Use case
Compress a PDF for email
Reduce your PDF to fit email attachment limits — without sending the file to a third-party server to do it.
Compression runs in your browser — the document never leaves your device.
Common email attachment size limits
| Service | Send limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | Total message size including headers |
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 | 25 MB | Per message; 20 MB for some plans |
| Apple Mail (iCloud) | 20 MB | Or use Mail Drop for larger files |
| General safe target | < 10 MB | Works across most providers and devices |
Which compression level to use
Low compression — minimal quality reduction, modest size saving. Best for documents where image fidelity matters: brochures, design work, or anything being printed by the recipient.
Medium compression — good balance of size and quality. Suitable for most business documents: reports, contracts, and presentations where readability is the priority.
High compression — maximum size reduction, most visible quality trade-off. Use when you need to hit a specific size limit and the recipient will read on screen rather than print.
Common questions
What size should a PDF be for email?
Most email providers impose a limit of 10–25 MB per message. Gmail and Outlook both allow up to 25 MB. For maximum compatibility across recipients, aim for under 10 MB. If the recipient is on a mobile device or using a service with lower limits, 5 MB or less is safer.
How much will compression reduce the file size?
It depends heavily on the content. PDFs with many high-resolution images can compress 50–80%. Text-heavy PDFs with minimal images may see a smaller reduction. The tool shows the output size before you download so you can decide whether to apply more compression.
Will compression make the text unreadable?
No. Text in PDFs is vector-based and is not affected by image compression settings. At moderate compression levels, images remain clear enough for standard viewing. High compression reduces image quality more noticeably — use it only when size is the priority.
Does the file get uploaded when compressing?
No. Compression runs entirely in your browser. The file is read into browser memory, processed locally, and the result is written to your device. Nothing is transmitted to Filecraft's servers or anywhere else.