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

If you've been around PDF files often, you know that sometimes they can be quite heavy with images or other graphics. Fortunately, there are now many ways to compress any type of file, including PDF documents.

In this article I will tell you a couple of ways to reduce the size of PDF files. If you have Adobe Acrobat (not free), then this is much easier, but we will only use free methods.

Method 1 - SmallPDF.com

This is the easiest way to make your PDF file smaller. Using this free service you can also convert PDF to: Word, PTT, JPG. In general, the functionality is very extensive, but we will return to our goal.

So, go to the website smallpdf.com. Next, select the language at the bottom of the screen.

Next, click on “ PDF Compression».

Now you need to either drag your document to the appropriate area, or select it in the standard way.

Then we wait a few seconds until the file is uploaded to the server and compression takes place. Upon completion, you will receive the following message (see screenshot below).

To download an already reduced PDF file, click the " You can save the file" By the way, the service works with Google and DropBox cloud storage, which is very convenient. You can upload files from the clouds, as well as move already compressed documents to them.

As you can see in the screenshot below, using this online service we were able to reduce the file size from 5.46 MB to 3.1 MB. Pretty good compression, and it's free

Among other online services, I would also recommend using pdfcompressor.com/ru/ or convertio.co/ru/compress-pdf/. I especially liked the last service; if you select a high compression ratio, the document size will decrease by 15-20%, although there is no significant loss in quality.

Method 2 – PDF Compressor Program

A wonderful free program for compressing documents in PDF format. You can download it on the official website pdfcompressor.org. We install and start working with the program. First you need to upload the file, to do this, click on the “ Add file"or simply drag the PDF into the central area of the window.

Then click on the button “ Start Compression" After 10-15 seconds we will get the result.

The result did not console me, since my document was compressed by only 1 KB. But if you work with files larger than 20 MB, then the PDF reduction occurs by 30-40%.

Compression using PDF Compressor is good because the document does not lose quality. It is also useful that in this program you can work with PDF documents in batch mode, compressing 100 or more files at a time.

Method 3 – Free PDF Compressor

Free and easy to use program. You can download it from freepdfcompressor.com. After installation, go directly to compression.

Upload the document by clicking on the " Browse" in the first line. In the second line we indicate the path where the compressed PDF file will be saved.

Next, select the compression format. Of the five presented, I recommend installing “ Printer..." In this mode, compression occurs with minimal loss of quality (purely my observation).

Now all you have to do is click on the " Compress"and wait until the program finishes processing each page of your document.

The question of reducing the file size in pdf format is often raised by active computer users. This is due to the large weight of the scanned images. Because of this, the document takes up hundreds of megabytes on disk. Let's look at the problem in more detail.

Using Adobe Reader

You can reduce the size of your document using the free version of Adobe Acrobat Reader. The compression feature is only available with a paid subscription. The utility is installed without any problems, so let’s get straight to work.

From the initial menu, go to the “File” tab. Click on “Open” and select the document. In this example, we will use a textbook weighing 69.9 MB. It consists entirely of scanned pages of the printed publication. You can also open a document by clicking on it in the file manager. Go to the menu shown in the screenshot.

Leave the default values in the called window. Select a location to save the compressed pdf. The example file now weighs 33.3 MB. The compression was carried out for about two minutes. The quality of the images has deteriorated. This may not be noticeable on a website or computer. 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, the optimizer will help. 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 (pixels per inch). Highly not recommended for printing. It is recommended when placing illustrations on the site. Below you can set the compression type. ZIP is used for simple images with a predominance of one color. JPEG - for any images. Its improved version is JPEG2000.

After setting, select a location to save the file. Let's compare the quality of the optimized document and the original. On the left is the original file, on the right is the compressed file.

Changes in quality are invisible even when the image is enlarged three times.

Using third party software

PDF Compressor is suitable as a free analogue.

The intuitive interface and light 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 work area.

To optimize, click “Start Compression”. The button is located at the top center. First you need to set the compression parameters by clicking the “Compression Settings” button.

After opening the settings menu, you will be notified about purchasing a license. It is needed to fine-tune the compression. Click “Continue” and check the boxes in the “Compression” and “Optimization” tabs. Close the window and click “Start Compression”.

During the compression process, the weight of the example textbook decreased from 69.9 MB to 56.9 MB. Let's compare the quality. On the left is the document before optimization, on the right is after.

The result is worse than Adobe Acrobat Reader. There is now noticeable distortion in the compressed file. The advantage of the program is that you can compress the file absolutely free. As a result - worse quality and larger size. The utility logo is also added to the first page.

