PDF Compression Tool
Reduce PDF file size while maintaining acceptable quality
Your PDF is 45 MB because it was exported from InDesign with full-resolution images. Email won't send it, the upload form rejects it, and your client needs it today. Online compression tools feel sketchy with confidential documents.
Who it's for: professionals emailing large PDF reports that exceed attachment limits, designers compressing portfolio PDFs for client delivery, legal teams reducing contract file sizes for e-filing systems, academics submitting papers with size-restricted upload portals, anyone sharing PDFs through platforms with file size limits
Example
"Compress this 50 MB PDF report to under 10 MB" → Compressed PDF at 8.5 MB with optimized images, maintained text searchability, preserved vector graphics, and quality comparison showing minimal visual difference
CLAUDE.md Template
New here? 3-minute setup guide → | Already set up? Copy the template below.
npx ccplaybooks add pdf-compress# PDF Compress
Reduce PDF file sizes for easier sharing, faster loading, and efficient storage.
## Overview
This workflow helps you:
- Reduce PDF file sizes significantly
- Balance quality vs. file size
- Optimize for specific use cases (web, print, archive)
- Batch compress multiple files
- Understand compression trade-offsGet new playbooks like this one
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What This Does
Reduce PDF file sizes for easier sharing, faster loading, and efficient storage.
Quick Start
Step 1: Create a Project Folder
mkdir -p ~/Documents/PdfCompress
Step 2: Download the Template
Click Download above, then:
mv ~/Downloads/CLAUDE.md ~/Documents/PdfCompress/
Step 3: Start Working
cd ~/Documents/PdfCompress
claude
How to Use
Basic Compression
With Targets
Quality Levels
Limitations
- Cannot perform actual compression (provides guidance)
- Some PDFs have minimum compressible content
- Scanned documents are mostly images
- Already compressed PDFs have less savings
- Extreme compression affects quality
- Vector graphics don't compress much