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Linearize a PDF for Fast Web View

Linearize PDF rewrites a file in the linearized layout, also called Fast Web View, so a viewer can show the first page before the whole file has downloaded. It usually makes the file slightly larger, not smaller.

Drag and drop files here, or click to choose

Accepts PDF · up to 500.0 MB per file · up to 20 files at once

You can also paste a file with Ctrl/Cmd+V, or from the clipboard menu.

Linearize PDF rewrites the file with qpdf `--linearize`, writing a linearization dictionary and a page hint table so a web viewer can paint the first page before the whole document has arrived — Fast Web View.

This is its own operation at `/api/v1/misc/linearize-pdf`. It no longer routes through Compress PDF, so the download is genuinely linearized output rather than a plain recompress.

Linearizing usually makes the file slightly larger, because it adds the tables that let a viewer show page one before the download finishes. It does not downsample images or discard objects. When size is the goal, use Compress PDF instead.

Confirm the result with `qpdf --check`: a linearized file prints `File is linearized`. Password-protected files are unlocked for you on this page once you enter the password; API callers run Unlock first.

Features

  • qpdf `--linearize` — Fast Web View
  • Writes the linearization dictionary and page hint table
  • Does not downsample images or alter page content
  • Anonymous API at /api/v1/misc/linearize-pdf

When to use this tool

  • Serve a large PDF page by page in a browser
  • Hand a scanned report to a web viewer without a long blank wait
  • Meet a portal's 'optimized for web' upload requirement

How do I linearize a PDF for fast web view?

  1. Upload a PDF.
  2. Click Process. There are no options.
  3. Download the linearized PDF.
  4. Run `qpdf --check` if you want to see the `File is linearized` line for yourself.

Limits and edge cases

  • Reorganises the file; it is not a size-reduction tool
  • No image resampling
  • Password-protected files need the password; API callers run Unlock first
  • Upload limit on this website: 500 MB per file, sent in chunks above about 95 MB. A single direct API request body is capped at 100 MB.

Examples

  • A 40 MB scan stays about 40 MB but starts rendering on page 1 immediately
  • `qpdf --check` on the download prints `File is linearized`

Privacy for this tool

Files are uploaded over HTTPS, processed in memory or a short-lived temporary directory on our servers, and deleted when your result is ready. We do not keep copies for later browsing, training, or advertising profiles. See the Privacy Policy for retention details and AdSense cookie disclosures.

Frequently asked questions

Is the result linearized?
Yes. The op passes `--linearize` to qpdf, so the output carries the linearization dictionary and the page hint tables.
How is this different from Compress?
Compress recompresses streams to save space. Linearize reorders the file for progressive download and leaves the content as it is.
Will web viewers load page 1 first?
That is the point of Fast Web View — provided the viewer fetches the file over HTTP and the server supports byte-range requests.
Does it downsample images?
No. Linearizing is a structural rewrite, not a quality reduction.

Last updated:

Call this from code

Every tool on this site is a plain REST endpoint - no account or API key needed for anonymous use. Built for AI agents and developers as much as for browsers.

curl -X POST "https://pdf123.xyz/api/v1/misc/linearize-pdf" \
  -F "[email protected]" \
  -o output.pdf

Also available as an MCP tool for agent clients that speak Model Context Protocol (JSON-RPC 2.0 over POST /mcp). Full API reference

Use it from an AI agent

Skill

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and other AI agents can run Linearize PDF for you with this skill: /skills/pdf123-linearize-pdf.md

All agent skills

Files are used only for this processing job and deleted automatically afterward.