How to compress a PDF file

Have you ever tried to email a PDF to someone, only to receive a returned undeliverable message because it was just too large? These instructions will help you to reduce or compress the size of your PDF file using Acrobat X Std. or Pro. Now the file that I currently have open is rather large. To check the exact size press Ctrl + D on Windows or Cmd + D on the Mac to bring up the Document Properties. This particular file is 3.14 MB. So to reduce the file size, select the command File, Save As, Reduced Size PDF. Next, select the version compatibility that you need. For example, if you’re certain that all your recipients use Acrobat X or Adobe Reader X, then setting compatibility to the latest version can further reduce file size. Now if the file size is already as small as possible, this command has no effect on the size of your document. And remember to not perform this command on digitally signed documents because it will remove the signature. Now when I open the Document Properties dialog, the file size is nearly 2 MB smaller.

To apply the same compression setting to multiple files, open the File, Save As, Reduced Size PDF command, and click on the Apply To Multiple button. Note that this particular command is not available for PDF Portfolios.