Compress PDF
Shrink one or more PDFs to the size in MB you choose, and see how much you saved on each.
Desktop app · macOS & Windows · version 1.3
Your PDFs, sorted
— without uploading anything.
Compress, merge, split, organize, protect and watermark your documents —and convert between PDFs and images— on your own computer. Free, open source and ad-free.
How do I install it? You only need to allow it once →- 100% free
- No ads
- Open source
- Works offline
Your files never leave your computer.
Most PDF websites upload your documents to their servers. PDF Tool doesn’t: all the work happens on your computer, locally. Ideal for contracts, invoices, personal documents or anything you’d rather not share with anyone.
Everything you need to do with a PDF
Eight tools, one app. No tabs, no sign-ups, no waiting.
Merge PDFs
Combine several documents into one — with a thumbnail of each file so you can order them by what they contain, and the name you choose.
Split PDF
Split it by page ranges, one page per file or every N pages.
Organize pages
Rotate, reorder, delete, extract and duplicate pages while seeing a thumbnail of each. Your original doesn’t change.
Images to PDF
Create one PDF per image (JPG or PNG) — and if you want a single one, merge them afterwards.
PDF to images
Turn each page into a JPG or PNG image, at 150 or 300 DPI, in one folder per PDF.
Protect PDF
Add or remove the password of one or more PDFs at once. It asks twice so you don’t make a mistake.
Watermark
Mark a document as “Confidential” or “Draft”, or stamp every page to protect your authorship.
What’s new in version 1.3
Organize pages while seeing what they contain, and get images out of your PDFs.
Organize pages
Rotate, reorder, delete, extract and duplicate on thumbnails, with undo. Opens PDFs of up to 1000 pages.
What you delete is really gone
Deleted pages don’t stay hidden in the file: their content, forms and bookmarks leave the new PDF.
PDF to images
Every page as a JPG or PNG, in one folder per PDF. A cancelled job leaves no half-finished folders.
Fits small windows
Every tool works with the window at its smallest: options scroll and the buttons stay in view.
In the terminal too
pdf-tool organize and pdf-tool pdf2images, with no page limit, and the AI agent skill already knows them.
And everything before
English and Spanish, a command line with JSON output, cancelling long jobs, keyboard shortcuts and verifiable downloads.
For developers and AI agents
The same eight tools as a command, with JSON output for scripts and agents. Just as local: nothing leaves your computer.
pipx install pdf-tool-clipdf-tool compress report.pdf --target-mb 2 --jsonpdf-tool organize report.pdf --pages "1,3-4,6-" --json/plugin marketplace add juanMaAV92/pdf-tool
/plugin install pdf-tool@pdf-toolInstalling it is quick
Choose your system. You only need to allow it the first time.
- 1
Download the
.dmgfile and open it. - 2
Drag PDF Tool to the Applications folder.
- 3
Open it from Applications. macOS will show a warning because the app is not signed by Apple. Close that warning to continue.
- 4
Go to Apple menu () → System Settings → Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section.
- 5
You will see a message saying “pdf-tool” was blocked. Click Open Anyway and confirm with your password or Touch ID. Make sure you downloaded it from the official release; you only need to allow it the first time.
- 1
Download the installer (
.exe) and run it. - 2
If SmartScreen appears: click More info → Run anyway. The warning appears because the installer is not signed; make sure you downloaded it from the official release.
Want to check that your download is the official one? Next to the installers is SHA256SUMS.txt: compare its fingerprint with your file’s using shasum -a 256 <file> on macOS or Get-FileHash <file> on Windows.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really free?
Yes. PDF Tool is 100% free, open source (MIT license), with no ads and no usage limits.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No, never. All processing happens on your computer. Your documents never leave it.
Does it work offline?
Yes. Once installed, it doesn’t need the internet at all. Use it on a plane, in the field or wherever you want.
Why does my system show a warning when I open it?
Because the app is not signed with a paid certificate. It is completely safe —the code is open and anyone can review it—, you only need to allow it once. The exact steps for macOS and Windows are above.
Which systems does it run on?
macOS and Windows. Download the file for your system and you’re done.
How does it update?
When I publish a new version, the app tells you with a bar at the top. You download the new installer and install it over the old one; your settings are stored separately, so they are kept.
Can I use it from the terminal or with an AI agent?
Yes. Since version 1.3 there is a command line (pipx install pdf-tool-cli) with the same eight tools and JSON output, and a Claude Code plugin that uses it for you. Everything still happens on your computer.
How do I know the download is the official one?
Every release publishes, next to the installers, a SHA256SUMS.txt file with each one’s fingerprint, and GitHub certifies they were built from the repository’s code. If your file’s fingerprint matches, it is exactly the published one.