Using WinRAR

WinRAR is a 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. The original can be retrieved from the archive at any time.

The utility work area displays your computer's file system. Select the folder to create the archive. Click on “Add”. The button is in the upper left corner. Here is the archive settings menu.

We are interested in the “Compression method” drop-down list in the “General” tab.

Their names speak for themselves. High-speed, less time-consuming, also has a low compression ratio. Maximum has the opposite characteristics.

Documents are added from the “Files” tab.

The file from the example was compressed in a few seconds. The file weight has changed from 69.9 MB to 68.3 MB. Conclusion: WinRAR does not work well with pdf files. The advantage of the program is that 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 clicking the big red “Select PDF files” button. An explorer will open where we specify the path to the pdf document.

After selecting it below, the compression settings will appear. They don't need any comments. Let's leave the recommended parameters. At the very bottom there is a “Compress PDF” button. Let's click on it.

After the compression process, we get to a new page and click on the big red button again.

In the screenshot above we were also informed about changes in document weight. 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 don’t need to download or install anything. Let's compare the quality. On the left is the optimized document, on the right is the original.

A slight loss of quality is noticeable; it does not affect the perception of information.

Using the SmallPdf online service

This service allows you to download files from Google Drive or DropBox. From a computer, documents are sent through Explorer or by dragging a file into a browser window.

Click on the big red button. To reduce the file size in pdf format, you don't need to click anything. It happens immediately 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 (adjacent buttons). The illustration shows the volume of the compressed document. The file size has changed from 69.9 MB to 59.2 MB. Slightly more than the previous service. Let's check the quality. On the left is the compressed pdf, on the right is the original.

SmallPdf was able to compress the file with virtually no loss of quality. The downside of the service is the lack of compression settings.

To conclude, archivers do not work well with PDF documents, and the best compression method is online services and the standard Adobe tool.

If you need to send a document, PDF– an ideal format compatible with multiple operating systems (including Windows, Mac and Linux). PDF files are not only versatile, but they are also quite secure, allowing users to assign passwords for particularly sensitive documents.

However, one notable disadvantage for PDF files is their size. PDF files can often be bulky, making them difficult to send via email. Luckily, there are a number of tools you can use to reduce the size of these files.

Reduce PDF file size

One simple and effective way 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

It is also worth paying 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 application View (Preview).

Open the file PDF by using Preview and go to menu File > Export.

Select 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 on the Internet 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. Then you can download the new compressed file.

The file compression process itself consists of two stages. Go to Smallpdf and drag your file into the box using your mouse or click Choose file (Select a file) to find and download the 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 create PDF files easily. 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 PDF Creator virtual printer (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

Many PC users face the problem of not knowing how to reduce the size of a PDF document so that it becomes more compact. This article will clear up any doubts you might have about choosing a desktop converter program or an online service to compress a PDF file.

PDF (from Portable Document Format) is a format created by Adobe Systems using the capabilities of the PostScript language. It is platform independent and is designed to present printed products, documentation and presentations in electronic form.

PDF documents are suitable for exchanging information between users around the world.

Advantages of the PDF format:

cross-platform - the document can be seen as it was created, regardless of the platform;
compact, supports many information compression algorithms;
machine independence (it can be printed on a printer and printing unit);
multimedia (supports videos and audio tracks, hypertext elements, as well as page previews);
safety. File creators can set security options, including the ability to lock (open, edit, or print after entering a password).

You can open a PDF document using the free version of Adobe Reader or a plugin available in most browsers. Google Chrome supports this format even without installing the plugin. Editing a PDF file is possible in the paid version of Adobe Reader. Many programs have also been developed for this format and converting documents from it.

PDF files can include photographs, text information, forms, etc. The appearance of the displayed document does not depend on the type of platform: in Windows and Mac OS it will look the same both on the screen and when printed.

Why do you need to compress PDF files?

The size of a PDF file often reaches tens of megabytes due to the volume and abundance of graphic elements. This can cause difficulties when sending files by e-mail or when placing them in cloud storage.

Let's consider free tools for compressing a PDF file and reducing its size: online services, as well as applications for Windows.

Are you looking for a way to compress a PDF document? From our article you will learn how to reduce the size of a PDF file and choose the appropriate option.

Using converters

CutePDF will allow you to convert a printable file into PDF and reduce it to the required size.

Install CutePDF by downloading it for free from the official website. First, the document should be opened in a program that supports the PDF format, with the ability to print. It is better to do this in Adobe Reader or Microsoft Word. Click on "File" and then "Print".

