Will compression make scanned text unreadable?

No — image downsampling is tuned to keep body text legible at 100% zoom.

What if my file still exceeds 2MB?

Split the document or remove image-heavy appendices, then compress again.

Does compression strip metadata?

It may drop some embedded previews; use the Metadata Scrubber if removal must be guaranteed.

Compress PDF for Email vs Compress PDF Under 2MB: which should you use?

Both shrink PDFs, but they optimise against different constraints: a general email-friendly target versus a hard 2MB ceiling imposed by a portal or form.

When to use Compress PDF for Email

Choose Compress PDF for Email for the best quality-to-size balance when the only requirement is 'small enough to send'.

Reduce PDF file size to fit email attachment limits while maintaining readability.

When to use Compress PDF Under 2MB

Choose Compress PDF Under 2MB when a system rejects anything larger and the limit is non-negotiable.

Shrink PDF files to under 2MB to meet strict government and portal upload limits.

The verdict

Hard limit to hit: use the 2MB tool. General attachment slimming: use the email tool.

Both tools run inside your session, are UK GDPR-aligned, and every uploaded file is purged within 1 hour under our non-persistence guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

Will compression make scanned text unreadable?: No — image downsampling is tuned to keep body text legible at 100% zoom.
What if my file still exceeds 2MB?: Split the document or remove image-heavy appendices, then compress again.
Does compression strip metadata?: It may drop some embedded previews; use the Metadata Scrubber if removal must be guaranteed.

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