The website asks for a PDF of 1 MB maximum? It’s a common limit for CVs, cover letters and files uploaded to recruitment or university platforms. Choose your file: PDFRoll automatically finds the best possible quality under 1 MB, right in your browser.
How it works
- Select your PDF.
- Check that “Maximum file size” is set to 1 MB: it’s already done on this page.
- Start the compression, then download the file. Its size before and after is shown.
Frequently asked questions
Will the file really be under 1 MB?
Yes, whenever that’s possible without making the document unreadable. PDFRoll targets 1 MB strictly (1 KB = 1,000 bytes), so the file also passes on websites that count 1 KB = 1,024 bytes. If the limit can’t be reached, you get the best possible result and a message tells you so.
Will the text stay selectable?
PDFRoll first tries lossless compression, which keeps the text. To reach a small size, pages often have to be converted to images: the text is then no longer selectable, but it stays readable.
Is my document sent to a server?
No. Compression happens in your browser, on your device. That matters for the ID documents, statements and certificates these forms often ask for.
Can I do it on my phone?
Yes. Open this page in your phone’s browser, pick the PDF from your files and download the result.
What usually fits under 1 MB
- A complete application of ten to fifteen pages.
- A short report or thesis created in Word.
- Several supporting documents combined into one PDF.
What if the PDF won’t go under 1 MB?
- Remove unnecessary pages with “Delete pages”: every page less makes the file noticeably smaller.
- Send the document as several files with “Split PDF”, if the website accepts more than one attachment.
- For a scan, redo it in black and white or at a lower resolution: it’s often more effective than any compression.
Good to know about size limits
At 1 MB, even a scanned document of about ten pages stays sharp. A PDF created from Word often fits with no quality loss.
Always check the file before sending it: open it and zoom in on the important parts (numbers, signatures, stamps) to make sure they’re still readable.
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