Need to email or upload a large PDF? Make it smaller first!
Continue reading for step-by-step instructions to make PDFs smaller.
The more images, objects, content, etc. that you have in a PDF, the larger the file size.
One of the best parts of PDFs is that the content inside it is preserved, and can easily be viewed on almost any device.
But, if the PDF is too large, you may have trouble uploading, downloading, or emailing it to others.
On older machines, large PDFs can even slow down the device you're using. Making it difficult to read and interact with the content, easily.
Anyone that's tried to send multiple attachments in an email will find out that there's a limit to the file size that you can send to others.
So, how do you make a PDF smaller?
That's why we made this guide.
Continue reading to learn everything you need to know about how to make PDFs smaller on Windows and Mac computers.
There's more than one way to make a PDF smaller. Common ways to make PDFs smaller include:
Note: Making PDFs smaller is an action that can't be undone (zipped files are the exception, since they're designed to be unzipped).
So, it's recommended to keep a copy of the original document, just in case.
There are multiple reasons make a PDF smaller.
Common reasons include:
Before you start making PDFs smaller, you may want to know how big they originally are.
1. In File Explorer, find the PDF that you want to reduce.
2. Right-click > Properties.
3. Look at Size section to see the size of the PDF.
1. Open the PDF in PDF Pro.
2. Press File.
3. Press Properties. The size of the PDF will be shown on the right-hand side, in the General section, next to Size.
Remember: 1 megabyte (MB) is equal to 1,000 kilobytes (KB). So, a 25MB PDF may look small, but it’s actually 25,000KB.
The best way to make a PDF smaller on Windows is by using a PDF editor. A good PDF editor gives you more flexibility and control when it comes to reducing the size of PDFs.
PDF Pro makes PDFs smaller, in just a few clicks. Try PDF Pro for free.
1. Open the PDF in PDF Pro.
2. Press Create tab > Flatten file.
3. In the Flatten PDF document dialog box, specify any settings you'd like to change (if any), then press Create.
PDF Pro lets you both compress and flatten PDF files in one easy step. Try PDF Pro today.
1. Open the PDF in PDF Pro.
2. Press Create tab > Optimize file.
3. If needed, change the settings, then press Optimize.
If you pay for Adobe Acrobat, you can use it to make your PDF smaller. Please note that this method is not available in Adobe Reader.
It's free and easy to zip PDF files on Windows.
1. Find the location of the PDF that you want to zip.
2. Right-click > Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
That's it!
Just remember that you need to unzip the file before you can use it again.
Mac users can use Preview to make PDFs smaller, for free. They can also zip PDFs, just like in Windows.
It's free and easy to zip a PDF on Mac.
There's more than one way to make a PDF smaller for free, online. You can zip multiple PDF files together on Google Drive, or
If you select multiple PDFs to download from Google Drive, they'll automatically be zipped into a folder. However, this method won't for single PDF files.
1. Find and select two or more PDFs that you want to zip.
Tip: hold [ctrl] to select multiple PDFs.
2. Right-click > Download.
That's it!
One free online tool you can use to make a PDF smaller is Adobe's Compressor tool.
Make large PDFs smaller so they're easier to email, share electronically, and so they work better with other services.
One easy and free way to make PDFs smaller is by zipping them into a compressed folder. But zipped files need to be unzipped before they can be used and worked on again.
The best way to make a PDF smaller is with a PDF editor. A good PDF editor gives you the most control over your PDF content and quality.
For everything PDF, we recommend PDF Pro: our all-in-one PDF editor, converter, optimizer, OCR tool, and more.
Other things that make PDF Pro awesome:
Here are some frequently asked questions about making PDFs smaller that we've answered for your benefit.
You can compress and flatten a PDF by using a PDF editor, like PDF Pro. You can also zip a PDF file by right-clicking > Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder.
You can zip a PDF file by right-clicking > Send to > Compressed (zipped) folder. Or, you can use a PDF editor like PDF Pro: Open the PDF in PDF Pro > Create tab > Optimize file > Adjust settings > Optimize.
To make a PDF smaller, you can compress it, flatten it, or both. You can also zip PDFs into a compressed folder.
It's challenging to select a specific size that you want your PDF to be. However, you can select varying levels of compression (from low-high, and custom) depending on your needs.
To check the size of a PDF: Right-click the PDF, then select Properties (Get info, on Mac). Look for the "Size" section to find the file size of your PDF.
