Optimise and reduce the size of PDF’s

We all use PDF and often the size isn’t too much of a concern however when it comes to website performance and user convenience, the smaller your file is the better.

Please find sections below for compressing PDFs on Windows, Mac and online.

Optimising PDFs on Windows

There is no built-in PDF optimiser for Windows however there are many third-party options, some paid, some free. FREE PDF Compressor is a free version that looks to do the job nicely.

Once installed it’s easy to use. Simply browse your Windows PC for the PDF to be optimised and then select a compression ratio. These can be quite aggressive and reduce the file size greatly but at the cost of quality. Test a few compression ratios and check the results. The software doesn’t consume or overwrite the original file so if you find it’s compressed too much or if you’d like to try another ratio, you can!

Optimising PDFs on Mac

Your Mac conveniently comes with software to both view and reduce the size of your PDFs. Firstly you’ll need to open the PDF in a program called Preview. Now export the file and change the Quartz Filter to ‘Reduce File Size. Make note of where you’re saving the file so you know to look for it or change it to a better location.

Click save and you’re done!

Other options to optimise your PDFs

Both the methods above require you to have the software on your computer however if you prefer there are many online options available. In fact, Adobe has an online PDF compressor you can use as well as many other helpful tools in the “Try these Acrobat online tools” section.

Online tools may have limitations such as file size restrictions and quantity of compressions per day etc but they are free and you can always upgrade to a premium account to unlock more features should you need them.

DoodleIT is a family business providing web design in North Wales. They are based in Ruthin, Denbighshire.