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How to make a pdf file smaller foxit reader. Reducing PDF size. Using third party software

If you work with PDF files, you probably know that they can be large due to the images and graphics they contain. Fortunately, you can compress PDF files without even losing quality, thereby reducing its size. In this article, I will try to show you several ways in which you can reduce the size of your PDF file.

Method one - online converters

The easiest way to make your PDF file smaller is to use a free online tool called SmallPDF.com. The site is great (not filled with spam ads, etc.) and does a good job of reducing the size of large PDF files. It's very convenient that you can use it anywhere and on any operating system, and it even supports the new HTML 5 drag-and-drop feature.

Go to the website and click on Compress PDF. Then click on Drop PDF here Choose file and find the desired PDF file on your computer to compress. Afterwards the service automatically begins its procedure.

He was able to take a 95.7 MB file from me and cut it down to 45.7 MB. This is a fantastic result, isn't it? Then click download the compressed file.

Another online tool I use to compress PDFs is Neevia Compress PDF. It has many functions: high compression/low image quality or low compression/high image quality, etc.

The second way is using a free program

PDF Compressor is a free program that you can download for Windows XP/Vista/7/8 that allows you to quickly and efficiently reduce the size of one or more PDF files. You can download it from the link http://www.pdfcompressor.org

It supports lossless compression, so you won't see any reduction in quality in your PDF. It also supports encrypted PDF documents and can handle multiple or even thousands of PDF files simultaneously.

The third method is Adobe Acrobat PDF Optimizer

Starting with version 7 of Adobe Acrobat, there is a new feature in the Advanced menu called PDF Optimizer.

Now you're taken to a screen that has a whole bunch of settings!

Click the Audit space usage button in the top right corner to get a detailed list of each component of the PDF file and how much space it uses.

As you can see, there are various things you can do to reduce the size of your PDF, including optimizing or scaling images, adjusting fonts, adjusting transparency, removing objects, and cleaning up your PDF.

In the Images section, for example, you can resize and compress images to save space. This is really useful, especially if your images are really high resolution. If you don't need to print the PDF, you can reduce the quality and pixels per inch. You only need 72 pixels to view on screen.

Look at all the settings and change them to suit your specific PDF file.

Hopefully one of the above methods will give your PDF file a reduced size that you can attach to an email or website post. If you use another method not mentioned above to shorten PDF files, please let us know in the comments. Thank you.

PDF files with lots of graphic elements look nice, but sending them by email is a complete pain due to the large size of such documents. There is no need to wait long for the file to be attached to the letter, because you can reduce its size with virtually no loss of quality. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to do this - choose whichever you want.

It is worth noting, however, that half of the methods listed below are only possible using Acrobat DC from Adobe installed on your PC. This is a paid product, but the 30-day trial version is completely free. It is available on the official Adobe Systems website.

Using CutePDF or another PDF converter

You can reduce the size of a PDF file using one of the converters, for example, CutePDF. It allows you to convert files from any printable format to PDF, as well as change the document size, increasing or decreasing the quality of images and text. When you install this product, a virtual printer is created on the system, which, instead of printing documents, converts them to PDF format.

1. Download CutePDF from the official website (free) and install. Don’t forget to install the converter along with it, otherwise nothing will happen after clicking the “Print” button.

2. Open the file in a program that supports its format and has the ability to print documents. If it's a PDF file, you can open it in Adobe Reader; and if the file is in doc or docx format, Microsoft Word will do. Click on the “File” menu item and select “Print”.

3. When the printing settings window opens, select CutePDF Writer from the list of printers.

4. Click on the “Printer Properties” button, in the window that opens, click on the “Advanced” button and select the content display quality. To compress the file to the desired size, select a quality lower than the original quality.

5. Click the “Print” button and save the file to the desired location. Only PDF is available for saving, regardless of what format the document was originally in.

Using online tools

If you don’t want to download and install anything, then you can compress the PDF file online. Compressing and converting documents online is fast and convenient.

1. Find a suitable tool on the Internet, such as Smallpdf. Unlike other similar online tools, here the user is not limited in the size and number of documents he can upload.

2. After visiting the website, upload the required document. This can be done by clicking on the label and selecting the file using Explorer, or by dragging the file with the left mouse button and dropping it in the desired area. You can also add a document from Dropbox or Google Drive.

3. When the process is complete, click on the “You can save the file” button and select a location on your PC for it. To upload a compressed document to Google Drive or Dropbox, click the corresponding icon on the right side of the button.

In addition to Smallpdf, there are many other online compressors on the Internet: Compress PDF, Online2pdf, PDFzipper and others. Some allow you to upload files up to 50 MB in size, others - up to 100 MB, others have no restrictions at all, but they perform their work at approximately the same level.

In Adobe Acrobat

You can compress a PDF file in Adobe Acrobat DC, but not in the free Adobe Reader.

