Compress PDF to 300 KB
Recruitment portals of state public service commissions often allow 300 KB per certificate, a limit that sounds generous until a phone scan comes out at 2 MB. Set to 300 KB from the start, this compressor gets each file under the line and keeps stamps and signatures legible.
Compress PDF
or drop PDF files here ·
Max 95 MB per file· Up to 20 files· Deleted after 30 minutes
Files are processed on our servers and deleted after 30 minutes.
Images above this DPI are downsampled. 150 is sharp on screen and fine for office printing; 72 is screen-only.
JPEG quality for re-compressed images. 70 keeps scanned text readable; below 40 artefacts appear around letters.
When aiming for a target size, image quality never drops below this; resolution is reduced instead.
How to use this tool
- 1
Upload the certificates
Select the PDFs for each upload field, up to 20 at a time and up to 95 MB each.
- 2
Leave the target at 300 KB
Target size is 300 and Unit is KB. Use a lower value such as 280 when the notification says "below 300 KB".
- 3
Compress and rename
Press Compress, download the files and rename each one the way the portal expects, for example with your registration number.
Where the 300 KB PDF limit comes from
Public service commissions and recruitment boards publish upload rules in the notification for each exam, and 300 KB is one of the most common caps for certificates, experience letters and caste or EWS proofs. The limit protects servers that receive a flood of applications in the last days before a deadline, when portals slow down and large uploads time out.
The same number appears outside recruitment. India's National Testing Agency has asked for category certificates as PDFs of 50 KB to 300 KB on its NEET and CUET forms, and the Indian e-Visa site wants the passport bio page as a PDF of 10 KB to 300 KB. When a form states a minimum like this, a file compressed to just under the maximum meets both ends.
307,200bytes in 300 KB when a portal counts 1 KB as 1,024 bytes
Checklist before you compress a PDF under 300 KB
- Read the limit and format of each field in the notification; some fields want JPG, not PDF.
- Scan each certificate on its own unless the form asks for one combined file.
- Scan at 150–200 DPI in grayscale; use color only for documents with a photo or colored seal.
- Straighten and crop the page so no table edge or shadow wastes bytes.
- Keep Subset fonts and Remove metadata on; turn on Flatten form fields if you filled the PDF in.
- Open the result at 100% zoom and check that roll numbers and dates are readable.
- Rename the file without spaces or special characters if the portal is strict about names.
Turning photos of certificates into a 300 KB PDF
Many applicants photograph documents with a phone instead of scanning them. The photo works as a source, but it has to become a PDF before it can be compressed to a target. JPG to PDF puts the pictures in page order, and image to PDF under 300 KB does the conversion and the sizing in one step.
If a document is longer than the limit allows, for example a twelve-page service record, check whether the field wants every page. When it does, use grayscale and let the tool reduce resolution; when it does not, keep only the relevant pages. The guide to scanning documents to PDF covers phone scanner apps that produce cleaner, smaller pages to begin with.
300 KB PDF questions
Is 300 KB enough for a multi-page certificate?
Usually, if the pages are grayscale. Printed text compresses very well, while every color photo or seal takes a larger share. A ten-page color scan may need Convert to grayscale turned on to stay legible at 300 KB.
Why does the portal say my 290 KB PDF is invalid?
Size is only one of the checks. Portals also reject password-protected PDFs, files saved with another extension and names with spaces or symbols. Remove a password with unlock PDF and rename the file before trying again.
Can I compress several certificates to 300 KB each in one go?
Yes. Upload up to 20 PDFs together; each is compressed separately to the same 300 KB target, and you can download them one by one or as a ZIP.
Does compression change the date or seal on my document?
No content is edited. The compressor re-encodes the scanned image at a lower resolution or quality, so very fine detail softens, but text, dates and seals stay where they were. Check the result at 100% zoom before uploading.
What if the form wants the PDF between 50 KB and 300 KB?
A file that needs compressing comes out just under 300 KB, which keeps it above the minimum as well. If your original is already below the minimum, increase PDF size to 200 KB raises it into the range.
Is there a version for 500 KB uploads?
Yes, compress PDF to 500 KB is set up for visa and tender portals that allow larger documents. The size ladder at the end of this page links every target.
