Compress, crop or unlock a PDF: choose the right operation
Compress PDF reduces file size where possible, Crop PDF changes the visible page edges, and Unlock PDF removes encryption when you supply the correct password. Cropping and overlays do not securely remove content.
Understand lossless and image compression, crop boundaries and password-based PDF unlocking without confusing them with redaction.
By the PandaConverter product team · Updated October 22, 2026
Choose a compression mode
Lossless compression reduces content streams and duplicate objects while preserving image quality. Balanced and Smaller can recompress eligible raster images, reducing detail. A document that is already compact may not shrink; in that case the smaller original is returned. Text and page count are retained, but existing digital signatures can be invalidated.
Crop only the visible edges
Enter top, right, bottom and left percentages, then choose the pages to crop. Margins apply to each selected page’s visible orientation. The preview outlines the retained area. Cropping changes the page boundary; content outside that boundary can remain in the file and may be recovered.
Unlock only with a supplied password
Enter the password for a PDF you are authorized to unlock. The converter does not guess, recover or crack unknown passwords. A wrong password returns an error. Supplied passwords are encrypted in stored job settings and are not returned in conversion history. Download and inspect the unlocked copy before using it elsewhere.
Keep the right original
A compressed copy may have lower image quality, a crop may hide useful page edges, and an unlocked copy no longer has password protection. Keep an original in your own storage. Server uploads and results expire one hour after the earliest input upload; conversion history does not provide permanent file storage.