When opening the window with settings for printing, select CutePDF Writer from the list of printers.

Hover your mouse over “Printer Properties”, in the window go to “Advanced” and make a choice in what quality its contents will be displayed. To compress a file, set a quality level lower than the original document. Click on "Print" and then save to PDF.

Adobe Reader Pro DC

First, open the document in Adobe Acrobat DC, click on “File” in the menu, “Save as another” and then on “File in reduced size PDF format”.

Then you need to select programs from the drop-down list with which the document is required to be compatible. If you choose the latest version, you will be able to compress the file as much as possible, but there is a risk that the recipient will not be able to open it in older versions of the program.

After clicking "OK", wait for the compression procedure to complete, and then you can save the file to the desired location.

The same method is advisable to use if the file is located on Google Drive and you need to download it, having first reduced the size.

Go to Google Drive, double-click on the PDF file you want to compress, and then on the printer symbol to open the print screen.

In the new window that opens in front of you, select Adobe PDF from the drop-down list. By clicking on the “Properties” button, you will see a new window in which you should go to the “Paper and Print Quality” tab, and then to the “Advanced” button at the bottom of the window.

Select the file quality in the drop-down list, click “OK” at the bottom of the window, then “OK” in 2 more windows. Save the document on your computer.

Microsoft Word

How to reduce pdf file size using Word and Acrobat?

This method consists of converting a file from format 1 to format 2, and then converting it back.

First, you should open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat, in the “File” menu, click on “Save As”, “Select another folder”, specify the file type “*.docx” and the location where it will be located on the PC. After clicking the “Save” button, open the document in Word, select “File” and “Save as Adobe PDF”.

PDF Compressor

Using PDF Compressor, you can reduce a PDF file for publication on a website, social network and sending by e-mail. This service will not reduce document density (DPI); clarity is maintained when scaling and printing.

By clicking on the “Download” button, you can select up to 2 dozen files. You can drag them to the download area and wait for the processes to complete. Download compressed documents by clicking on their icons, or all files as a ZIP archive.

Archiving

To make the file take up less space on your PC, you can archive it using one of the popular programs: WinRAR or 7Zip.

To compress a document using 7Zip, hover the right mouse button over the file and the left mouse button over the 7Zip line, select “Add to “file_name””, and the archive will appear on the screen. Before compression begins, you can specify some characteristics by selecting “Add to archive.”

Using an archiver, you can compress a file or create an archive of several documents, which will make it easier to send them by e-mail. Before sending the archive to the recipient, you need to check whether he has this archiver installed.

Online converters

Smallpdf online service

This service is simple in functionality, but has additional features: importing a document from Dropbox or Google Drive, and then saving it to cloud storage after completing the online compression procedure.

This service is pre-configured to compress the file up to 144 dpi, so different compression rates are possible. For example, a file whose size is 6 Megabytes can be compressed by 2 times, and the quality will not decrease.

But it happens that a file whose size is 100 megabytes will be compressed to 88 megabytes due to the use of elementary file size reduction algorithms.

iLovePDF

In iLovePDF, you can upload a document from your own PC, as well as from the cloud service Dropbox or Google Drive, and then select the compression level. The higher the compression ratio used, the worse the quality of the output file. A 100 MB file with maximum compression is compressed to 50 MB.

PDF files are quickly compressed for free, without restrictions on using the service, with automatic removal from the service within an hour. The limitation of the service is to download 1 file at a time.

Free PDF Compressor

This program is not regularly updated, but it works perfectly on Windows 10, Windows XP, etc. If online tools are not available, Free PDF Compressor can be useful.

Free PDF Compressor will give you the opportunity to choose 1 of 5 presets for compressing a PDF file. Specify the parameters, the path to the saved file and select “Compress”.

PDF optimization

You can open the document in Adobe Acrobat. By clicking on “File” in the menu, click on “Save as Other”, and then on “Optimized PDF File”.

In the PDF Optimization window, click on Estimate Space Usage. After its implementation, you will understand what and by how much percent you can compress. Then you should close the window by clicking “OK” and select compression characteristics. Using the left mouse button, click on the selected compression level, and on the right, change the characteristics to achieve the required level of quality.

You can delete photos, convert them to black and white, compress them, change resolution, change fonts, etc., and then save the document to the desired folder.

Please note that many conversion and compression programs can be downloaded for free on official websites.

Choose a program or online service based on your needs for the quality and degree of document compression.

When choosing the version of the format in which you save the file, make allowances for the fact that the recipient may not have the latest version of the program and, therefore, will not be able to access the document you sent.

