Using Adobe Acrobat
This needs to be the commercial version of Acrobat, not the free Acrobat Reader.
- Open a PDF in Acrobat.
- Click the Optimize PDF tool, or select Tools > Optimize PDF.
- Select Reduce File Size in the top menu.
- You do not need to change the Acrobat version if prompted, just click OK.
- You may select Advanced Optimization in the top menu to change image and font compression, but this is optional. These settings have the most impact on PDF file size. Click OK when you are done.
- Select File > Save As. Keep the same file name to overwrite current file or rename the new file with the smaller PDF size. Select a location and click Save.
Using your software
- You may need to read the help or documentation for your software to see if it offers settings for compression when creating PDFs.
- Microsoft Office does not give users the ability to adjust PDF settings.
Free online compression tools
- Adobe provides a free online PDF compression tool at:
https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html - SmallPDF has a free online PDF compression tool. They also offer a free trial for their online PDF services, which will bill monthly or annually.
https://smallpdf.com/compress-pdf
Be very careful when using free or inexpensive online compression services. All online services have the ability to read and keep the contents of your PDF, and could potentially exploit sensitive data or research. Use a service that publishes a clear and strong privacy policy.
Please do not contact CATALYST Technical Support with PDF compression questions. Support is not able to provide training or instruction on how to compress your PDFs.