1. Having opened the document in Acrobat, click on the “File” menu item, then select “Save as another” and click on the line “Reduced PDF file”.

2. Click in the drop-down list on the version of the program with which your document should be compatible. By choosing the newest version, you can compress the file as much as possible, but there is a risk that it will become inaccessible in previous versions of Acrobat.

3. Click on the “Ok” button, wait for the compression process to complete and save the compressed document to the desired location.

Another PDF compression method in Adobe Acrobat DC

If you have Adobe Acrobat installed and need to compress a document located on your PC, it is much more advisable to use the previous method. The same method can be used when the desired file is uploaded, say, to Google Drive, and you need to download it, simultaneously reducing its size.

1. Log into Google Drive from your account, double-click the PDF file you want to compress, and click the printer icon to open the print screen.

2. In the window that opens, click on the drop-down list and select the Adobe PDF line.

3. By clicking on the “Properties” button, you will open another window where you need to select the “Paper and Print Quality” tab, and then click on the “Advanced” button at the bottom of the window.

4. In the drop-down list (see screenshot below), select the desired document quality, at the bottom of the window click on the “Ok” button, then in the next two windows also click on “Ok”.

5. Save the reduced file on your PC.

Using Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word

The essence of this method of compressing PDF documents is that you first convert the file from one format to another, and then convert it back.

1. Open the PDF document through Adobe Acrobat, go to the "File" menu and select "Save As".

2. Click on the “Select another folder” button, then select the file type “Word Document (*.docx)” and save location. Click on "Save".

3. Having opened the document in Microsoft Word, click on the “File” item and select the “Save as Adobe PDF” sub-item.

Using PDF Optimizer

This method of reducing the size of PDF files also requires the use of software from Adobe Systems.

1. Open the document you want to reduce using Adobe Acrobat. Next, go to the “File” menu, click on the “Save as Other” line and select “Optimized PDF File” to launch the PDF document optimizer.

2. In the “PDF Optimization” window that opens, click on the “Estimate space usage” button to understand which elements take up how much space in the file (in bytes and percentage).

3. Having assessed what can be reduced and what does not make sense to compress, close the window by clicking on the “Ok” button and set the necessary compression parameters. To do this, in the left part of the window, left-click on one or another item, and in the right part, change the parameters.

4. You can delete images, change them from color to black and white, compress them, change resolution, change built-in fonts, etc. Having “played enough” with the parameters, click on the “Ok” button and save the optimized file to the desired directory.

A way to compress PDF files on Mac OS X

PDF documents created by the Mac OS X operating system are noticeably larger in size than files with the same content created using Adobe Acrobat. If you are a Mac OS X user and want to reduce the size of the PDF file you create, do the following:

  1. Open the TextEdit application, then click on “File” in the program menu, and then select “Print”.
  2. In the lower left corner of the window that opens, you will see a button called PDF. Click on it, and then on the line “Compress PDF” in the drop-down list. The result is a more compact PDF file.

Archiving a file

To ensure that the document takes up less space on your computer, you can archive it using one of the archivers, for example, 7Zip or WinRAR. Both programs are quite popular, but the first is distributed free of charge, and you will have to pay to use the second beyond the limited trial period.

To compress a document using the 7Zip archiver, right-click on the file, then with the left mouse button, first click on the 7Zip line, and then on the inscription “Add to “file_name”. Then the archive will be created automatically.

If you want to set certain parameters before archiving, select the “Add to archive” line. Then a window like the one in the screenshot below will open.

By using an archiver, you can significantly reduce the size of a document, as well as create an archive consisting of several files, compressed and combined with each other. This will make it much easier to store and transmit them via email. Just before sending an archived PDF file, make sure that the recipient also has an archiver installed, otherwise he will not be able to open the archive.

Note: Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Reader are not the same thing. Reader is free, but its range of functions for editing PDF files is extremely limited, so you can only reduce the size of documents in Acrobat. However, Adobe Acrobat is a paid program. And if you don’t have it and don’t want to buy it, use other options for compressing PDF documents that are not associated with it.

How to quickly compress a PDF file

There are three ways to download a file: drag and drop with the mouse, specify the path on your hard drive, or download from the cloud.

You can also convert a color document to black and white, which will reduce the size of the PDF file.

Compress PDF file online

There is no need to download or install anything - process PDF files in the browser in any place convenient for you.

PDF2Go Online Studio is a free and secure alternative to offline programs for processing PDF documents. With this tool you can downsize images and compress files.

Why compress PDF files?

When uploading files online or sending via email, one important thing to keep in mind is size. The PDF format is widely used for resumes, all kinds of documents, and even homework.

A PDF compressor allows you to download and send even those files that may seem overwhelming.

