ShrinkPDF

Compress a PDF to 500 KB.

500 KB takes a multi-page certificate at the Smaller level or two sharp pages at Balanced. Drop the file and read the size.

ShrinkPDF
Drop PDFs here
or a link to a PDF
QualityImages 72 dpi, for email
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What fits in 500 KB

500 KB is the usual limit for a certificate rather than an ID: a degree, a marksheet, a caste or income certificate, an experience letter. Those run to two to six pages. At the Smaller level (images at 72 dpi) a scanned A4 page is roughly 30 to 90 KB, so five pages of dense text fit and a dozen of a form. At Balanced (150 dpi) a page is 80 to 250 KB, so two dense pages or five light ones fit and look noticeably better. For a one- or two-page marksheet with small print, Balanced is the level to try first.

Where the 500 KB limit shows up

  • IBPS-run recruitments for public sector banks and PSUs: the scanning guidelines attached to each notification ask for documents "in PDF format" with size "not more than 500 KB", photo at 50 KB and signature at 10 to 20 KB.
  • Kerala CEE admissions: certificates "should be in PDF format" and "the file size must be between 10 kb and 500 kb".
  • KNRUHS (Telangana health sciences) admissions: birth certificate, marks memoranda, study and caste certificates as PDF, 500 KB each.

Steps

  1. Drop the certificates into the tool above, all at once if you have several.
  2. Each file shows its new size when done. Under 500 KB: download, or download all as a zip.
  3. Over: switch that file's level or work through the list below.

If it is still over 500 KB

  • Check the page count. A 500 KB limit is per document. If the file has the certificate plus every page of the transcript, split it and upload only what the field asks for.
  • Rescan text pages in greyscale at 150 dpi. Colour scans of printed certificates are three times the size of greyscale ones and no easier to read. Keep colour for a document with a photo or a coloured seal.
  • Crop the margins and remove blank pages. Scanner software often adds an empty back page per sheet; each one is a full image.
  • Use the issuer's digital copy. Universities and boards that issue PDFs sign them; a downloaded original is smaller than any scan and carries the signature.

Frequently asked

Which level should I use?

Start with Balanced for a document up to two pages, and switch to Smaller if it comes out over the limit or has more pages. Changing the level recompresses every file in the list, so you can compare the sizes side by side.

Does compression remove the digital signature?

A PDF that was digitally signed by the issuer is rewritten by the compressor, and the signature no longer validates. If a portal verifies signatures, upload the issuer's file as it is; it is usually small enough.

My file is text only and still 800 KB. Why?

Fonts. A PDF exported with every font fully embedded, or with a page-sized background image, can be large with no scans in it. Export it again from the source application with "minimum size" or "optimised for web" settings, then compress.

Is anything uploaded?

No. The compression engine runs inside your browser. Files are processed on your device and are not kept after you close the page.

Nearby limits: 300 KB, 1 MB. All sizes: compress a PDF to a target size.

Ready? Drop your PDF into the tool at the top of this page.

Compressed on your device, never uploaded. No sign-up.

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