Compress, merge, split, reorder, redact, sign & compare PDFs in your browser

What this browser PDF compressor actually does

This tool focuses on a very specific problem: many PDFs are larger than they need to be because they contain redundant internal structures, unused objects, and inefficient cross-reference tables. Instead of trying to “magically shrink” scanned pages or re-encode every image, the compressor re-parses the document in your browser and writes a clean, modern file structure. The visual appearance of each page remains identical, but the saved file can be smaller because of reduced overhead.

The code uses the pdf-lib library directly in the browser. When you drop a file, the script reads it as an ArrayBuffer, loads it into a PDFDocument instance, and then saves a fresh copy with a new internal layout. No parts of your file are sent to a remote server: all processing happens inside the user’s browser tab. This is useful in situations where you cannot upload confidential documents to third-party services, yet you still need a leaner version to attach to email or submit to a portal.

When this compressor works best

The browser-based approach is most effective on PDFs that have grown over time: reports edited repeatedly, forms combined from multiple sources, or presentations exported more than once. These documents often carry duplicated fonts, obsolete cross-reference sections, and incremental updates that do not add visible content but still occupy space. Rebuilding the file structure in a single pass can remove that clutter, sometimes shaving off a noticeable percentage of the total size.

The tool is less effective on files where almost all weight comes from highly detailed images, such as scanned archives or slide decks full of photos. In those cases, the main driver of file size is the pixel data and compression method used for each image, which cannot be radically changed without recompressing the images themselves. That type of heavy-duty optimization is better suited to offline tools that can devote more CPU and memory to the task.

Understanding the profiles you can choose

The profile selector influences how aggressively the code rewrites the document. The “Safe re-save” option keeps the original structure as close as possible to the uploaded file. It is a good choice for highly regulated documents where you want a fresh copy but do not want to risk compatibility issues with very old PDF viewers.

The “Balanced” profile aims at typical office usage. It enables object deduplication and a more compact cross-reference layout while still avoiding experimental settings. In many cases this is the best starting point: you get a leaner file without having to understand the underlying PDF versioning rules.

The “Maximum structure clean-up” profile strips as much overhead as the pdf-lib save options safely allow. It may produce the smallest results on complex, heavily edited files, but it assumes that recipients open the document with a reasonably modern PDF viewer. If you need to send a file to legacy systems, use the balanced or safe profile first and check the output.

Practical workflow ideas

A practical way to use this compressor is to keep your original document as an archive copy and produce a compact outgoing version each time you need to send or upload it. This keeps your source material pristine while exploiting the size benefits of a restructured file for day-to-day communication. You can also run the same file through the tool multiple times with different profiles to compare results: open the downloads folder, check file sizes and dates, and keep the smallest one that still behaves correctly.

Why a client-side PDF merger is useful

In everyday work it is common to handle multiple small PDFs: a cover letter, a certificate, an invoice, and a scan of a signed form. Many submission portals expect a single combined document, which forces users to rely on online services that require uploads and sometimes inject watermarks. This browser-based merger solves that problem locally. You choose the file order, start the merge, and your browser assembles the pages into one cohesive PDF without sending them to a remote server.

The implementation uses pdf-lib’s ability to copy entire pages between documents. Internally, the script creates a new empty PDF, loops over each uploaded file, and reuses the page objects from those sources. Because pages are not converted to images, there is no additional loss of quality: text remains selectable, vector graphics stay sharp, and embedded links can continue to work when supported by the viewer.

Controlling the order of your merged document

The simplest way to control sequence is to select files in the order you want them to appear. Most desktop file pickers let you click the first PDF, hold Ctrl (or Command on macOS), and click subsequent files in the desired order. The browser exposes that order through the FileList object, which the merger respects when building the combined document.

If you accidentally pick them in the wrong order, an easy workaround is to rename the files with numeric prefixes such as 01_cover.pdf, 02_cv.pdf, and 03_certificate.pdf. Select all at once, and many systems will sort them alphabetically, effectively aligning the merge order with your numbering scheme.

