Sometimes you may need to reduce a PDF file to the desired size, for example, to make sure that the document can be accepted by the court system and sent to the electronic archive. There are a number of rules to follow. They are related to the file sizes and the auxiliary system that certain companies use. In addition, there must be a certain file size, most often up to 35 MB. It is a good idea to compress PDF files to reduce their size. Especially when it contains photos and other high-resolution elements. If you follow simple steps, you can easily convert documents that feature hundreds of pages.
Determining the Size of a PDF Document
Initially, you need to know the size of the file. If you are using Adobe Acrobat, checking the size is easy. You need to click on “File” and then go to “Properties”. You’ll be able to see a lot of information about the document, including its size. You can also click and select “Properties” in the folder that contains your document. Accordingly, KB is kilobytes. A 1 megabyte is 1,000 KB. The document must be up to 35 MB in size. Many tools have this restriction.
Files that are large take longer to load. Because of this, it is inconvenient to transfer them electronically, especially via email. Files that are large in size will quickly use up file storage. Therefore, you need to look for how to compress PDF documents.
Tips for Reducing the Size of PDF Documents
You can work with different software products but it often happens that after compression the file still has a large size. You can fix this by using some proven methods. There are some useful tips to help you reduce PDF files:
- Avoid scanning. It is a popular mistake to create and combine multiple documents into one file and scan it. Converted files in electronic form are smaller than scanned files. Scan only those documents that you have in paper form. The remaining documents can be converted electronically, keeping the format you want. Individual documents can be merged using programs such as Adobe Acrobat.
- After conversion, save the file as a ” PDF of reduced size”. If the file is still large afterward, there are some steps you can take. The easiest way is to resave the file to the correct size. The latest version of Adobe Acrobat is used for such purposes. Open the file in it to reduce the size, choose “Save as other ” and then “PDF of reduced size”. You can select the folder where you want to save the compressed document. These are popular and quick methods but be aware that using them will reduce the quality of your images. Digital signatures will also be removed.
- Adobe Acrobat PDF optimizer. Used when you need a lot of control over all the elements. In such a case, it is best to choose the PDF optimizer. Beforehand you should check the use of file space, and check fonts, and images. The results will help you understand where it is better to reduce the size of the file. Start optimizing, then save the file.
- Reducing the size when saving to Word. Some versions of Word provide the possibility to convert a PDF file using the Save As option. You can use this option to create a small file but you need to consider the number of images in the document. If the PDF file is still too large after conversion, you can use some options in Word. For this purpose, you need to select the file that you want to convert. Click on “File”. Then click on “Save As”. In the menu of the file type, choose a name. You will see a dialog box. At the bottom, there is a function Optimize where you have to choose the Minimum Size. Keep in mind that in newer versions of Microsoft Word may not have this function. Then you will need to choose another compression tool that is suitable to reduce PDF.
- A tool for printing in PDF. Many tools, with the exception of Adobe, usually have features that can be used to reduce the size of a PDF file. If you need a free option, check out the programs available. The most popular is PrimoPDF. It is very easy to use. You need to open the PDF file you want to compress and press Ctrl+P. After that, a print dialog box will open. Then click on PrimoPDF in the list of available printers and choose to create PDF. This method, like most others, reduces the quality and resolution of images. Keep this in mind when you work with documents.
- Adobe’s online tool for compressing PDF files. Even if you don’t use Adobe to manage your files, that shouldn’t stop you from using a free online tool to reduce the size of a PDF file. The drag-and-drop interface is very simple. You can also use the file selector tool to quickly find the document on your device. After compressing it, load the document back up. This method can also affect the reduction in quality.
You can use PandaDoc software to work with such files. The software has a free trial version, so you can determine how well this software suits you. If you reduce the number of email rejections when submitting documents, you can improve the file download.
The file size is not the only problem with any electronic filing.
The most common reasons for rejection can always be prevented. To this end, it is recommended to use additional software and different compression tools. For example, PDFPlatform and many others. There are different free tools to choose from, taking into account your needs. Pay attention to the availability of a test version to determine how suitable the chosen tool is for you.
