Which compression level should you choose?
Each level sets how much detail images keep. Lower DPI means smaller files, but photos look softer when you zoom in.
| Level | Image resolution | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Strong | about 72 DPI | Strict upload limits, chat apps, quick previews |
| Recommended | about 150 DPI | Email, reading on a screen, most forms |
| Light | about 300 DPI | Printing, documents with small details |
Start with Recommended. If the file is still too big, try Strong. If photos or stamps look blurry, go back to Light. You can run the same file again at another level, since your original is not changed.
Why some PDFs are so large
A PDF made in Word or Google Docs is mostly text, and text takes very little space. A scanned contract is different. Every page is a full photo of paper, often saved at high resolution and in color.
That is why a 10 page scan can be heavier than a 200 page ebook. Compressing those page images gives the biggest savings. A text only PDF may shrink very little, because there is not much left to remove.
For the strictest limits, the size presets do the guessing for you. Try Compress PDF to 200 KB or Compress PDF to 1 MB.
More ways to compress PDF files
Remove what nobody needs. Blank scanner pages, duplicate pages and long appendices all add weight. Cut them out first, or send just the relevant part with Split PDF.
When you scan, choose grayscale for plain text documents. A black and white page compresses much better than a color one. Many phone scanner apps also let you pick a lower resolution, which helps before FileKiwi even starts.
Finally, think about the reader. A document meant for printing deserves the Light level, while a form that only needs to be readable on a screen is fine with Strong.
