Compress a PDF for email

Shrink a PDF to fit an email attachment limit. The tool opens at 20 MB, and you can type any other size. Free, private, and your PDF is not uploaded.

Before you start

Email programs refuse attachments over a set size. Google says the limit for personal Gmail accounts is 25 MB. Microsoft's Outlook help says 20 MB for internet email accounts such as Outlook.com or Gmail, and 10 MB by default for work (Exchange) accounts, and it counts the message together with the attachment. Limits change, so check the current help page for your account.

This page opens the PDF tool with 20 MB filled in, which suits most personal email. Change the number to match your own limit, and aim a little under it, because the message counts too. If your mail program still refuses the file, type a smaller number, such as 15 MB, and try again.

Tips

The limit applies to the whole email, not to each file. Several PDFs in one message add up, so shrink each one or send them in separate emails.

A scan or a PDF with big photos shrinks a lot. A PDF made from a text document is usually small already, and if it is under the limit the tool keeps your original unchanged.

If the file is still too big, tick "Black & white", or share a link from a cloud drive instead of attaching it. Gmail and Outlook both offer that for large files.

Questions and answers

What is the attachment limit in Gmail?

Google says 25 MB for personal Gmail accounts. If the attachments are bigger, Gmail adds them as a Google Drive link instead. Work and school accounts can have a different limit, set by the administrator.

What is the limit in Outlook?

Microsoft's pages give different numbers: 20 MB in the Outlook help for internet email accounts, 25 MB for files on Outlook.com, and 10 MB by default for Exchange (work) accounts. When you are not sure, stay under 20 MB, and under 10 MB for work email.

Will the person who gets it see the same pages?

Yes. Every page is kept, in the same order and page size. Each page becomes a picture, so text can no longer be selected, and form fields, links, bookmarks and digital signatures are not kept.