To resize PDFs quickly and efficiently, you can use tools such as PDF.net and Microsoft Word, as well as the Microsoft Print to PDF option in Google Chrome.
PDF resizing allows you to fit large files into your device or cloud storage and makes it easier to share PDF documents on platforms with file size limits.
Looking for an easy way to resize PDFs? This guide has you covered. We will show you how to use PDF.net tools to do this and discuss other resizing methods, along with the best troubleshooting tips.
How to Resize PDFs: 3 Methods
To resize PDFs, you can either use the PDF.net compression tool, save your file as PDF using Microsoft Word, or use the Print to PDF option on Google Chrome.
Let’s take a closer look at each method for making PDFs smaller:
#1. Resize PDF With PDF.net Tool
You can resize PDFs using PDF.net in several short steps:
- Open the website and select Compress from the drop-down menu.
- Upload your file by dragging it to the box labeled Drop file here to compress or click the Choose file to select the document manually from your storage.
- Select one of the three compression variants—Smallest file size, Balanced, or Better quality. Then, click Compress and download it to reduce the size of the PDF and save it to your drive.
#2. Shrink a PDF Using Microsoft Word
Another way to compress PDFs is to save your document as a PDF using Microsoft Word. This method is also straightforward and includes the following steps:
- Right-click your document, select the Open with menu, and choose Microsoft Word to open the file.
- Click File in the top-left corner.
- Choose Save As and select the location where you want to save your document.
- Click Save as type and select PDF.
- Under Optimize for, choose Minimum size (publishing online) and click Save to finalize this procedure.
#3. Adjust PDF Dimensions With Google Chrome
Google Chrome allows you to resize PDF pages using the Microsoft Print to PDF feature. Here are the steps to follow:
- Right-click your PDF file, hover your cursor over the Open with menu, and select Google Chrome.
- Click the Print button in the upper-right corner of the webpage.
- By default, the Destination menu shows Microsoft Print to PDF. Click the More settings menu and enter a number lower than 100 in the Scale field.
- Click Print in the bottom-right corner, name your file, and click Save to end this process.
Why and When Do You Need to Resize PDF Documents?
You need to resize PDF documents because it eases the sharing, uploading, and loading process when using these files for business, school projects, and other occasions.
Let’s see the most common situations when you need to resize PDFs:
- Email attachments and uploads. Most email platforms have a 25 MB limit for file attachments. Other platforms (e.g., social media) also have similar limits. Therefore, resizing PDF file sizes can help you send your documents via email hassle-free and share them easily on various platforms.
- Using PDF optimizers for faster loading and sharing. You can optimize PDFs for web pages, which lowers their size and allows web crawlers to recognize the file more quickly. Similarly, resizing documents will allow you to send them promptly through different channels (e.g., via messaging apps). This also reduces the chances of crossing the size limit or getting stuck during a transfer due to oversized files.
- Adapting files for business and government portals. Business and government portals may require you to upload your documents in the PDF file format for readability and safety. In such cases, it’s easier to upload low-size PDFs.
3 Best Practices for Resizing PDFs
Compression software can be tricky, especially low-quality and free PDF resizing tools. Specifically, unstable compression may corrupt or poorly resize your files, leaving you with an unfavorable outcome.
Let’s examine the best tips for effortless PDF resizing:
#1. Maintain a Balance Between File Size and Quality
Both file size and quality are important, so you shouldn’t sacrifice one for the sake of the other. In other words, documents that are too large are not practical for sharing and using, while low-quality files can be unreadable and, therefore, useless.
Finding a balance between the two can be the best solution, as it allows for smaller and higher-quality files. To do so, you can use tools such as PDF.net, which offers a balanced compression level.
#2. Choose the Right Compression Settings
Another tip on how to resize PDFs is to choose your compression type based on how much you need to decrease a file size. Once you know the resizing purpose (e.g., sending a PDF via email), you can choose between high, medium, and low compression.
If you aim for the smallest size, you can use lossy (high) compression, which will affect the file quality. If not, you can use lossless (low) compression and reduce the file size a little while keeping its original quality. Medium (balanced) compression can lower the size of your document decently and minimally affect its quality, but it may not be adequate for huge files.
#3. Use Batch Processing for Multiple PDFs
Resizing numerous files separately can be tedious and time-consuming. On the other hand, using online PDF resizers with batch processing saves time and simplifies the process.
