How to Compress PDFs with Claude
Compress PDF files with Claude and ToolRouter. Reduce PDF sizes for email and upload without quality loss.
Tool
Claude compresses PDFs from a public URL and reports the resulting size reduction. Useful when you need to quickly verify a PDF will fit within an email or portal limit before trying to send it.
Connect ToolRouter to Claude
1Open connector settings Open Settings
2Add a custom connector with these details
Name
ToolRouterURL
https://api.toolrouter.com/mcp3Let Claude set you up Open Claude
Steps
Once connected (see setup above), use the Compress tool:
- Ask: "Compress this PDF: [paste URL]"
- Claude processes the file and returns a compressed download link
- Ask: "What is the before and after file size?"
- Download and use the smaller file
Example Prompt
Try this with Claude using the Compress tool
Compress this PDF proposal and tell me the original and compressed sizes: https://example.com/proposal.pdf
Tips
- Use get_info from the PDF tool first to check the original file size before compressing
- Ask Claude to compress and then extract text in the same session to confirm the content is preserved
- For scanned PDFs, note that text may not be extractable — compression works regardless