diff --git a/docs/index.rst b/docs/index.rst
index b050c6da..c3759efb 100644
--- a/docs/index.rst
+++ b/docs/index.rst
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ PDF is the best format for storing and exchanging scanned documents.  Unfortunat
    introduction
    release_notes
    installation
+   optimizer
    languages
    jbig2
 
diff --git a/docs/optimizer.rst b/docs/optimizer.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f6336f77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/optimizer.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+================
+PDF optimization
+================
+
+OCRmyPDF includes an image-oriented PDF optimizer. By default, the optimizer
+runs with safe settings with the goal of improving compression at no loss of
+quality. At higher optimization levels, lossy optimizations may be applied and
+tuned. Optimization occurs after OCR, and only if OCR succeeded.  It does not
+perform other possible optimizations such as deduplicating resources,
+consolidating fonts, simplifying vector drawings, or anything of that nature.
+
+Optimization ranges from ``-O0`` through ``-O3``, where ``0`` disables
+optimization and ``3`` implements all options. ``1``, the default, performs only
+safe and lossless optimizations. (This is similar to GCC's optimization
+parameter.) The exact type of optimizations performed will vary over time.
+
+Optimizations that always occurs
+================================
+
+OCRmyPDF will automatically replace obsolete or inferior compression schemes
+such as RLE or LZW with superior schemes such as Deflate and converting
+monochrome images to CCITT G4. Since this is harmless it always occurs and there
+is no way to disable it. Other non-image compressed objects are compressed as
+well.
+
+Fast web view
+=============
+
+OCRmyPDF automatically optimizes PDFs for "fast web view" in Adobe Acrobat's
+parlance, or equivalently, linearizes PDFs so that the resources they reference
+are presented in the order a viewer needs them for sequential display. This
+reduces the latency of viewing a PDF both online and from local storage. This
+actually slightly increases the file size.
+
+To disable this optimization and all others, use ``ocrmypdf --optimize 0 ...``
+or the shorthand ``-O0``.
+
+Lossless optimizations
+======================
+
+At optimization level ``-O1`` (the default), OCRmyPDF will also attempt lossless
+image optimization.
+
+If a JBIG2 encoder is available, then monochrome images will be converted to
+JBIG2, with the potential for huge savings on large black and white images,
+since JBIG2 is far more efficient than any other monochrome (bi-level)
+compression. (All known US patents related to JBIG2 have probably expired, but
+it remains the responsibility of the user to supply a JBIG2 encoder such as
+`jbig2enc <https://github.com/agl/jbig2enc>`__. OCRmyPDF does not implement
+JBIG2 encoding on its own.)
+
+OCRmyPDF currently does not attempt to recompress losslessly compressed objects
+more aggressively.
+
+Lossy optimizations
+===================
+
+At optimization level ``-O2`` and ``-O3``, OCRmyPDF will some attempt lossy
+image optimization.
+
+If ``pngquant`` is installed, OCRmyPDF will use it to perform quantize paletted
+images to reduce their size.
+
+The quality of JPEGs may be lowered, on the assumption that a lower quality
+image may be suitable for storage after OCR.
+
+It is not possible to optimize all image types. Uncommon image types may be
+skipped by the optimizer.
+
+OCRmyPDF provides :ref:`lossy mode JBIG2 <jbig2-lossy>` as an advanced feature
+that additional requires the argument ``--jbig2-lossy``.