Compress a PDF for Exam Registration
Exam and test-registration portals almost always cap upload sizes: forms and supporting documents are often limited to ≤200KB, and the ID-photo field is sometimes as tight as ≤30–50KB. The trick is hitting the limit without blurring the parts a reviewer needs to read. With compress cat's Compress PDF tool, click the 200KB preset and Start — it all happens locally in your browser, with nothing uploaded. Below: the common limits, how to compress, and how to keep things legible.
What size limits do exam portals usually set?
Requirements differ by exam and country, but a few ranges are common. Before you start, read the hint next to each upload field — it usually states the maximum ('no larger than XX KB').
- Forms and supporting documents: commonly ≤200KB, sometimes ≤500KB.
- ID photo (single image): commonly ≤30–50KB, occasionally with a pixel-size requirement too (e.g. 295×413).
- Format: most portals accept only JPG or PDF, with no special characters in the filename.
How do you get a photo or form under the limit?
If the document is a PDF (such as a signed, scanned form), use Compress PDF and pick the 200KB preset. If it's a single ID photo that must be ≤50KB, check whether the portal wants an image or a PDF: compress the image directly if it wants an image, or use Image to PDF first and then compress to the target if it wants a PDF.
- Open Compress PDF and drag in your form or scanned document.
- Click the 200KB preset (for a tighter photo field, type a smaller target like 50KB).
- Click Start and let the in-browser compression finish.
- After downloading, check that the text is legible and the photo's face is clear before uploading.
How do you keep it sharp enough to pass review?
The biggest risk with exam documents is over-compressing until they're rejected. The rule is 'just enough, then tighten': try a looser target first, confirm it's readable, and only push smaller if you must. If a text-heavy page won't reach 200KB, remove blank or irrelevant pages first.
- Hit 200KB first and inspect the result; only step down further if you have to.
- Scan black-and-white documents in grayscale — smaller and more stable in quality.
- For multi-page documents, delete blank pages first, then compress — it's far easier to meet the limit.
- Always zoom in before uploading to confirm the photo's face and the form's text are crisp; if it's blurry, loosen the target and re-compress.
Frequently asked questions
The portal wants the photo ≤50KB — can compress cat do that?
Yes. In Compress PDF, type 50KB as the target and compress cat will converge on it. For a single image, use Image to PDF first or compress the image directly. Note that smaller targets mean more quality loss, so check the face is still clear afterwards.
Could compression get my exam photo rejected?
Not if it stays legible and the face is clear. Don't crush it to the limit in one go — try 200KB (or the field's looser allowance) first, confirm it's sharp, then upload. If it's flagged as blurry, loosen the target and re-compress.
Are my documents uploaded to compress cat's servers?
No. Compression happens locally in your browser, so your forms and ID photos stay on your device and are never uploaded.
My form is several pages and won't hit 200KB — what now?
Delete blank or irrelevant pages first, or use Split PDF to keep only what you need, then compress. Switching unnecessary color scans to grayscale helps too.
Updated · compress cat team