Secure file compression

When you upload files to PDF2Go, you don't have to worry about security. We guarantee confidentiality and protection from unauthorized access. All operations are performed automatically, and copyrights remain with you!

See Privacy Policy for details.

What files can be compressed?

Reducing size is only available for PDF documents. We automatically convert files to PDF format and then compress them.

With PDF2Go you can quickly compress any file, regardless of the content (be it tables, images or just text).

Documentation:

Compress PDFs on any device

You don't need a computer to compress a PDF file. Mobile studio PDF2Go is convenient and pleasant, like “coffee to go”.

Whether it's a smartphone or tablet, Windows or Mac, Firefox or Internet Explorer - PDF2Go will help out in any situation.

Nowadays, many computers already have hard drives ranging in size from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. But still, every megabyte remains valuable, especially when it comes to fast downloading to other computers or the Internet. Therefore, it is often necessary to reduce the size of files to make them more compact.

There are many ways to compress a PDF file to the desired size so that you can then use it for any purpose, such as sending it via email in a matter of moments. All methods have their pros and cons. Some weight loss options are free, while others cost a fee. We will look at the most popular of them.

Method 1: Cute PDF Converter

The Cute PDF program replaces a virtual printer and allows you to compress any PDF documents. To reduce weight, you just need to configure everything correctly.

It is worth remembering that a decrease in quality entails file compression, but if the document contained any images or diagrams, they may become unreadable under certain conditions.

Method 2: PDF Compressor

Until recently, the PDF Compressor program was just gaining momentum and was not so popular. But then, too quickly, it received a lot of negative reviews on the Internet, and many users did not download it precisely because of them. There is only one reason for this - the watermark in the free version, but if this is not critical, then you can download it.

The program compressed a file with an initial size of just over 100 kilobytes to 75 kilobytes.

Method 3: Save PDF at a smaller size using Adobe Reader Pro DC

Adobe Reader Pro is a paid program, but it does a great job of reducing the size of any PDF document.


The method is very fast and quite often compresses the file by almost 30-40 percent.

Method 4: Optimized file in Adobe Reader

For this method you will again need Adobe Reader Pro. Here you will have to tinker a little with the settings (if you want), or you can just leave everything as the program itself suggests.


Method 5: Microsoft Word

This method may seem clumsy and incomprehensible to some, but it is quite convenient and fast. So, first you need a program that can save a PDF document in text format (you can search for it among the Adobe line, for example, Adobe Reader or find analogues) and Microsoft Word.


This is how you can reduce the size of a PDF file by one and a half to two times in three simple steps. This occurs due to the fact that the DOC document is saved as PDF with the weakest settings, which is equivalent to compression through a converter.

Method 6: Archiver

The most common way to compress any document, including a PDF file, is an archiver. For work it is better to use 7-Zip or WinRAR. The first option is distributed free of charge, but the second program, after the trial period expires, asks to renew the license (although you can work without it).


The PDF file is now compressed and can be used for its intended purpose. Sending it by mail will now be much faster, since you won’t have to wait long for the document to be attached to the letter, everything will happen instantly.

We reviewed the best programs and methods for compressing a PDF file. Write in the comments which method was the easiest and fastest for you to compress the file, or suggest your own convenient options.

Once a PDF document is created, it is usually very large in size; to optimize it, you need to know how to reduce the size of a PDF file.

PDF– a very popular document format among users. A universal program for viewing this format on all types of OS is Adobe Reader.

Advantages of the format:

  • The quality of file display is superior to compression types such as JPEG and GIF;
  • Standardization – documents with this format can be opened on all devices, and the appearance of the document will not change;
  • Ensuring security - when transferring PDF files online, you can always be sure that no one will gain access to edit the file. It is also difficult to embed a malicious virus script into such files;
  • Support for a large number of compression algorithms;
  • Automatic detection of document authenticity.

Adobe Acrobat Pro for compression. Using Standard Features

One of the most popular programs for working with PDF files is Adobe Acrobat Pro. With its help, you can edit a previously created document and reduce its final size.

The application is paid, however, users can download a free trial version for 30 days or a portable version with reduced editing functionality.

The program allows you to significantly reduce the size of the final file.

Follow the instructions:

  • Open your document in Adobe Acrobat;
  • On the main panel, enable the File tab;
  • Find and select “Save as another document...” and then “Reduced file size”, as shown in the figure below;

  • Next, a window will appear in which you will need to specify the necessary parameters and the level of protection of the document being created;
  • After converting the file, click again on the “Open” – “Optimized file” tab and in the pop-up list, click on the “Save as another...” item;
  • Select a location on your hard drive where you want to save the document at a reduced size and click OK. This program allows you to perform compression without loss of quality.

In Adobe Acrobat, you can not only optimize a file, but also forcefully reduce its size.

