How do I compress a scanned PDF for government portal upload?

Upload your scanned PDF to BharatDocSeva, select the portal preset (Govt Portal Upload for 200KB) or Custom for your exact limit, and click Compress. Scanned text and seals remain legible.

Why is my scanned PDF so large and how do I reduce its size?

Scanner apps save at high DPI (300–600), making files 2–10MB. BharatDocSeva re-renders each page at optimal DPI and uses quality calibration to hit any target size while maintaining legibility.

Scanned Documents

Compress Scanned PDF Online

Scanned PDFs from phone cameras or flatbed scanners are often 2–10MB — far too large for most Indian government and job portal upload limits. BharatDocSeva's quality-calibration engine is specifically optimised for scanned documents: it maximises legibility while hitting your exact target size.

Compress Your Scanned PDF Now

Upload your scanned PDF, choose a preset or custom target, and download a portal-ready file in seconds.

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How It Works

Upload or Scan

Drop your PDF or tap BharatScan to capture directly from your device camera.

Select Target for Scanned Doc

For government portals: 200 KB. For job applications: 300–500 KB. For university: 500 KB–1 MB.

Download & Upload

Download your upload-ready file and upload directly to your portal.

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100% Private

Files stay on your device. Never uploaded to any server.

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BharatScan Built-in

Scan physical documents with your phone camera instantly.

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Made for India

Calibrated for Indian government and job portal limits.

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Completely Free

No signup, no charges, no daily limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are scanned PDFs so large?

Scanner apps (CamScanner, Adobe Scan) and phone cameras save images at 300 DPI or higher, resulting in 2–10MB per page. Flatbed scanners default to 600 DPI which produces even larger files. BharatDocSeva re-renders at optimal DPI to hit your target.

Will text in scanned documents stay readable after compression?

Yes. BharatDocSeva uses a quality-calibration algorithm that finds the maximum JPEG quality that still meets your target size. For typical A4 text documents, legibility is fully preserved even at 200KB.

Can I compress a multi-page scanned PDF?

Yes — up to 50MB input size. BharatDocSeva handles multi-page scanned PDFs (marksheets, land records, passbooks) and distributes the compression budget across all pages automatically.

Is BharatScan better than a scanner app for government uploads?

For documents that need to be compressed for portal upload: yes. BharatScan captures + compresses in one workflow. For archival or print quality, a dedicated scanner app may produce better output.