You can compress a PDF file to make it smaller and easier to share. Compressing a PDF helps reduce its size and download time, but it can also degrade the quality of the content in some cases. Fortunately, there are several ways to compress PDF files while maintaining high-quality images and text that don’t require special software or code knowledge.
Save your PDF file as a JPEG
If you have a PDF file that’s full of images, then JPEG is a good choice for compressing it. JPEG is a lossy format, meaning some information in the Image will be lost during compression. However, JPEG typically yields satisfactory results if the Image has large areas of flat color or photographs and was scanned from the film (such as from 35mm negatives or slides).
Convert your PDF image to black and white
Another technique you can use is to convert your PDF image to black and white. The great thing about this method is that it’s super easy and can be done with minimal effort. To start off, open up your PowerPoint document or Word file and go to Image>Adjustments>Black & White.
This will remove all the color from your Image and allow you to compress it more effectively than if it were still in color form. You can also do this by using the “black and white” setting in Word under Format>Document Setup.
Compress PDF files in Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Acrobat Pro is a paid software that allows users to compress PDF files. However, Adobe Acrobat also has a free alternative with similar features: Adobe Acrobat Standard. Not only does this program allow you to compress PDF files, it also allows you to edit and protect them as well.
Edit the font settings
Use a font size of 12 or less. Use a font that is not complex (e.g., in the case of Adobe Acrobat, if you want to use Times New Roman, you should change its name to ‘Times’). Do not use fonts that are in italics, bold, or all caps because they will look less clear on screen than regular fonts and make your PDF file larger.
Also Read: 5 Things You Should Know About Collaborative Learning and Its Benefits
A low-resolution PDF is easier to compress
The easiest way to compress a PDF file is to reduce the Image’s resolution. This can be done by reducing the number of pages, page size, font size and image quality.
If you are using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC software, then you can use its built-in tools to compress your PDF documents. Adobe Acrobat experts say, “Use the PDF compressor to make large files smaller and easier to share.” For example, reduce the number of pages in a document from 200 to 100 with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. It will automatically reduce the resolution of each page and thus make it easier for you to save space on your hard drive. Similarly, reducing other options, such as page size or font size, will result in smaller files being created, which reduces their overall size considerably!
Deleting unwanted objects
You can easily remove objects from your Image by using the Delete key on your keyboard. This will completely remove that object from the page, so be careful not to accidentally delete things you don’t mean to (like an important part of a diagram).