Large PDF files are annoying to share and slow to open. Here are proven methods to compress your PDFs while maintaining quality.
Why PDFs Get Large
- High-resolution images inside
- Embedded fonts and metadata
- Multiple scanned pages
- Original file size
Method 1: Online PDF Compressor (Easiest)
Use PDFSmartly:
- Go to https://pdfsmartly.com
- Upload your large PDF
- Compression happens automatically
- Download compressed version
Most PDFs reduce 50-80% without visible quality loss.
Method 2: Adobe Acrobat
File → Save As → Reduced Size PDF
Choose quality level (high/medium/low)
Method 3: Mac Preview
Open PDF → Tools → Quartz Filter → Reduce File Size
Method 4: Remove Unnecessary Images
If PDF has lots of images, they're taking space. Remove or use lower resolution.
Method 5: Print to PDF
- Open PDF in browser
- Print → Save as PDF
- Usually compresses automatically
Results You Can Expect
- 100MB file → 20-30MB compressed
- 50MB file → 10-15MB compressed
- 10MB file → 2-5MB compressed
No visible quality loss for most documents.
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