You can streamline this process by uploading multiple PDFs from your drive to a designated platform, selecting the compression level for all documents at once or for each one separately, and clicking the resize or compress button.
3 Common Issues With Resizing PDFs and Troubleshooting Tips
Resizing PDFs without losing quality is not always easy, as you may not get the best compression result, and the process may even damage your files.
Let’s learn more about the most common problems and how to troubleshoot them:
#1. Loss of Quality After Resizing
Loss of quality is the most common compression problem because certain compression algorithms (e.g., lossy compression) remove some PDF elements to reduce size.
There are several ways to maintain and restore quality before or after compression, with the best ones being:
- Using lossless compression. Low or lossless compression may not shrink your files too much but will prevent quality loss. To preserve quality, you can use the JBIG2 compression algorithm for text and the PNG algorithm for images. If your first attempt resulted in lossy compression, you can re-compress it with these settings if you have the original file.
- Re-scanning PDFs for better quality. You can regain PDF quality (at least for the most part) using the online scanning software. To do so, scan your document at a high dots-per-inch ratio (DPI) and set the maximum scan resolution (300 or higher) for the best results.
#2. Corrupted PDF After Resizing
Corrupted files are another common compression problem, usually related to low-quality software. If you end up getting one, you can recover it by:
- Using PDF repair software. Online PDF repair software finds and recovers inaccessible data in damaged PDFs. The success rate varies according to the level of corruption, but it is generally high.
- Restore the previous version or use a backup file. Some platforms save original documents on the cloud as customers use their tools, meaning you can retrieve the original file if the new document is damaged. In this case, it is important not to exit the browser tab where your document is open.
- Convert to another format and do back-conversion. You can convert the faulty PDF file to another format (e.g., turn PDF into Word) and then back to PDF to repair it. This method does not have a high success rate, but it is worth trying.
- Try a different reader. Sometimes, only specific readers can open damaged PDFs. Switching between different options may help you find one that will let you open broken files and access some or all their parts.
#3. File Too Large Even After Compression
Even if you use the best PDF compressor, huge PDF documents may only become less large and still be beyond the size limit for some platforms. You can tackle this issue in a few simple ways:
- Resize images and limit embedded fonts. After resizing, you can manually compress PDF images. As these typically take up a lot of space, this will preserve their quality while lowering the size of your file.
- Separate your PDF into smaller ones. If you can split your document into multiple ones logically, this may be a good way to transfer, upload, and share multiple documents separately. The receiver can later merge them into one if needed.
- Remove unnecessary elements and flatten layers. If your PDF contains comments, annotations, bookmarks, and other unnecessary elements, you can remove them to make it smaller. You can also flatten your PDF to make all layers uniform, which can significantly reduce your file size.
Using PDF.net for a Hassle-Free PDF Resizing
As previously mentioned, many compression attempts result in low-quality files or corruption, so it is important to find a reliable tool for PDF resizing, such as PDF.net. We offer three compression types (low, medium, and high) and advanced software to preserve the quality and health of your files.
You can even use our PDF editor to modify or lower the size of your documents further. For example, you can repair a file by converting it to and from another format with our conversion tool. Additionally, our splitting software helps you get multiple files from a single PDF you can share separately, which you can also bring together later using our merge tool.
How to Resize PDFs FAQ
#1. How do you make a PDF smaller?
You can make a PDF smaller using the PDF.net compression tool, Microsoft Word, or the Microsoft Print to PDF feature. Our platform boasts high compression success rates, as it offers three different compression types (low, medium, and high).
#2. Does resizing a PDF reduce quality?
Resizing a PDF reduces quality if you use high or lossy compression or low-quality PDF compression tools. In contrast, PDF.net offers lossless and balanced compression, keeping your file quality intact.
#3. What’s the best file size for email attachments?
The best file size for email attachments is any size below 25 MB. This is because files over 25 MB are considered oversized and can’t be sent via email.
#4. Can I resize a password-protected PDF?
Yes, you can resize a password-protected PDF after removing this security layer. Our unlock PDF tool makes it easy to remove the password, and our software can compress your file within minutes.
#5. Is online PDF resizing safe?
Whether online PDF resizing is safe depends on the platform and tools you use. For instance, PDF.net guarantees privacy and document safety through encryption and cloud storage security.
#6. How to resize a PDF without losing formatting?
To resize a PDF without losing formatting, use PDF.net software; our tools ensure high-quality file size reduction, which implies maintaining flawless formatting.