How to compress a PDF to 100 KB
- 1
Click Choose files or drop your PDF into the box.
- 2
Check that Maximum file size is set to 100 KB (you can pick another limit).
- 3
Click Convert. TurboConvert tries several compression levels and keeps the best-looking result under 100 KB; it downloads automatically.
Why 100 KB?
Very small caps like 100 KB are typical of online application forms (exams, recruitment, public services) that expect a single scanned certificate or ID document. When a website rejects your file for being too large, the usual advice is to “compress it” — but most compressors give you a single result and leave you guessing whether it will fit. Here you set the limit, and the tool aims for it.
How the size target is reached
A PDF is made of text, fonts, vector drawings and images. Text and fonts compress extremely well, so they rarely matter. Images — especially scans and photos — are what make a PDF heavy. To reach 100 KB, TurboConvert lowers the resolution of the images step by step (300, 150, 96, 72 then 50 dpi) and stops at the first result that fits. You keep the sharpest version possible for that size.
Tips for small PDFs
- If you are sending a scan, keep only the page that is required, and prefer a grayscale scan at 150 dpi — color photos of documents are the main reason a PDF can’t get under 100 KB.
- Photos of documents taken with a phone are much heavier than scans: if you can, use a scanner app that crops and converts to black and white.
- Need several files under the limit? Drop them all at once — each is compressed separately and you can download everything as a ZIP.
- Want to choose the compression level yourself instead? Use the regular Compress PDF tool.