There are several reasons you’d need to compress PDF files, but the primary reason is to make the file smaller and therefore easier to share with others.
In its full format, a large PDF file may be too large to send by email or to upload to some file-sharing services. You can compress PDF files in two general ways, one of which requires some type of PDF software.
Compress PDF files Using Windows
Use Windows’ built-in system for compressing files to add the PDF to a ZIP file archive, which should reduce its size by approximately one-half.
To get started, locate the PDF file you want to compress, and then right click on it. Select “Send To>Compressed (Zipped) Folder” from the side context menu.
Windows will compress the file and create a ZIP file in the same directory or folder as the original file. Right-click on the compressed PDF file and select “Properties” to view the new file size to compare it to the old one.
Compress PDF Files Using Adobe Acrobat
If you own a copy of Adobe Acrobat, you can use its built-in feature for compressing PDF files. To get started, open the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat, and then click on “File.”
Click on “Save As,” and then click on “Reduced Size PDF.” Click on “OK,” and then give the compressed PDF file a name.
Other Methods for Compressing PDF Files
If you own software capable of editing PDF files, and the document is not yet locked, you can edit it using the software to reduce its size. Try making the images smaller using the software’s image selection tool, as images are one of the largest components of finished PDF files.
Depending on the software, you should also be able to set the PDF quality, which will directly affect the finished document’s final size.
There are also special tools and software programs specifically designed for reducing the file size of PDF documents. These programs work by reducing the quality of the PDF file, therefore the finished product may not have as high of a resolution as the uncompressed PDF.