How to Convert PDF to DjVu: 3 Tools and When Compressing the PDF Is the Better Move

Before you convert, one thing worth knowing from experience: most people reaching for DjVu actually just want a smaller file, not the DjVu format itself. DjVu shrinks scanned, image-heavy documents better than almost anything — but it also drops you into a niche format that Preview, most browsers, Word, and phone galleries can't open without extra software. If the goal is a lighter file you can still share and open anywhere, compressing the PDF is usually the smarter path. This guide covers three working DjVu converters, then shows exactly when to skip DjVu and compress instead — with UPDF handling the compression side on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.

Part 1. First, Decide: DjVu or a Smaller PDF?

DjVu earns its place in a narrow set of jobs. For everything else, a compressed PDF gives you the size savings without the "what opens this file?" problem. Match your situation to the right column before you convert anything.

If your row says "convert to DjVu," Part 2 has three tools. If it says "compress the PDF," jump to Part 4 — you'll save the compatibility headache.

Part 2. How to Convert PDF to DjVu (3 Tools)

All three tools below are browser-based, so they work on any operating system. One shared caveat first: online converters upload your file to a third-party server. Don't use them for contracts, medical records, IDs, or anything confidential — for sensitive scans, use an offline desktop tool like DjVuLibre or Pdf To DjVu GUI instead.

1. PDF2DJVU — Fastest for a Single File

PDF2DJVU is a single-purpose web tool with no format menu to navigate — you upload a PDF and it returns a DjVu.

Step 1. Open PDF2DJVU and select the PDF from your device.

Step 2. Conversion starts automatically once the upload finishes; there are no settings to configure.

Step 3. Download the DjVu file.

2. Convertio — Best for Cloud Files and Batches

Convertio is a general-purpose converter, so DjVu is one output among many. It pulls files from Google Drive and Dropbox, which helps when the PDF isn't on the device in front of you.

Step 1. Upload the PDF(s) from your computer, Google Drive, Dropbox, or by dragging them onto the page.

Step 2. Set the output format to DjVu from the dropdown.

Step 3. Run the conversion and download the result.

3. 2PDF — Best When You Need Output Settings

2PDF exposes conversion settings the other two hide, so you can shape the DjVu before downloading.

Step 1. Select the PDF or drag it onto the page.

Step 2. Choose DjVu as the output format.

Step 3. Adjust orientation, page size, and other options if the default output isn't what you want.

Step 4. Download the DjVu, or export it to Dropbox or Google Drive.

Part 3. DjVu vs PDF vs Compressed PDF — What's the Difference?

These three get conflated constantly, and picking wrong means either an unreadable file or a wasted conversion.

DjVu: a format built specifically to compress scanned images and photographed pages to a fraction of their size. Think of it as a vacuum-seal bag for scans — brilliant compression, but you need the right software to open the bag.

PDF: the universal document container — opens on virtually every device and app, but scanned pages inside it stay large.

Compressed PDF: the same universal PDF, run through size reduction — noticeably smaller, still opens everywhere.

The one-line rule: DjVu wins on raw compression for scans; PDF wins on compatibility; a compressed PDF is the middle ground most people are actually looking for.

Part 4. The Smaller-File Route: Compress the PDF with UPDF

If your row in Part 1 pointed here, this is the path that keeps your file openable everywhere. UPDF compresses PDFs without converting them to a niche format, so the output is still a normal PDF your recipient can open in any reader — no DjVu viewer required. It runs on Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, and files are processed on your own device rather than uploaded to a server, which matters for scanned contracts, invoices, and IDs.

Step 1. Open your document in UPDF — if you don't have it yet, download UPDF for free and install it in under a minute.

Step 2. Click the expand arrow (∨) at the top-right of the toolbar, then choose Reduce File Size.

Step 3. In the Save As window, click the > arrow next to Original File (Uncompressed) to open the quality options: Lossless, Maximum Quality, High Quality, Medium Quality, and Low Quality. Select one and click Click to calculate to preview its compressed size before committing.

Step 4. Pick the level that fits the job — a lower quality setting for email, a higher one for archiving where sharpness matters — then click Save As. For image-heavy scans, a heavier setting gets you close to DjVu-style size savings while the file stays a PDF.

For image-heavy scans, this often lands within reach of DjVu's file size while sidestepping the compatibility problem entirely. Download UPDF for free to compress a scanned document on your own file — installation is free, and Pro features are available when you need watermark-free export or advanced tools.

Part 5. Edge Cases — When the Standard Method Fails

The DjVu converter output is blank or garbled. This usually means the source PDF is a scan (pure image with no text layer) and the tool tried to extract non-existent text. Some converters, including pdf2djvu, need language data installed to handle Chinese, Japanese, or Korean scans correctly — a plain online tool may skip those pages silently.

You converted to DjVu and now nothing opens it. DjVu isn't natively supported by Preview, most browsers, Word, or phone photo apps. You'll need a dedicated viewer — WinDjView on Windows, DjView on Mac and Linux — or you'll have to convert the DjVu back to PDF. If you keep hitting this wall, that's the signal you wanted a compressed PDF, not DjVu.

You only need the file smaller, and DjVu broke something. Convert the DjVu back to PDF and compress that PDF instead — you'll get most of the size benefit and lose none of the compatibility.

Part 6. FAQs About PDF to DjVu

Conclusion

Converting a PDF to DjVu makes sense in a specific case: image-heavy scans headed for an archive or e-reader where the smallest possible size matters more than universal compatibility. PDF2DJVU, Convertio, and 2PDF all handle that conversion, with 2PDF giving you the most control and PDF2DJVU the fastest single-file run. But if what you really want is a lighter file you can still send and open anywhere, compressing the PDF is the better move — and you can learn the full range of conversion options in our guide on how to convert PDF files. Try UPDF's compression on a scanned document first; for most "my file is too big" problems, it solves the issue without pushing you into a format only special software can read.