB free
A 5 MB limit is the one that catches long scanned documents, portfolios and brochures with full-page images: Gmail and Outlook accept far larger attachments, but many application portals and HR systems cap a single PDF at 5 MB. This page is already set to a 5 MB target, so the compressor finds the lightest setting that fits and shows you the size before you download.
Exact size target
The compressor tries progressively stronger settings until the file is under 5 MB and stops there, keeping as much quality as the limit allows.
Text stays readable
At this size most scans keep crisp text; only very long documents need the greyscale option.
Private by design
Everything runs in your browser. The PDF is not uploaded and nothing is stored.
Frequently asked questions
How large a PDF can get under 5 MB?
A 50 to 100-page scanned document usually fits comfortably at 5 MB with readable text. Image-heavy brochures depend on page count; tick Greyscale if it is still over.
Will the text remain selectable?
If the PDF is text from Word and Light gets it under the limit, yes. The target-size mode rebuilds image-heavy pages as images, so text on those pages becomes a picture.
Is there a page limit?
No fixed limit; very large files depend on your device's memory. Files of a few hundred MB work on a typical laptop.
Is anything uploaded?
No. The file is processed in your browser on your own device. Nothing is sent to a server, nothing is stored, and it works offline once the page has loaded.
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