Reduce size before email or upload
Use Compress PDF when a file is too large for email, portals or form uploads. Compress after merge, organize or signing so the final delivered file is the one being reduced.
Optimize PDF Tools
Improve a PDF before delivery by reducing file size, fixing damaged files, making scans searchable and locking final page content.
Use this hub when the PDF already exists but needs to be smaller, cleaner, more reliable or easier to review. These tools sit between creation and final sharing: they help reduce upload failures, repair broken documents, prepare scanned files for search and keep finished forms or annotations stable.
Choose the right optimize PDF tool
Compress PDF
Reduce the file size of your PDF online.
Repair PDF
Repair a damaged PDF and recover data from a corrupt file.
OCR PDF
Turn scanned PDFs into searchable, selectable text
Compare PDF
Upload two PDFs and instantly highlight every difference between them
Flatten PDF
Flatten a PDF so form fields, annotations, and layers become permanent page content.
PDF to PDF/A
Convert your PDF to PDF/A for long-term archiving.
Summarize PDF
AI summarizes a long PDF into key points
PDF to Text
Extract all the text from a PDF into a plain TXT file for free.
Compare optimize PDF tools
| Tool | Best when | Use next |
|---|---|---|
| Compress PDF | Reduce the file size of your PDF online. | Merge PDF, Split PDF |
| Repair PDF | Repair a damaged PDF and recover data from a corrupt file. | Compress PDF, Merge PDF |
| OCR PDF | Turn scanned PDFs into searchable, selectable text | Scan to PDF, PDF to Word |
| Compare PDF | Upload two PDFs and instantly highlight every difference between them | Merge PDF, Edit PDF |
| Flatten PDF | Flatten a PDF so form fields, annotations, and layers become permanent page content. | Fill PDF Forms, eSign PDF |
| PDF to PDF/A | Convert your PDF to PDF/A for long-term archiving. | Compress PDF, PDF Converter |
| Summarize PDF | AI summarizes a long PDF into key points | Chat with PDF, Translate PDF |
| PDF to Text | Extract all the text from a PDF into a plain TXT file for free. | PDF to Word, OCR PDF |
How to choose among optimize PDF tools
Fix or prepare difficult PDFs
Use Repair PDF when a file will not open correctly, PDF to PDF/A when it needs an archive-ready format, and OCR PDF when a scan should become searchable.
Finalize review and form output
Use Compare PDF before approving changes, Flatten PDF when forms or annotations should become permanent, and Summarize PDF when a long document needs quick review.
Quality checks before you download
- Check visual quality after compression, especially on image-heavy reports and scanned PDFs.
- Repair a damaged document before trying to compress, convert, sign or protect it.
- Flatten only after signatures, form fields and comments are final because the output is meant for delivery.
Best workflow
- Repair first if the file has errors, missing pages or trouble opening.
- Run OCR when the PDF is scanned or image-only and you need searchable text.
- Compare, flatten and compress near the end so the final document is stable and easy to send.
Common use cases
- Shrink a PDF that is too large for email or upload limits.
- Repair a file before converting, merging or signing it.
- Make scanned PDFs searchable before AI review or text extraction.
- Compare two versions before approving or publishing a document.
Specialized tools in this workflow
These focused tools solve narrower jobs that often sit between larger PDF workflows.
Related PDF guides
Related PDF tool hubs
Questions about Optimize PDF
Should I compress before or after editing a PDF?
Compress after editing, organizing, signing or flattening so the final version is the one reduced for delivery.
What is the difference between OCR and PDF repair?
OCR adds searchable text to scanned pages. Repair PDF tries to recover a damaged file structure when the PDF will not open or process correctly.