Is it possible to reduce the size of the document. Compress and reduce PDF files
Now many computers already have hard drives ranging in size from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. But still, every megabyte is valuable, especially when we are talking about fast downloading to other computers or the Internet. Therefore, it is often necessary to reduce the size of files to make them more compact.
There are many ways to compress a PDF file to right size, so that you can use it for any purpose, for example, to send it by e-mail in a matter of moments. All methods have their pros and cons. Some weight loss options are free, while others are paid. We will consider the most popular of them.
Method 1: Cute PDF Converter
Cute PDF replaces a virtual printer and allows you to compress any PDF document. To reduce weight, you just need to set everything up correctly.
It is worth remembering that reducing the quality entails compressing the file, but if there were any images or diagrams in the document, they may become unreadable under certain conditions.
Method 2: PDF Compressor
Recently program PDF Compressor was just gaining momentum and was not as popular. But then too abruptly she gained a lot negative reviews on the Internet, and many users did not download it precisely because of them. There is only one reason for this - the watermark in the free version, but if this is not critical, then you can download it.
A file with an initial size of just over 100 kilobytes was compressed by the program to 75 kilobytes.
Method 3: Save PDF with smaller size via Adobe Reader Pro DC
Adobe Reader Pro is a paid program, but it does a great job of reducing the size of any PDF document.
The method is very fast and quite often compresses the file by almost 30-40 percent.
Method 4: Optimized file in Adobe Reader
For this method, you again need a program. Here you will have to tinker a little with the settings (if you want), or you can just leave everything as the program itself suggests.
Method 5: Microsoft Word
This method may seem clumsy and incomprehensible to someone, but it is quite convenient and fast. So, first you need a program that can save a PDF document in text format (you can search for it among the Adobe line, for example, Adobe Reader or find analogues) and Microsoft Word.
That's it for three simple steps You can reduce the size of a PDF file by one and a half to two times. This is due to the fact that the DOC document is saved in PDF with the weakest settings, which is tantamount to compression through a converter.
Method 6: Archiver
The most common way to compress any document, including a PDF file, is with an archiver. For work it is better to use 7-Zip or WinRAR. The first option is distributed free of charge, but the second program, after the trial period, asks to renew the license (although you can work without it).
The PDF file is now compressed and can be used as intended. Sending it by mail will now turn out many times faster, since you won’t have to wait long for the document to be attached to the letter, everything will happen instantly.
We have reviewed the most best programs and how to compress a PDF file. Write in the comments how you managed to compress the file the easiest and fastest, or suggest your own convenient options.
The question of reducing the size of a pdf file is often raised by an active computer user. Due to the large weight of the scanned images. Because of this, the document takes up hundreds of megabytes of disk space. Let's consider the problem in more detail.
With Adobe Reader
You can reduce the size of a document using the free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. The compression feature is only available with a paid subscription. The utility is installed without problems, so let's get to work right away.From the start menu, go to the “File” tab. Click on the “Open” item and select the document. AT this example we will use a textbook weighing 69.9 MB. It consists entirely of scanned pages of the printed edition. You can also open a document by clicking on it. file manager. Go to the menu shown in the screenshot.
We leave the default values in the called window. Choose a location to save the compressed pdf. The example file now weighs 33.3 MB. Compression was performed for about two minutes. The image quality has deteriorated. On a website or computer, this may not be noticeable. However, after printing, the illustrations will be fuzzy or completely blurry. The disadvantage of this method is that there is no flexible setting for an advanced user.
If you need to set additional parameters, then the optimizer will help. We open the document we need. Click on the button shown in the illustration below.
There are few settings, but they look difficult to master. Let's define the main ones. They are located in the left menu "Images". Downsampling determines the resolution of images. To the right of the parameter, you can set ppi (number of pixels per inch). Highly recommended for printing. It is advised when placing illustrations on the site. Below you can set the type of compression. ZIP is used for simple images with the predominance of one color. JPEG - for any images. Its improved version is JPEG2000.
After setting, choose a location to save the file. Let's compare the quality of the optimized document and the original. Left - original file, right - compressed.
Changes in quality are imperceptible even when the picture is enlarged three times.
