How to Compress a PDF File for Free?

Are you struggling with large PDF files that are taking up too much space on your computer or are too big to email? Don’t worry! In this comprehensive guide, we will show you four easy tricks to compress your PDF files and make them smaller and more portable. Whether you’re using a PC or a Mac, there are simple methods to reduce the file size of your PDFs without compromising their quality. So let’s dive in and learn how to compress a PDF file for free!

Using Adobe Online Compressor

Adobe offers a free online PDF compression tool that makes it easy to reduce the size of large PDF files. Follow these steps to compress your PDF using Adobe’s online compressor:

1. Go to https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html in a web browser.
2. Drag your PDF to the box or click Select a file and double-click the PDF file you want to compress.
3. Select a compression amount. Choose from options like High, Medium, or Low depending on your desired file size and quality.
4. Click Compress to start the compression process.
5. Click the Download button to save your compressed PDF.

Using Adobe’s online compressor is a quick and convenient way to reduce the size of your PDF files without installing any software on your computer. However, please note that this tool will not work if the PDF is encrypted.

Using Preview on Mac

If you’re using a Mac, you can compress a PDF using the built-in Preview app. Follow these steps to compress your PDF using Preview:

1. Open your PDF in Preview. Double-click the PDF file or open Preview and select File > Open… to choose the file.
2. Click File in the menu bar and select Export…. A dialog box will appear.
3. Select Reduce File Size from the Quartz Filter menu.
4. Choose a location to save the PDF and click Save.

Preview’s Reduce File Size option will compress your PDF and create a smaller file size while retaining its quality. This method is especially useful if you don’t have access to Adobe Acrobat Pro or other PDF compression software.

Using Adobe Acrobat Pro

If you have a subscription to Adobe Acrobat Pro, you can use its built-in tools to compress any PDF file on your PC or Mac. Here’s how to compress a PDF using Adobe Acrobat Pro:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro on your computer.
2. Click the Tools tab in the top-left corner.
3. Open the Optimize PDF tool by clicking the drop-down menu under “Protect & Standardize” and selecting Open. The Open dialog will appear.
4. Select the PDF you want to compress and click Open.
5. Click Reduce File Size in the toolbar above the PDF preview.
6. Choose a compatibility option and click OK.
7. Save the compressed PDF file by either overwriting the existing file or saving it with a new name and location.

Adobe Acrobat Pro offers advanced compression options that allow you to fine-tune the file size and quality of your PDFs. It’s a powerful tool for users who work with PDF files regularly and need precise control over the compression process.

Using Microsoft Word

Did you know that you can compress a PDF file using Microsoft Word? If you have a Word document that you want to convert into a compressed PDF, follow these steps:

1. Open the document in Microsoft Word.
2. Click the File menu and select either Export or Save As, depending on your version of Word.
3. Choose PDF as the file format or Save As type.
4. Select an optimization option like Minimum size (Windows) or Best for electronic distribution and accessibility (Mac).
5. Name the PDF and choose a folder to save it in.
6. Click Publish (PC) or Export (Mac) to save the compressed PDF.

Microsoft Word’s built-in PDF conversion feature allows you to create compressed PDF files directly from your Word documents. It’s a convenient option for users who are already familiar with Word and want a simple way to compress their PDFs.

Conclusion

Compressing a PDF file can significantly reduce its size and make it more manageable for sharing and storage. Whether you choose to use Adobe’s online compressor, Preview on Mac, Adobe Acrobat Pro, or Microsoft Word, there are various methods available to help you compress your PDFs effectively. Experiment with different compression options to find the balance between file size and quality that suits your needs. Now that you have learned these easy tricks, you can confidently compress your PDF files and enjoy the benefits of smaller and more portable documents.

Remember, compressing a PDF file is just one step in optimizing your digital workflow. If you want to learn more about working with PDFs or other tech-related topics, check out our other informative articles and guides. Happy compressing!

Additional Information

• Even if you don’t have a subscription to Adobe Acrobat Pro, you can still use Adobe’s online PDF compressor for free.
• If you’re concerned about the quality of your compressed PDF, choose the Medium compression option as it strikes a balance between file size and quality.
• Preview on Mac is a versatile tool that not only allows you to compress PDFs but also offers other useful features for viewing, editing, and annotating PDF files.
• Microsoft Word’s PDF compression feature is an excellent option if you’re already working with Word documents and want a simple way to create compressed PDFs.

You have faced some difficulty while uploading a PDF file to certain websites as they have limited the file size. On a daily basis, you face many instances when you have to send a PDF file to someone. But when you try to send a PDF file the website has restricted the file size.

With this restriction, you are unable to upload or send a large PDF file to someone. The best PDF reader Adobe Acrobat DC offers a feature to compress a file, but only in the paid version.

You can avail free seven days trial for Adobe Acrobat DC premium but after seven days you have to pay for the service.

Fortunately, there are some other ways and methods through which we can compress a large PDF file into a compact size. These methods will work for both and macOS and for windows as well.

So, Let’s have a look at How to Compress a PDF file into a compact size.

Compress Online:

Apart from the Adobe Acrobat DC, Adobe offers a free online PDF compressor tool that anyone can use with the help of a web browser. This online compressor tool supports up to 2GB of files which is more than enough for most users. Users can compress a file of up to three levels, i.e. High level, Medium, and Low level. To compress a file follow the steps.

Visit Adobe Acrobat Online PDF Compressor.

Click on “Select a File” to upload a file from your PC. You can also use the drag and drop option to upload a file on the site.

Once you upload a file, choose the level of compression from high, medium, or low.

Click on “Compress” at the bottom to start the compression.

Once the process will complete, click the “Download” button to save the file on your PC.

Compress the file in macOS:

You can use the above method in your macOS as well but apple offers a built-in PDF compressor in the macOS to compress the file.

Open the PDF file in a “Preview Mode”.

Select File > Export File > Export as. This step is needed if you want to save the file with a different name than the original file.

Select “PDF” as a format.

Select “Reduce File Size” from the drop-down menu.

Then click on “Save” to store the file.

With Wondershare:

Just like Adobe, Wondershare also offers a free tool to compress a file. It offers a HiPDF website, a chrome extension, and an offline file compressor.

HiPDF also offers the same three-level of compression(High, Medium, and low). Its only downside against Adobe is it only allows files of up to 10 MB and of a maximum of 50 pages. If you want to compress the file for free, then you can only compress two files in a day. Users can also choose the premium version to end all the restrictions on HiPDF. To use the service follow the steps,

Visit the HiPDF compression page.

Click on the  “Choose File” button. You can also use the drag and drop option to upload a file.

Select the level of compression.

Click on “Compress” to start the process.

Click “Download” to save the file to your PC.

Experiencing difficulties with your Device, check out our “How To” page on how to resolve some of these issues.