Conclusion

On many modern PCs, hard drives are several terabytes in size. However, every megabyte is valuable if you need to quickly transfer a file by email or post it on the Internet. We hope that you found all the information you needed about compressing a PDF file, and you were able to use our recommendations.

PDF files have been and still are an extremely popular document format for a long time. Moreover, the ability to edit pdf files is much weaker than other office documents, such as DOC or DOCX in Microsoft Word, ODG in LibreOffice Writer.

Yet PDF is used by a huge number of computer users. Sometimes the size of a pdf file takes several kilobytes, but more often the size can reach several tens of megabytes due to the large number of pages with heavy graphic elements. This can pose certain difficulties when trying to send pdf files by email or upload them to cloud file storage.

To help you reduce the size of your pdf file, in this article I will review free tools that will help you compress the file and reduce its size. Among such tools, I will present online services and individual Windows applications. If you have your own options for cool pdf compressors, please recommend them in the comments.

If you're looking for a quick and easy way to make your PDF files smaller without the need for complex manipulation, then Smallpdf is for you. This is an online service that is easy to use, allowing you to simply drag and drop files onto the service and perform compression. This is really handy when you need to be able to periodically compress files from anywhere.

Smallpdf online service

While the service is fairly basic in its functionality, it does have some additional features, such as the ability to import a file from Google Drive or Dropbox and save it back to the cloud once the compression operation is complete. The only downside is that there is a limit of 2 PDF compressions per hour. If you want more, you'll have to fork out $6 a month.

Compression results are mixed. The service is configured to compress a PDF file to 144 dpi without specifying any settings. Hence the different compression ratios. For example, a 5.72 MB source file can be compressed to 3.17 MB in size without any loss in viewing quality, which is not bad at all. However, it also happens that a file of 96.98 MB is compressed to only 87.12 MB. This once again proves that the Smallpdf service uses the simplest algorithms to reduce the size of a pdf file. However, if you just want a smaller file size, then Smallpdf is definitely for you.

iLovePDF

Platform: online

Another online service, but one that offers a little more compression options. iLovePDF allows you to upload a file from the system, Google Drive or Dropbox, and then choose one of three compression levels. The more compression you apply, the worse the quality of the output PDF file will be. But this also means that the output file will be smaller.

Online service iLovePDF

Using the same file as in the first case, 97 MB in size and applying extreme compression, I was able to compress it to 50.29 MB, i.e. cutting it by more than half is an excellent result.

I was able to download any pdf files; They compress quite quickly, and besides, I did not notice any restrictions regarding how many times the service could be used. The only limitation of the service is downloading one file at a time.

Files are automatically deleted from the service after about an hour. This limitation can hardly be called serious. During this time, you can have time to download the resulting pdf file to your computer or send it to the cloud.

If you are looking for an online PDF compressor that compresses PDF files as efficiently as possible without significant loss of quality, try iLovePDF.

Free PDF Compressor

Platform: Windows, offline

This lightweight compressor does what you need it to do and nothing more. Although it is not updated regularly, it works great on Windows 10 and previous operating systems up to Windows XP. If online tools are unavailable to you for various reasons, then Free PDF Compressor may be useful to you.

Free PDF Compressor

Free PDF Compressor allows you to choose one of five presets to compress a PDF file. Just select the compression setting, select the path to the pdf file where the output file will be saved and click the button Compress.

My 97 MB file was compressed to 50 MB using the first compression setting. The process was faster than online services. Although, perhaps this is due to the installed hardware in the computer.

PDF Compressor

Platform: Windows, offline

If none of the above tools suits you, try PDF Compressor. Judging by the information on the resource provided, the application is guaranteed to work on Windows XP/Vista/7/8. But after checking how it works on Windows 10, I was convinced that this operating system is quite suitable for PDF Compressor.

Unlike competitors, you can compress more than one file at a time, and even more: you can specify a file with a list of PDF files that you want to compress, or specify an entire folder with files.

PDF Compressor

The only caveat to PDF Compressor is that sometimes the application in free mode can be ineffective in compression. Our 97 MB file lost just over 15 MB, which is not much compared to competitors. But it’s worth changing the compression parameters and a pdf file from 97 MB left only 46 MB - this is the best result. It’s a pity that all compressor settings are only in the paid version.

Other ways to reduce the size of a pdf file

Compressing a PDF by changing its quality is one way to reduce file size, but it is not the only way. You can delete pages or archive the pdf in ZIP. The 4 methods above will help you choose the most suitable one and reduce PDF files quickly and with minimal loss in quality.

What free tools do you use to achieve this goal?