File size and performance considerations

Because merging happens in the browser memory, extremely large source files or dozens of documents can push the limits of what an older machine or mobile device can handle comfortably. The tool is designed primarily for typical office use: a handful of PDFs up to a few tens of megabytes each. For very heavy workloads, offline utilities or command-line tools provide more robust handling, but they also demand more technical knowledge.

When you notice that a merged output is significantly larger than expected, the cause is usually duplicated resources such as fonts or large images that appear in several input files. In many real-world cases, the increase is acceptable because the consolidation benefit outweighs the extra megabytes, especially if the resulting file still fits under the upload limit of the target platform.

Examples of practical workflows

A common scenario involves university or job applications that request multiple documents but provide only a single upload field. With this merger you can create one combined PDF that starts with a cover note, continues with your curriculum vitae, and ends with certificates or recommendation letters, all delivered in a clear sequence.

Another practical use is internal documentation. Instead of sending several attachments in one email, merge related reports, charts, and appendices into a single file. This reduces the risk that a recipient overlooks an important attachment and simplifies file management in shared drives.

Precise extraction of relevant pages

Large PDFs often contain more material than you need to share. You might only want the technical specification section, a particular annex, or the pages that contain signed agreements. Sending the full document can be inefficient and may expose information that should not be forwarded. This split tool gives you fine-grained control by letting you specify exactly which pages to keep.

The range parser interprets human-friendly input such as 2-4, 7, 10-12. It expands each range into a list of individual page numbers, checks them against the total page count, and then copies those pages into a new PDF. Internally, it relies on the same page-copying mechanisms as the merger, so the resulting file preserves fonts, vector graphics, and text searchability.

How to define clean, predictable ranges

To avoid mistakes, think of the page range as a sequence of small blocks. Hyphens indicate continuous spans, while commas separate distinct blocks. For example, a range of 1-3 means “include pages one, two, and three”. Adding a comma and a single number, as in 1-3, 6, tells the splitter to add page six after the original three-page run.

The script ignores spaces, so you do not have to worry about exact spacing. It also removes duplicate page numbers if you accidentally list the same page twice. Invalid entries, such as page zero or negative numbers, are skipped and reported in the status area so you know something in the range string needs correction.

Common use cases where splitting saves time

One scenario is sharing part of a manual with colleagues. Instead of sending a two-hundred-page technical document, extract pages that describe the configuration you are actually deploying. The recipient gets a concise file focused on their task, and you reduce email size and confusion.

Another scenario involves legal or administrative records. When an authority asks for a signed copy of a specific agreement, it is cleaner to extract the relevant pages than to send an entire dossier. The split tool allows you to build a minimal, self-contained document that still looks exactly like the original on those selected pages.

Working with upload limits and privacy

Many platforms apply strict file size and page count caps. Splitting a PDF lets you assemble subsets that fit those constraints. Because the process happens entirely inside the browser, you retain control over what leaves your machine. The original file stays on your system; only the extracted subset is saved as a new document in your downloads folder.

As a best practice, keep a master copy of the full source document in a secure location. Use the splitter to generate temporary, task-specific versions for sharing. That way, if a mistake is made when selecting ranges, you can always repeat the operation without losing information.

Fixing the reading flow of existing PDFs

It is easy to end up with a PDF where pages are not in a logical reading order. Maybe a scanner stacked sheets incorrectly, or someone appended annexes before the main body of a report. Re-exporting from the source document can be complicated if you no longer have the original project files or if they are scattered across different applications. This reorder tool gives you a direct way to adjust page sequence at the PDF level.

The input field accepts a simple comma-separated list of page numbers. The script retrieves the total page count from the uploaded file and validates that each entry falls within that range. It then creates a new PDF and inserts pages following exactly the sequence you typed. Because the underlying page objects are reused, there is no quality loss: you are not flattening to images, just changing the order.

