We’ve all been there. You need to send a large PDF file to a client or colleague, but your email server doesn’t have the bandwidth to handle such a massive piece of data.
Instead of sitting and staring while your cursor swirls, there are steps you can take to compress a PDF and move on to your next task. Today, we’re sharing a few of the easiest and most effective techniques.
- Skip the Scan
Some people might fear that there will be a degree of quality loss if they create their PDF files electronically versus scanning them into their system. To avoid this risk, they scan each individual file and then combine them all together using Adobe.
When you go this route, you create a huge file that’s essentially the size of every page, compounded together. It’s much easier to electronically convert your files instead.
To do so, just click “Save As” at the top of each file. Then select “PDF” from the options. This way, you don’t alter the size of the document, and the result is a much smaller combined file.
The only time you need to physically scan your documents to combine them is if they only exist in paper format. Otherwise, convert and carry on!
- Compress a PDF Using Adobe
Once you have your document in place, it may still be too big to share or even use. In that case, open Adobe and click “File”, followed by “Save As Other”. From the drop-down menu, select “Reduced-Size PDF”.
Select the version that’s compatible with your machine, and follow the prompt to finish. If you’re in doubt about which version to use, go with Adobe X. This is one of the most widely used and accepted versions of Acrobat that exists today.
One word of warning about this technique: The smaller file size can reduce the overall quality of your document.
For instance, it might make your images more grainy or your text a little fuzzy. If there are any digital signatures in the PDF, those will be gone as well. If these details are critical, then you can use Adobe’s built-in PDF Optimizer tool instead.
- Optimize the PDF
If you need certain parts of your PDF to remain as high-quality as possible, then it’s unwise to perform a general compression. Thankfully, there’s a PDF Optimizer tool in Adobe that gives you a little more control over which elements you can change.
Before you go in and blindly start compressing one section and leaving another as-is, it helps to understand which parts of your document are taking up the most space. Do you have extra-large graphics that are adding significantly to the file size? Or, did you use a specialty font or embed a few different links?
To get this process started, you’ll follow the first few steps just as you did above. Click “File” at the top of your PDF menu, followed by “Save As Other”. Next, click “Optimized PDF”.
A box will appear on your screen with a button in the top right corner that says “Audit Space Usage”. When you click the button, you can clearly see the exact number of bytes that each element is using, as well as its percentage of the overall file. The different elements to audit include:
- Images
- Content streams
- Link annotations
- Fonts
- Document overhead
- Tables
You can go in and select which properties to compress in each element, if any. This can be a complicated process, so it’s best to perform this activity in conjunction with an IT expert at your company.
- Use a PDF Compressor App
Does the idea of going through and cherry-picking file elements to change seem a little daunting? If you edit the wrong parts, you could wind up with a document that’s less usable than it was to begin with.
That’s why it’s best to trust this process to an application that’s designed to take care of all the backend work for you. Visit to learn more about the best PDF compression software on the market, and how to use each one.
- Compress Using Preview App
If you’re a Mac user, you’re in luck. You can use your computer’s integrated “Preview” app to easily compress your PDF. To do so, double-click on the file and allow it to open in Preview mode.
Then, click “File” followed by “Export”. You’ll see a box that prompts you to select “Export As”. At the bottom of that box, you’ll find a drop-down menu that says “Quartz Filter”.
Select “Reduce File Size” from the menu and save your changes.
- Save Smaller Word Document
Did you create your PDF from a Microsoft Word document? If so, then it can help to make that Word file smaller before you convert it. To do this, click “File” and then “Save As”. Under the “Save As Type” menu, click “PDF”.
Then, don’t click out and save just yet! Look at the bottom of the “Save As” box. You should see a menu that says “Optimize For”. From the options, select “Minimum Size (Publishing Online)”.
The file that it creates should be smaller than one that you would get by simply saving and converting it to a PDF.
Say No to Bulky PDFs
Adobe PDFs remain one of the most easily shareable and usable file formats. However, it’s no secret that large ones can be a beast to wrangle with. Now that you know a few different ways to compress a PDF, you can create and send files with ease!
If you run into any issues, reach out to your IT team or contact Adobe’s support line. With the right tools and resources, you can transform your document management system and improve collaboration at every turn.
Looking for more ways to optimize your workspace? Check out our Business section today!