The engine rewrites the file with object streams, keeps duplicate resources once, and resamples embedded images towards 96 DPI for Email & web or 150 DPI for Balanced. A recompressed image is only kept when it is at least 8% smaller, so nothing is degraded for no gain and compressing a second time never makes a file worse. Text and vector drawings are untouched. Because all of this happens in the browser tab, the document you are compressing — very often an identity document — is never sent anywhere, and there is nothing to delete from a server afterwards.
How it works
- Drop the PDF; Bindery computes Email & web, Balanced and Print on your device
- Compare the sizes on the three cards with your 200 KB limit
- Download the smallest level that still reads well — or split the file if none fits
Questions people ask
How do I know the 200 KB target was met?
The size printed on each level is the actual byte count of the PDF Bindery built from your file, not an estimate. Pick the card that shows a number under 200 KB. If all three are above it, the document simply has more image content than 200 KB can hold.
Does compressing a scan this far make it unreadable?
At 96 DPI a scanned A4 page is still readable on screen — that is what the Email & web level is tuned for — but small print and fine signatures soften, and printing it will look rough. Balanced at 150 DPI is a safer middle ground when the portal allows a little more room.
Is my ID or certificate uploaded to compress it?
No. The analysis and the compression run inside your browser; the file never leaves your device, and Bindery has no copy to store or delete. You can confirm this yourself by opening the browser’s network panel while the job runs and watching that no request carries the document.