Compress PDF for WhatsApp — Get Under the 100 MB Document Limit
WhatsApp has a 100 MB document limit. Here is how to compress large scanned PDFs to share via WhatsApp without switching to file transfer services.
WhatsApp has a 100 MB file size limit for documents. Scanned documents, photo-heavy reports, and architectural drawings can easily exceed this. When your PDF is 120 MB and the recipient only has WhatsApp as an option, compression is the answer.
WhatsApp document size limits
WhatsApp on Android, iOS, and WhatsApp Web all have the same 100 MB limit for document files. A typical scanned A4 page at 300 DPI color is 1-3 MB. A 30-page scanned document can reach 30-90 MB before compression.
Getting your PDF under 100 MB
- Open the PDF Compressor.
- For documents people will read on phones, use eBook preset (150 DPI).
- For maximum compression, use Screen (72 DPI).
- Aim well under 100 MB, not just under it, to account for WhatsApp's own processing.
When WhatsApp is not the right channel
WhatsApp is fine for sharing documents informally. For signed contracts or files you need to track officially, email or a document management system is more appropriate.