Linearize PDF

PDF linearization reorganizes the internal structure of a PDF so it can be displayed page-by-page as it downloads, rather than requiring the entire file to download first. This means users see the first page almost instantly when viewing PDFs on websites or in browsers. It's also called 'Fast Web View' or 'Optimized for Web'.

Linearized PDFs provide a much better user experience on websites: (1) First page displays immediately without waiting for full download, (2) Users can start reading while the rest loads in background, (3) Lower bounce rates as users don't wait for slow downloads, (4) Better mobile experience on slower connections, (5) Smooth progressive loading page-by-page. Essential for online documentation, reports, and any web-hosted PDFs.

Linearization typically adds 1-5% to file size due to reorganizing internal structures. However, you can choose compression levels: 'Preserve' keeps original compression (slight size increase), 'Balanced' applies moderate compression (often reduces overall size), 'Aggressive' maximizes compression (significantly smaller files). The web performance benefits usually far outweigh the small size increase.

Yes! Linearized PDFs are fully compatible with all PDF viewers and readers. The linearization is an internal optimization that doesn't affect how the PDF displays or its content. All viewers can open linearized PDFs - they just benefit from faster loading in web browsers and viewers that support progressive display.

Absolutely! All linearization happens directly in your browser using QPDF WebAssembly. Your PDFs never leave your device - no uploads to any server. Linearization only reorganizes the internal structure for faster web viewing; it doesn't modify content, images, text, or metadata (unless you choose compression). Your documents remain 100% private and secure.