Which preset should I use on a Word-exported report?

Light. It often reduces size while keeping text and vectors sharp.

How should I treat a photographed form?

Balanced on the Hetzner Ghostscript path. It re-encodes page images at moderate DPI instead of crushing them.

When is Maximum the wrong choice?

Whenever a human must read small type or inspect photos. Maximum trades clarity for kilobytes.

Will fonts stay embedded on Light?

Where the source allows, yes. Heavy raster presets may flatten type into pixels.

Do I have to pay for Light or Balanced?

Everyday jobs within the 12 MB free cap need no signup. Pro raises size limits and covers heavier Ghostscript runs when those presets are not enough.

Can I get print-press quality from Maximum?

No. For press, keep the original or use Light only. Maximum is for portals, not plates.

Compress PDF Guides

Compress PDF Without Losing Quality

0 / 8 free server conversions used todayUpgrade for unlimited

Workspace

Fast·Converted on our edge network

Image Converters

PDF Tools

PDF Security

Document Converters

Local Tools

JPG to PNG

JPG → PNG·Converted on our edge network

Drag & drop files here

or browse to upload

JPG → PNG

Drag & drop files here

or browse to upload

JPG → PNG

Need the main tool? Compress PDF

Written by Safaat Rahman Siham, Founder & Developer at Convertify4u. Contact us.

Quality-first compression, not “smallest possible”

People who search this phrase have already been burned by a screen preset that turned a scan into soup. This page is the opposite workflow: start gentle, inspect a page of fine print, then step up only if the attachment still fails.

Light vs Balanced vs Maximum

Light re-saves structure and metadata without rasterizing text — use it on native Word or InDesign exports. Balanced applies ebook-style Ghostscript to page images so medical charts and stamped pages stay legible. Maximum is /screen-style: fine for a job portal, wrong for a judge who must read 8-point footnotes.

Sample one page first

If you have a 400-page archive, compress a single representative page (or a short extract) before you commit the whole stack. Unreadable output wastes a Pro VPS run and your time.

Fonts and vectors

Light keeps embedded fonts where the file allows. Aggressive raster presets can flatten type into pixels. Architectural line work belongs on Light; camera photos of drawings belong on Balanced, not Maximum.

How it works

1
Identify digital vs scan
Selectable text → Light. Photograph of paper → Balanced.
2
Run the gentler preset
Light is lossless on structure. Balanced lowers image DPI without crushing it to screen quality.
3
Inspect, then decide
If size is still too high, try Balanced before Maximum. That is the quality-first ladder.

Use cases

Exhibit bundles

Counsel needs a smaller packet that a court can still read at 100% zoom.

CAD and drawings

Vector lines stay sharp on Light. Do not rasterize a plan set just to save a few megabytes.

Lab and chart scans

Balanced keeps numeric tables usable on portal uploads.

Print brochures for email

Marketing PDFs can drop for mail without turning product photos into blocks.

Problems we solve

Someone already used Maximum

If the file is already crushed, compressing again will not restore detail. Go back to the original export.

One-preset websites

Three Ghostscript levels exist so you can choose intent instead of hoping.

Re-scanning at 72 DPI

A better encode of the current file usually beats photographing the paper again at junk resolution.

Trust & privacy

Light keeps structure

Object streams trim without turning type into a bitmap.

Balanced for scans

Ebook-style Ghostscript on the VPS for photograph pages.

Honest Maximum warning

We say when screen settings will hurt readability.

Frequently asked questions

Compress PDF