Using third party software
PDF Compressor is suitable for the role of a free analogue.
An intuitive interface and a small weight of the program will appeal to any user. In the upper left part of the window, you must click the “Add Files” button to open the document. You can also drag the file directly into the program's workspace.
To optimize, click “Start Compression”. The button is at the top center. First you need to set the compression settings by clicking the “Compression Settings” button.
After opening the settings menu, you will be notified to purchase a license. She is needed for fine tuning compression. Click “Continue”, check the boxes in the “Compression” and “Optimization” tabs. Close the window and click “Start Compression”.
During the compression process, the weight of the textbook from the example decreased from 69.9 MB to 56.9 MB. Compare quality. On the left - the document before optimization, on the right - after.
The result is worse than Adobe Acrobat Reader. Now the compressed file is distorted. The advantage of the program is that you can compress the file absolutely free. As a result - the worst quality and larger size. The utility logo is also added to the first page.
With WinRAR
winrar- free program with the option to purchase a license. Designed to place files in an archive and then compress them. The quality does not change. You can extract the original from the archive at any time.The workspace of the utility shows the file system of your computer. Select a folder to create the archive. Click on "Add". The button is in the upper left corner. Before us is the archive settings menu.
We are interested in the drop-down list “Compression method” in the “General” tab.
Their names speak for themselves. High-speed less time-consuming, also having low degree compression. The maximum has the opposite characteristics.
Documents are added from the Files tab.
The compression of the file from the example took several seconds. The file weight has changed from 69.9 MB to 68.3 MB. Conclusion: WinRAR does not work well with pdf files. Plus program - the original is preserved unchanged.
Using the online service ILovePdf
A convenient solution is web services for working with pdf-files. ILovePdf can not only edit the contents of a file, but also reduce its size.
We start by pressing the big red button “Select PDF files”. An explorer will open where we will indicate the path to the pdf document.
After selecting, the compression settings will appear below. They don't need comments. Leave the recommended settings. At the very bottom is the "Compress PDF" button. Let's click on it.
After the compression process, we get to new page and press the big red button again.
In the screenshot above, we were also informed about changes in the weight of the document. Instead of 69.9 MB, the textbook now weighs 55.9 MB. The result is similar to that of the PDF Compressor application. The difference is that you do not need to download or install anything. Compare quality. On the left is the optimized document, on the right is the original.
A slight loss of quality is noticeable, the perception of information is not affected.
Using the SmallPdf online service
This service allows you to upload files from Google Drive or DropBox. Documents are sent from a computer through Explorer or by dragging a file into a browser window.
Click on the big red button. You don't need to click anything to reduce the size of a pdf file. It happens right after loading. Then download the document by clicking on the “Download file” button.
From the service, the document can be sent to Google Drive or DropBox (neighboring buttons). The illustration shows the volume of the compressed document. The file size has changed from 69.9 MB to 59.2 MB. A little more than the previous service. Let's check the quality. Left - compressed pdf, on the right is the original.
SmallPdf was able to compress the file with almost no quality loss. The downside of the service is the lack of compression settings.
In conclusion, archivers do not work well with PDF documents, and best method compression is an online service and a standard Adobe tool.
If you need to send a document, PDF is an ideal format compatible with multiple operating systems (including Windows, Mac and Linux). Not only are PDF files versatile, but they're secure enough to allow users to assign passwords to particularly sensitive documents.
However, one notable downside to PDF files is their size. PDF files can often be bulky, making them difficult to send via email. Fortunately, there are a number of tools that can be used to reduce the size of such files.
Reduce PDF file size
One of the simple and effective ways is to use Adobe Acrobat Reader. Open the program, then open PDF file, which you want to make smaller. Select Document > Reduce file size.PDF compression software
You should also pay attention to such popular file compression programs as WinZip, WinRAR or 7ZIP. In most cases, they can help you create lighter versions of PDF files.Reduce PDF File Size on Mac
Users Mac can compress PDF files using the features available in the app View (preview).Open file PDF by using preview and go to the menu File > Export.
Choose a filter Quartz and then select Reduce file size (Reduce file size). Click Save (Save) to finish compressing the file.
