When it comes to sharing documents, PDF is an ideal format that offers compatibility with multiple operating systems (including Windows, Mac, and Linux). In addition to being nearly universally compatible, PDF files offer an additional layer of security, allowing users to assign passwords to sensitive documents.
One notable downside to PDF files is their size. PDFs can often be bulky, making it difficult to share them via email. Fortunately, there are a number of techniques that you can use to reduce the size of your PDF files.
In most cases, a simple compression program, such as WinZip, WinRAR or 7Zip can help to create lighter versions of your PDF files. However, if you’ve already attempted to use these methods, this article will introduce you to three alternate methods you can use to reduce the size of your PDFs.
Table of Contents
Reduce PDF File Size on Mac
Mac users can compress PDFs using functions available in Preview.
Open your PDF file with the Preview application, and go to File > Export.
Select the Quartz filter, and then, choose Reduce file size. Click Save to complete the file compression.
Compress PDF File Online
SmallPDF is an online tool that will help you to compress your PDF files online for free. This website simplifies the process of file compression into a two-step process.
Head to SmallPDF, and click Compress PDF.
Next, simply upload your file, and wait for the compression process to begin automatically.
Using Adobe Acrobat Reader
Open Acrobat Acrobat Reader, then open the PDF file that you’d like to make smaller. Select Document > Reduce File Size.
Using PDF Compression Software
PDF Creator
PDF Creator is a software that offers interesting features that can help you easily create PDF files. During installation, PDF Creator creates a virtual printer that allows you to save your documents (Word, Excel, etc.) in PDF format.
Once installed, open your file with Acrobat Reader. Click Print, and choose the PDF Creator virtual printer.
Next, head to Properties > Paper/Quality, and click Advanced.
Select Print quality, and reduce the file’s DPI. Upon launching your print job, a new and lighter version of the PDF file will be created.
SmallPDF
SmallPDF, a free PDF editing site, allows you to simply reduce the size of your PDF files. The site includes an automatic compression feature that makes the process very quick. You, then, have the option to download your newly compressed file.
