Program to reduce pdf file online. How to reduce the size of a pdf file: compression methods and volume reduction

PDF files can be compressed for different purposes, or you need to reduce the PDF size for various reasons. Think about the CV you submit online and by mail. PDF files cannot be perceptibly large when mailed if you want the PDF file to reach the recipient. The mailbox is not always large and of course there is a risk that mailbox recipient will not accept your PDF file. Inexperienced users do not pay attention to file size. The resume PDF file can sometimes be very large if you don't pay attention to some points. Resume often contains images and that's why PDF files get big, this is something that is often left out because the user didn't pay enough attention to it when the file was created.

In case you want to take care of PDF size even though you've never done it before, don't worry, we've developed a small program that takes care of this task. This program is part of PDF24 Creator and is called PDF24 Compress. You can download latest version PDF24 Creator right now from this page. The program is free and used by millions of users. PDF24 Creator is a utility that solves the issues of creating PDF files.

Install PDF24 Compress

The PDF24 Compress utility is part of the PDF24 Creator. Download the free PDF24 Creator from this page, download and install the app. After downloading, just double click on the downloaded file. The installer will launch and guide you through the installation process. Once installed, you will be able to run the PDF24 compression program on your desktop. Click on the PDF24 icon.

Compress PDF files with PDF24 and reduce the size of PDF files

Launch PDF24 Compress. Open your PDF file that you need to reduce. To do this, use the appropriate icon or simply drag and drop it into the file list. Your PDF files will be displayed in this list.

This utility downloads a file and shows the current size and size after compression. Using the basic options, you can control the compression. Adjust the settings according to your preference. Information about each parameter is built into the utility. After setting the parameters, click the "Recalculate Size" icon to calculate the new file size. If the file size is within the range you expect, you can see the result and compare the quality with the original. If the compression result and quality are satisfactory, you can save your compressed PDF file. Otherwise, you just change the settings and then try again.

With PDF24 Compress you can reduce the file size significantly in some cases. Depending on the original file and the settings used, shrinking to more than half the size of the original is common.

Compress PDF Files Online

If you don't want to install any software, or if you need an online tool to reduce the size of PDF files, PDF24 is just as good. PDF24 provides you with various free online PDF utilities with which you can easily solve PDF problems. You can also cut PDF files with one of these utilities

Often there is a need reduce the size of a PDF document, which has already been created. For these purposes, the easiest way is to use Adobe Acrobat (Standard or Professional versions). For example, Adobe Acrobat 7.0 is now available for free download from the Adobe website (registration may be required). I draw your attention to the fact that for these purposes a regular PDF viewer (ie Acrobar Reader) is not suitable! You need a PDF editor.

For information. A PDF file cannot be reduced if it is made from vector objects, i.e. for example, from Microsoft Office text applications (Word, Excel) or AutoCAD - because vector graphics always take up a minimum of space, unlike raster graphics. That's why this decision will help you a lot most likely only when compressing SCAN documents to PDF, i.e. created from bitmaps.

So, open the PDF file that needs to be compressed, Go to the menu "File" - "Save as different" and choose the item "Reduced PDF File":

Next, you need to select the version with which the resulting compressed reduced PDF file will be compatible. The newer the version selected, the smaller the file size will be. But keep in mind that if you select "Acrobat 10.0 and above" for example, the file may not open in version 7, 8, or 9, ie. previous ones. But now most users use Acrobat Reader version 10 and above, so there shouldn't be any problems. And if not, then more new version PDF viewers can be freely downloaded and installed.

By the way, this opportunity can be used if necessary. reduce PDF size of multiple files at once! It is very convenient when there are a lot of them, so as not to open each one separately:

After pressing the "OK" button - select a location to save the finished reduced PDF file, and give it a name. Due to some quality loss, the document will take less space, than usual.

If you need to send a document, PDF– ideal format, compatible with several 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 e-mail. 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 select 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

Hello everyone, my dear friends and guests of my blog. Today I will show you how to compress a PDF file for sending or uploading to a website using special programs and online services. I have no doubt that you often work with PDFs, but sometimes there are times when they take up so much space that they exceed the allowable upload size. What then to do? Don't be sad. All these methods are absolutely free, so you don’t even have to worry about it.

First of all, I want to show you how you can reduce the size of a pdf file using online services without installing programs. Naturally, not everyone wants to install an additional application that will load the system, while one of these four services will come to our aid for free.

Small PDF

I'll start with my favorite service. It almost always helps me out, and it helps to reduce the file size without losing quality. At least it's not noticeable.

But I want to warn you right away that this does not mean that any size will be reduced by 5 times. If we get lucky. Everything depends on different factors.

Well, for those who are not familiar with this service, I say - you can make no more than two operations per hour. This is the limitation of the free version. But if you need to do more transactions, then the price for an unlimited monthly access will be simply ridiculous for you.

PDF Compressor

Another pretty good online service that has proven itself well.


Of course, the main disadvantage of this service is that it cannot work with too large files. When I tried to upload the previous 147 MB ​​file, I got an error about exceeding the size.