Compress PDF file online
You can also find many free tools online that can compress your PDF files.smallpdf
Smallpdf, a free PDF editing site, helps you easily reduce the size of your PDF files online. The site includes an automatic compression feature, which makes the process very fast. You can then download the new compressed file for yourself.The file compression process itself consists of two stages. Go to Smallpdf and drag and drop your file into the box with your mouse or click Choose file (Select a file) to find and download a PDF file from your computer:
Wait for the automatic compression process to begin, then download the finished file for yourself.
PDF Creator
PDF Creator is a program with several interesting features that can help you easily create PDF files. During installation PDF Creator creates a virtual printer that allows you to save documents (Word, Excel, etc.) in the format PDF.After installation installation PDF Creator, open the file with Acrobat Reader. Click Seal and choose virtual printer PDF Creator (PDF Creator virtual printer).
Then open Properties > Paper/Quality and press Additionally.
Select Print quality and reduce DPI(permission) of the file. After starting the print job, a new lighter version will be created PDF file.
Image: © Oleksandr Yuhlchek - Shutterstock.com
The PDF format is quite popular. It is used to create files (including documents) in which it is necessary to combine different kinds graphics with text. Due to its features, the final file usually weighs quite a lot. In this case, problems may arise when sending it through email. In order for the problem of transferring a file through various mail (or social) services to cease to exist for you, find out how to reduce the size of a pdf file. Here are the main ways.
Converting PDF files through the program
Free utilities with the functionality we need are freely available on the Internet. For example, a program called PrimoPDF, which allows you to reduce ready-made PDF files, and also with its help you can create new documents of this format. The last function can be useful if the interface of the program or technique you need only works with PDF format. In this case, PrimoPDF emulates a virtual printer that converts the page to PDF instead of printing it. You can also try the CutePDF program, with its help you can also create or reduce a file of this format.
We have come close to the first answer to the question of how to reduce the size of a pdf file. After you have opened desired file through one of the programs described above, step by step perform the following sequence of actions.
Online PDF resizing
As mentioned at the beginning of the article, the method described above is not the only answer to the question of how to reduce pdf size. The fact is that most modern computer programs have web counterparts. For the user, this means that it is not at all necessary to download and install the program - it is enough to use the interface of a certain Internet page. To do this, find a converter in the search engine that works online. Let's take the following services as an example. 
Further actions in both programs are identical: wait for the document to be processed, and then save it on your computer. If the file is already sufficiently compressed, you will not be able to further optimize its size.
Reducing a PDF File with the Reduce Size Function
If you have a paid version of Adobe Acrobat installed, the answer to the question of how to compress a PDF file will not take much time. Just open the desired file in this program, after hovering the mouse pointer over the "Save As" command, select "Reduced PDF Size" in the submenu that appears (you can also do this procedure through the "Documents" menu). Remember, it works only in the paid version of the program! If you do not have it installed, use other methods. 
When the system asks you about the desired compatibility with different versions programs, choose the one you want. It is important to remember that the more new version you choose, the more likely it is that it cannot be opened with old version"Acrobat". However, files that are compatible with new versions may be smaller. 
Now you can save files (the functionality allows you to save several files at the same time). 
Resizing with the PDF Optimizer
Open the document you want to resize. With the help of the optimizer, you can achieve more precise control over the reduction. If you are not an expert and do not know which settings are optimal for you, choose the default option. It fits in most cases. By cleaning the file of duplicate fonts (as well as built-in ones), the optimizer will reduce the size of the document. It is recommended that you change the file name before saving, as it is possible that you may not notice that the optimization has negatively affected the print quality. If you follow this advice, you'll be left with a base file that you can re-optimize with better settings. 
To save the file, select "Save As" from the "File" menu and then "Optimized PDF". The optimizer is also launched using the "Advanced" menu. 
With the "Estimate Space Usage" feature, you can see (as a percentage) whether it's text or graphics that make a file big. 
If you are unhappy with the default settings, adjust them. To optimize your document, you can change the transparency, font, or graphic quality. 