To do this, follow the instructions:

  • Open the document in the program;
  • Now enable the File tab on the main toolbar of the utility;
  • Select “Save as another” and in the new list that appears, click on “Reduce size”, as shown in the figure below;

This method is perfect if, after optimization, the size has not decreased to the level you need.

  • In the new window, select the version of the program with which the final file will be compatible;

  • Click OK to apply the options to only one file or Apply To Multiple to save the settings for several PDFs at once.

You can compress a file using the built-in functions of the Windows operating system. If the document does not open or takes too long to open, emergency compression is necessary. To do this, you need to open the properties of the PDF file.

Then, in the general settings, find the “Other” button and in the window that opens, check the box next to the “Compress contents...” item marked in the figure below. Save your changes by pressing OK.

This compression method is the simplest, so after compressing files whose size is several GB, the overall image of the content may be slightly distorted.

After compression, open the document in Adobe Reader to check its quality.

If it is invalid, return the original properties and optimize the file using third-party utilities.

If you need to reduce the file size only for a certain time, use data archiving utilities.

For example, 7Zip or WinRAR. In the future, if necessary, you can quickly unpack the archive and get a PDF with the initial size.

Cute PDF utility

Let's take a look at the Cute PDF program. It is one of the most common applications for converting to PDF and optimizing the final documents.

The utility is free to download and offers a wide range of features. Direct link to download the file: http://www.cutePDF.com/.

The program creates a virtual printer on the computer, through which the user interacts with the main functions.

To reduce the size of the desired file using Cute PDF, follow the instructions below:

  • Open the document in any reader for PDF format;
  • Now click on the “Print” button;

  • In the window that opens to configure print settings, indicate that the printer is named “Cute PDF”, find the “Properties” or “Properties” button and click on it. In the Windows operating system, this key is located opposite the printer name;

Note! If the name Cute PDF is not in the drop-down list of available printers, the program may have been installed incorrectly or you did not restart your computer after installation.

  • In the window that appears, open the Compression tab, then select the desired quality level and degree of compression of the document. Save the settings and close the properties window;
  • Now in the printer settings window for printing, press the Print button;
  • Next, a window will appear to select where to save the document;
  • Wait until saving is completed and check the size of the final file. If necessary, you can perform all of the above steps on the compressed file to further reduce its size.

Using Google Drive storage and Adobe Acrobat

You can perform compression directly through your Google Drive. Adobe Acrobat must also be installed on your computer. Login to your drive account and upload the required PDF file.

Then you need to open the PDF in your browser. To do this, select a document from the list of previously downloaded ones, right-click on it and click on “Open” or “Open”.

Now you need to send the contents of the PDF tab to the print queue. To do this, open the print settings window in your browser settings. Select Adobe PDF from the list of available devices. Next, click on the OK button.

Instead of the usual printing process, the process of saving the document to the computer’s hard drive will begin. In this case, the program will automatically optimize it, which will reduce its size.

Remember! In order for the Adobe PDF item to be available in the print list, Adobe Acrobat must be installed on your personal computer. Otherwise, saving using this method will not be possible.

Compression using MS Word

The popular word processor Word from the MS Office software package will also help you reduce the size of the final PDF. Open the file using the Adobe Acrobat utility. Then save the document as MS Word (Figure below).

Now find the saved object and right-click on it. In the pop-up list, click on the “Convert to Adobe PDF” item, as shown in the figure below.

Wait for the process to complete. As a rule, it will not take more than two minutes. This way you can reduce the document size by approximately thirty percent without significant loss of quality.

The best online converters

Thanks to open source software, many services have appeared on the Internet that replace some desktop programs.

To reduce the size of the document you need, you can use the following services:

  • Shrink PDF. Official link to the resource: http://shrinkPDF.com/ru/. This online converter allows you to reduce the size of up to 20 documents at a time without loss of quality.

To get started, click on the “Open” button and select documents on your computer for compression. Wait for the object to be loaded onto the service.

Now the file and the status of its compression process will appear at the bottom of the page. Wait for the process to complete and download the resulting file to your device. The figure below shows an example of using the service;

Also, using this service you can instantly compress JPEG and PNG files. To do this, switch to the appropriate service tab.

  • SmallPDF. Link to the main page of the site: https://smallPDF.com/ru/compress-PDF. With this service you can optimize popular formats, including PDF.

To get started, drag the file from your desktop to the red area of ​​the open page in your browser. You can also open the file using cloud storage from Google or Dropbox.

Wait for your document to finish loading. The compression process will then begin automatically. As a rule, the service allows you to compress a file by 5% -20%. This is not much, but this method allows you to preserve the original quality of the document.

http://PDF-docs.ru/.

To perform compression, find the small window on the right side of the page. Then upload your file and select the compression type. Press the Forward key and wait a few minutes for the process to finish. Next, the file will automatically start downloading to your computer.

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