PDF2Go

Also a very cool service that helped me out a couple of times. I had no complaints while working with him.


As you can see, this document has been compressed even more powerfully than in the first case. Already not even 5, but 20 times. Of course, if such a small document is especially unnecessary for you, then you can put a better quality, for example, 150 or 300 dpi.

I talked more clearly about the three above services in this video.

PDFio

Well, the last one for today, I would like to consider the Pdfio service.


But sometimes this service may give you a message that our file is already incredibly well compressed and it will not further reduce its size. This is the main disadvantage. Therefore, I would not recommend that you use this thing in the first place.

Programs for working with PDF files

Well, now let's talk about individual applications that you will have to install. Of course, not everyone likes it, but the program will always be with you, even if the Internet is turned off.

Adobe Acrobat

Let's start with the official application from Adobe, which is the creator of the very pdf format and therefore fully focused on working with him.

  1. In order to compress the PDF file as much as possible, enter the program itself and open the document whose weight you want to reduce. To do this, click on the menu "File" - "Open".
  2. Now click again on the "File" menu, but now select the item "Save as different""Reduced PDF File".

After that, you will get a reduced size document. But Adobe Acrobat has another feature. Can choose "Optimized PDF File".

The difference between these two functions is that here you can adjust various settings so that you can see for yourself what you can donate, and what to a lesser extent. For example, you can reduce the quality, remove active links from the document, which also affect the weight, optimize for quick viewing online.

You can even apply custom downsampling for color and monochrome images (forced downsampling). Thus, lowering the quality of graphics in adobe acrobat, we also reduce the size.

Naturally, this is the most convenient way. True, its disadvantage is that you need to install a special paid program. But who am I kidding? With us, more than 95 percent of users (and even more) do not purchase a license. But in fact, the program can be downloaded from the official website and used for free for 7 days.

CutePDF

This is not quite a program, but rather an add-on with which you can save a PDF file from Adobe Acrobat Reader, in which this function is not available by default. If you still do not have an adobe reader, then download it for free from Adobe website. Just be careful, as the installer imposes McAfee antivirus. Remove all checkboxes.

First you need to download for free CutePDF Writer from the official site, then run the installer. Just don't try to find a program, it won't be there. Now follow the instructions exactly.


This add-on is pretty good considering it's free. But of all the options I have proposed, I like it the least. The fact is that in this way it will not always help you compress the PDF file to minimum size. Sometimes it turns out that the volume, on the contrary, also increases, especially if it initially takes less than 1 or 2 megabytes.

Archiving

Well, let me tell you about the most old fashioned way, which helped us out even at a time when there were no converters and online services. Many people forget that the file can be compressed using any archiver, for example, using the free 7-zip.

If you do not have a 7-zip archiver, then you can download it from here, then install it as a normal program.


Also, many email clients cannot send large files. On the other hand, the archiver can split one document into several parts that can be sent by mail and put together by a simple extraction.

I just tried to reduce a file that weighs 420 kb, as a result, I got an archive smaller than 300 kb. That is, archiving copes well even with small volumes, and after so many years, it does not lose its relevance. Naturally, this method is relevant for forwarding or sending by mail. And after the recipient receives the archive, he will unpack it and it will be in its original form.

You can read more about working with archivers.

Why reduce the size of documents?

As a rule, these actions are carried out in three cases:

  • To free up disk space. You yourself have seen how much space you can free up.
  • For forwarding. Many sites, programs and email clients do not accept large volumes for sending and are limited by some maximum size. Compression can help us with this.
  • Speed. The larger the document, the longer it takes to open. Sometimes, if the computer is weak, it can even lead to a freeze.

Sincerely, Dmitry Kostin.

Good day!

PDF files seem to be good for everyone, but they have one cornerstone ... The fact is that the size of some PDF files is far from the "ideal", often, when they weigh even 100÷500 MB, sometimes it reaches 1 GB! Moreover, such a file size is far from always justified: i.e. it does not have some very high-precision graphics that take up so much space.

Of course, when dealing with such a size, it is difficult to transfer it to other PCs, tablets, phones (for example, the phone simply may not have enough memory for a dozen of these files!) .

In such cases, you can "somewhat" reduce the size of the PDF by compressing it. By the way, you can compress different ways. Actually, this is what today's article will be about ...

By the way! If you delete some pages from PDF document- then you can reduce its size due to this. If this option suits you, then I recommend this note:

Method number 1: archiving

Perhaps the most simple and obvious is to add PDF files to the archive. Thus, sometimes, it is possible to significantly reduce the size they occupy. In addition, one archive file is much faster and more convenient to copy from one PC to another. (rather than a dozen or even a hundred PDFs) .

Addition! Best free archivers for Windows -

To send a file to the archive - just 1-2 mouse clicks are enough. For example, in such a popular archiver as 7-Zip (you can also find it at the link above) : just right-click on the file and select from the menu that appears "Add to archive..." . See screenshot below.

Actually, my file was compressed almost 3 times! An example is below.