Preview feature in Macintosh
This method is quite controversial and can lead to negative consequences (significant loss of document quality after processing), so be sure to create a copy of the file before starting work. When you have done this, you need to open the required file through the "View" function. Next, click on the "File" function, then "Export". You will see a window with options, in it you need to select "Reduce file size" in the Quartz Filter menu. After choosing a location to save the file, save it. 
File compression method using basic OS functions
Most Popular Operating Systems allow you to turn documents into zip archives without installing an additional software. This method does not significantly reduce the file and is more suitable for "bulk" compression of files in the size of several pieces. However, it might be useful to someone. In addition, other archivers (which you need to download additionally) can compress the file more strongly, but before using them, check with the recipient if the required software is installed on his computer.
Of the most popular programs, I would like to note the free 7Zip and the paid WinRAR (there is a free demo version with a trial period of 40 days). Equally comfortable can be achieved desired result in any of the named archivers.
Resizing with Google Drive
With the help of your account Google upload the required document to Google Drive, open the file in your browser. Send it to print, but instead of printing choose "Save as PDF", save the file. A 50 MB file will be reduced by more than one-fifth (i.e. 10 MB). Quite an impressive result, and without unnecessary actions.
By the way, if you often work with documents and your computer does not have all installed programs, the functionality offered by Google may be useful to you in the future. Therefore, even if you decide on another way to reduce the size of a PDF document, still take the time to check out the possibilities of Google Drive.
Tenfold resizing with Microsoft Word
After opening the file in Adobe Acrobat, save it as a Microsoft Word document. On the received document, right-click and use the "Convert to PDF" function. Ready! Highly fast method, however, it requires Acrobat (a paid program from Adobe. If you do not have it installed, unfortunately, this method will not work. In this case, you need to either buy necessary program, or choose one of the other methods presented in this article.
Using the PDF Compressor website
Select up to 20 documents (you can work with this number of files simultaneously through the site functionality, if the weight of each of them does not exceed 50 MB) on your computer and drag them into the window (or use the "Download" button). Wait until the compression process is complete (this may take a while if the files are large), then save each one in turn or at the same time in a zip archive. Highly convenient way, most importantly - make sure that you can unzip documents if you choose the "mass" file saving function.
Here are a large number of ways to reduce the size of a PDF file, we have named you. Which one seems more convenient, it's up to you. However, let me give you some advice.
- If you liked one of the ways to process files on the web, install one of the stationary programs on your computer anyway. This is in case that if the Internet is lost while working with the document (this, unfortunately, happens), you can achieve the required results even in the absence of a network. This will help to avoid unpleasant situations when you have to postpone work due to external circumstances.
- The mentioned programs and online services are not the only ones of their kind, they have a sufficient number of analogues (paid and free). If you're comfortable using a program we forgot to list on our list, keep using it. If you want to try something different, use our recommendations.
- Paid programs, as a rule, have wider functionality and a diverse range of actions. But, if the only task you face is resizing the pdf file, you don't have to buy the professional version. Or if the functions you need are available in free programs.
What You'll Be Creating
PDF format- a common format for creating digital documents and commercial materials, good quality, ranging from professional tasks, ending with an invitation for mom to Christmas dinner.
While design elements make your document attractive, they also make it look bigger than Balloon, making it very difficult to send and download. What's more, conventional compression tools create copies with blurry images, which reduces the quality of your pdf document.
In this tutorial, I'll show you how to reduce the size of a large PDF file on any computer without compromising image quality, so you can send documents. High Quality without worrying that people will get a file with muddy pictures.
For Mac: Using Quartz Filters
OS X's built-in Preview app is designed to perform basic operations on PDF files, from preview, annotation, to compression. To compress a PDF, just click File > Export...>Quartz Filter (File → Export… → Quartz Filter) and select Reduce size (Reduce file size).
Although Preview may reduce your PDF, it will not preserve the quality of the images.The problem with Preview's built-in compressor is that your images lose a lot of quality, making them look blurry and sometimes unreadable in your PDF.
The solution is to use custom quartz filters, which give a balanced result, reducing the file size, while maintaining image quality throughout the document.
