PDFs are a versatile way to share information, get documents signed, and prevent the receiver from making changes without your consent. Sometimes, PDF files can be large – especially when they contain many images – and prevent you from sending them via certain channels like email.
When that happens, the solution is simple – compress the PDF online and send it to the recipient. Oftentimes, that’s easier said than done. In this guide, you’ll learn how to compress PDFs online at sodapdf.com and the process only takes a few seconds to complete.
The best part is that the PDFs you compress won’t negatively impact the document itself in terms of color and presentation. Let’s dive in.
How to compress PDFs online
There are many ways to reduce the size of PDF files. Some involve reducing the content within the PDF like images or the text itself. While this works, it’s time consuming and not guaranteed to make a major impact on the size of your PDF document.
We don’t want you to have to make trade offs between the quality of your content and the size of that content. We’ve built a simple tool called, you guessed it, compress PDF.
It reduces the size of your document without forcing you to remove content such as images or change the way you present the information. Here’s a quick rundown of how it works.
First, navigate to the compress PDF tool and wait for the page to load. This should happen nearly instantly.
After the page has loaded, you have multiple options for uploading your files. You can drag and drop it in the area provided or upload it by clicking one of the available options. After upload, the screen will change slightly.
After you’ve uploaded all the files and clicked compress, it’ll take a few seconds to reduce the file size depending on how large your file is. Once done, you’ll be taken to another screen where you can preview the files and download them.
That’s it, you now have a PDF file that has been compressed. Depending on what’s making your files larger, it can be compressed up to 90% without loss in quality.
Benefits of smaller PDF files
There are multiple reasons to compress a PDF file. Usually, smaller files are better even if you don’t have a specific purpose as to why you’d like to reduce the size in the first place.
Can store more documents
Even though storage space is getting cheaper and faster, it still costs money. Whether you’re using Google Drive, a hard drive, or a combination of storage mediums, it’s important to maximize your space as much as possible.
Compressing your PDF files (and even other kinds of files), makes this possible. You save storage space so you can add even more files over time. It’s a virtuous cycle.
Easier to send via different channels
There are times when the tool you’re using to send your PDF files limits their size. For example, most email clients have a maximum upload size. Compressing PDF files will allow you to get around those limitations and open up more sending channels. Your recipient will probably thank you as well.
Conclusion
This guide has outlined a simple and effective way to compress your PDF files by up to 90%. The PDF compressor is free to use and always will be. If you want more power (such as larger file size conversions or more conversions) you can always upgrade your UsefulPDF account.