Advantages of the method:

  • after unpacking the archive, the PDF file does not lose its quality;
  • ZIP archive formats can open most modern ;
  • one archive file (in which there are hundreds of PDFs) is copied much faster than doing it with the same files without adding them to the archive.

The disadvantages of the method:

  • to open a file, you need to extract it from the archive (and not all PCs/phones/tablets may have the required archiver installed);
  • not all files compress equally well: one can be compressed very decently, another - by 0.5%...
  • when choosing some archive formats, it may take a long time to pack the files.

Method #2: Compress with Downscaling (DPI)

DPI is the number of dots per inch. The more dots per inch - the higher the quality of the displayed image (and the more the file weighs). Naturally, when re-saving a PDF file, you can specify a new number of dots per inch (DPI) and thereby reduce the file size (along with its quality).

However, I’ll note right away that it’s far from always that with a decrease in DPI, the quality of the picture worsens (in many cases you won’t notice a difference by eye!).

It is possible to do such a procedure in many programs : Adobe Acrobat (not to be confused with Adobe Reader), Fine Reader, Cute PDF Writer, Libre Office, etc. Here are a couple of free examples...

1) LibreOffice ()

Good and free office suite (I have previously recommended it as an alternative to MS Office). It has a DRAW program in its arsenal, which can easily and naturally make changes to PDF (including changing DPI). Let's take a closer look...

To launch DRAW - launch Libre Office, and select "DRAW Drawing" from the menu.

A window will open with many options for saving. Here you can change the compression quality, resolution (DPI) and other parameters. In general, I have highlighted the most necessary on the screen below.

After setting the parameters - click the export button to create a new file.

Fast, simple and easy! Is not it?

2) CutePDF Writer ()

This free program after setting "creates" a separate special line when printing a document (with the necessary properties for compression) ...

Those. install it, then open some PDF file, say, in Adobe Reader (you can also use any other program for PDF reader) and press "Print" (combination Ctrl + P).

Then choose instead of a real printer the line " CutePDF Writer", and open its "Properties".

Properties of CutePDF Writer

After you need to open the print quality tab and go to "Advanced".

Here you can set the print quality in DPI (and other parameters).

NOTE.

By the way, you need to install both files that are available on the official website of the program!

Pros of the method:

  • do not lose compatibility (the file then remains the same PDF);
  • the operation is quite fast;
  • the operation "by changing the DPI" can be carried out by dozens of different programs.

Cons of the method:

  • in some cases, the quality drops a lot (for example, if you are dealing with schemes and high-quality portfolios, this option is most likely not suitable).

Method number 3: converting to DjVU format

The DjVU format, on average, provides stronger compression than PDF. And I must admit that DjVU is one of the few formats that really competes with it.

To convert from PDF to DjVU, in my opinion, it is most preferable to use one small utility - PdfToDjvuGUI .

PdfToDjvuGUI

Of. website: http://www.trustfm.net/software/utilities/PdfToDjvuGUI.php

Note: Please note that the utility sometimes incorrectly reads the "names" of files written in Russian.

PDF to DjVU - a small utility

Using it is very simple: just add the desired file (Add PDF), set the settings (you can not touch anything) and click the button "Generate DjVU". A "black" window should appear for a while, after which the program will inform you that the file has been converted.

By the way, Djvu file the program will place it in the same folder where the original PDF was located. See the screenshot below as an example. Without changing the quality (and the program allows you to change the DPI), we managed to reduce the space occupied by the file by almost 2 times!

PS

Below are a few more online servicesthat can do a similar conversion operation.

Advantages of the method:

  • maximum file compression (i.e. saving disk space!);
  • the file can be immediately opened in the reader, just as you do with PDF (i.e. it is not an archive).

The disadvantages of the method:

  • large files require significant time to convert;
  • quality may be "lost" during conversion (so check important graphics manually to see how they are compressed);
  • DjVU format is supported by fewer programs than PDF.

Method #4: Using Online Tools

Great site for fast compression and conversion from one format to another. Files up to 20-30 Mb in size are processed literally within 10-15 seconds! The service does not touch the document markup, links, menus, and other elements. Compression occurs due to graphics (that is, the PDI parameter).

Another universal service for quickly converting PDF to DjVU, or for compressing PDF without changing the format. The result can not only be downloaded to your PC, but also immediately sent to a cloud drive: Google Drive, Dropbox...

There are 3 compression levels available on the service: minimum, normal and extreme. It works very fast, it processes files up to 3-040 MB in 5-10 seconds. (at least that was the case with my dozen test files) .

The files have been compressed // Service "I love DPF"

I also note that on this service you can split a PDF file into several parts, convert it to other formats, merge several PDFs, etc. In general, a rather multifunctional service, I recommend it for review!

Advantages:

  • there is no need to install any programs on your computer;
  • services can be used even from mobile devices;
  • as a rule, compression of small files on services is faster.

Flaws:

  • confidentiality (I think not everyone will dare to send some of their documents to an unfamiliar service);
  • the need to upload / download files to the service (if the Internet is not very fast and there are a lot of files, this will turn into a "headache").

Suggestions on the subject are welcome...