In this tutorial, we'll install and use Jerome Colas' Apple quartz filters to reduce a 25MB PDF to a more manageable size. You can also download filters from this Github page.
Step 1: Place the quartz filters in your ~/Library directory.
The first step is to install Apple quartz filters on your computer, in the Filters folder in the Library system folder.
To do this, download quartz filters to your desktop and unzip the archive. Launch Finder and use hotkeys CMD+SHIFT+G to bring up the drop down menu Go to folder. Press enter to get to the Library directory.
Thanks to Jerome Colas for making these amazing filters for everyone.Once you are in the Filters folder, paste the quartz filters into it. If you don't have a Filters folder, create a new directory and name it "Filters".
Clue A: Some people prefer these filters to be available only for their account. To do this, you need to create a Filters folder inside the user's Library folder. To do this, click CMD+SHIFT+G, and print the following:
/Users/
and press Input. If the Filters folder does not exist in this directory, create it.
Step 2: Launch Automator and Create an Automator Application
The next step is to create an Automator application that will compress any PDF file using the filters we just installed.
Launch Automator and create a new document. Click on Application and then on the blue button Choose to create a process.
You can simplify the process PDF compression files using Automator.On the left side is the Automator library. Use the search field to find Apply Quartz Filter to PDF Documents, which you will need to drag and drop to the right side of the window to create the process.
I also recommend adding Copy Finder Items to your processes in Automator. I'll show you now.A pop-up window will display a message asking you if you would like to add to the processes Copy Finder Items(copy finder). I strongly recommend that you do this, because it saves you the trouble of finding the original file in case the compression result is not to your liking.
You can choose either standard parameters compression - 150 dpi or 300 dpi.The final step is choosing the quartz filter that you will use to compress the PDF file. If you installed the quartz filter that I recommended in Step 1, you should see it listed when you click the Filter dropdown menu. After you select a filter, give the application a name and save it to your desktop.
Step 3: Upload Your PDF File to the Automator Created Application
From now on, compressing files becomes a very easy task. To use the Automator app, simply drag the icon of your PDF file and drop it on the app icon. It will generate a compressed copy of your file. The size will depend on the quartz filter you chose at the stage of creating the application in Automator.
For my 25 MB PDF, I chose a 150 dpi filter, which is a standard option for almost all files. The compressed file was about 3 MB, and the quality of the images is quite acceptable, including small pictures.
Since the pictures in the compressed file are blurred quite a bit, the overall quality can be considered acceptable.You can change the quartz filter to get higher or lower quality, depending on your preference. Just save your changes in Automator and compress the original file for verification ( Copy Finder Items in this case, it will be very useful to you).
On Windows: Resize Your PDF File with SmallPDF
On Windows, the easiest way to get a compressed PDF file is to create a new Word document, or powerpoint presentation, select "save as PDF", and select the option minimum size before saving the file to your desktop.
And if it works well for text documents, the quality can suffer significantly if you use any design to make your document more interesting. You can also , and then export them in a compressed format, but again, the quality of the document will suffer.
Windows users have a very limited set of PDF compression tools at their disposal.Conventional Method optimizing and compressing your PDFs is the use of commercial products such as Adobe Acrobat Pro and InDesign, both of which provide high quality output and take advantage of a range of options if you have access to them as part of a Creative Cloud subscription. There are free desktop applications such as PrimoPDF, but when using them, I noticed that either the quality suffers, or the program significantly changes the file compared to the original.
Instead, you can use an online tool called SmallPDF, an online PDF toolkit application that you can use wherever you are, whenever you need it (and because it's an online application, you can use also on Mac, Linux, or Chromebook computers). One of these tools is Compress PDF, with which you can significantly reduce the size of your file by dropping it into an application or by selecting a file from your hard drive.
Aside from being a great design, SmallPDF can do a great job for a free tool.I tested the application using my 25MB PDF and it was compressed to 2MB, which is great for online publishing and mailing. The quality suffered a little, but it was quite acceptable, especially when compared to how other Windows applications designed for a similar task cope with it.
What do you think
What do you use to compress PDF files so that the quality of the images is preserved? Share your tools and techniques below in the comments.
Used sources: Document Icon - Designed by