Designing a clean sequence

To avoid confusion, it helps to start by quickly reviewing the original page order. Many PDF viewers display thumbnails in a side panel; use that as a visual reference and write down the desired sequence on paper or in a text editor. For example, you might decide that the third page should become the first, followed by the title page and then the rest of the document. That yields a sequence like 3, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6.

The reorder script expects each page number to appear at most once. If you repeat a number, only the first occurrence is used and later duplicates are ignored, which is reported in the status area. Skipped numbers produce a warning as well, so you know the resulting PDF will have fewer pages than the original and you can double-check that this was intentional.

Typical scenarios where reordering helps

A common use is tidying up scanned paperwork. When scanning a multi-page contract, it is easy to accidentally invert two sheets. Instead of repeating the entire scan, you can reorder the PDF so that the signature page returns to the right position. Another scenario involves training material: you might want to move summary sheets to the front, making them easier to reference without scrolling through an entire slide deck.

Reordering also helps when a document mixes sections that are only relevant to certain audiences. You can create a version where the most important parts for a specific group appear first, improving readability without editing the underlying content.

Best practices for safe use

As with splitting and merging, keep an untouched master copy of the original document. Use the reorder tool to produce derived versions tailored for different recipients or workflows. Store the master copy with a clear name so you can always reconstruct alternative sequences if requirements change later. After downloading a reordered file, open it in your standard PDF viewer and quickly skim the pages to confirm that everything appears where expected.

What this PDF to Word tool is designed for

This converter focuses on getting the text out of your PDF and into an editable Word document. It runs entirely in your browser using pdf.js for text extraction and the docx library to build a standard DOCX file. No content is uploaded to any server, which makes it useful for sensitive or confidential documents that you still want to edit in Word or similar editors.

What converts well (and what does not)

Plain reports, articles, academic papers, and contracts with mostly text tend to convert best. Each page is turned into clean paragraphs in the DOCX, with a simple “Page X” separator so you can see where breaks were in the original PDF. Basic bullet lists usually appear as normal text lines that you can reformat inside Word.

Highly designed layouts (brochures, flyers, complex tables, or slide decks) may lose some structure. The converter does not attempt to reproduce exact fonts, columns, or precise positioning. Images are not embedded: you will see the text but graphics and charts should be reinserted manually if needed.

Practical use cases

• Editing a contract that you only have in PDF form, by turning it into a DOCX and adjusting clauses.
• Reusing content from academic PDFs in your own notes, literature reviews, or reports.
• Cleaning up scanned documents that have undergone OCR so their text is easier to work with.

Privacy and local processing

All conversion steps happen locally: your browser loads the PDF, extracts text from each page, and builds the Word document in memory. The resulting DOCX is then offered as a direct download. At no point is the PDF transmitted to a third-party server from this page.

Why export PDFs as images?

Some platforms accept only image files for uploads, or you may want individual pages as graphics for presentations, social media, or documentation. This tool lets you convert each page of a PDF into a PNG screenshot directly in your browser, then packages everything into a convenient ZIP archive for download.

How the conversion works

The script uses the pdf.js rendering engine to draw each page onto an off-screen HTML canvas. That canvas is then turned into a PNG image using toDataURL, and the images are bundled into a ZIP file using JSZip. All of this happens locally: the pages never leave your device.

Choosing the right quality level

The “Standard” scale is usually enough for on-screen viewing and quick sharing. “High” and “Very high” produce sharper output by rendering at a larger resolution, which is helpful for detailed diagrams or small text but will take more time and generate larger files. For very long PDFs, start with Standard and increase if needed.

Example workflows

• Generate slide-ready images for a presentation from a PDF report.
• Create individual graphics for website articles that reference specific pages of a document.
• Archive visual versions of signed documents where format must remain fixed.