How to Resize a PDF File (and Make It Smaller)
The upload form says your PDF is too big. Here's how to resize it to a smaller file, and what to do if one pass isn't enough.
The upload portal wants files under 5 MB, and your PDF is 18. Or the email bounces it straight back. When you need to resize a PDF file so it'll actually go through, drop it on Compress PDF and you'll get a smaller copy back.
Which "resize" do you mean?
Most people mean the file size, the number in MB that the form is complaining about. That's what this post is about. If you mean the page size (say, a Letter document you want to print on A4 paper), that's a job for your print dialog: its scale or fit-to-page setting shrinks the pages to fit the paper when you print.
How to resize a PDF with Compress PDF
- Open Compress PDF.
- Drop your file on the box that says Drag and drop a PDF here, or click it to pick one. It takes PDFs up to 100 MB, and there are buttons to bring one in from Google Drive or Dropbox.
- Wait a moment while it compresses.
- You'll see how much smaller it got, like "Your PDF has been compressed (62% smaller)", with the old size crossed out next to the new one. Click Download PDF.
Downloading needs a free PrintFriendly account. If you aren't signed in, the button says Sign in to download PDF, and you can create the account right there. The Help Center has the rest of the details.
If it's still too big
Scanned pages and photos are what make most PDFs heavy. A 40 page scan can weigh more than a 400 page report that's all text, and compressing helps, but a scan is still a stack of pictures.
So if one pass doesn't get you under the limit, check whether they need the whole thing. Often a portal only wants the signed page or the two pages of a statement. Pull those out with Split PDF and send just them. You can compress the smaller file too.
If the result says 0% smaller, your PDF was already about as small as we can make it. Splitting it is the way to go from there.
