PDF ToolsLesson 307Free preview

Compress PDF

This lesson is part of Web Developer Tools · All levels

Summary

PDF compresses reduce the size of documents to make them faster to send or upload. The biggest reductions typically come from lower image resolution, deletion of metadata, and simplification of file structure. Text and vectors are generally sharp, but photos can lose detail if compression is too aggressive. Always compare the results before sending the compressed version.

Key points

High-resolution images are the largest contributor to PDF sizes.
Downsampling lowers the image DPI and can drastically shrink files
Unused metadata and objects can be discarded without changing the look
Aggressive compression can make the photos and scans look blurry
A very compacted PDF may be only slightly reduced.

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