3 methods for reducing PDF file size on Mac [2023]
Jackson Kustec
jackson@macro.com
Ever tried sending someone a PDF via email, but couldn’t because the size was too big?
Happens all the time. Large PDF files (often with images) can slow down your computer and restrict sharing capabilities with external parties.
In this article, I will tell you about three methods to reduce PDF file sizes on Mac.
How to reduce PDF sizes on Mac with Preview
Preview is Mac's built-in PDF editor that can help edit, annotate, and compress PDFs without installing third-party apps.
Here's a quick guide on how to reduce PDF size with Preview.
Step 1. Open PDF with Preview
Right-click on the PDF > Open With > Preview
On the left, you can use page thumbnails to switch between pages. At the top, look for PDF editing tools.
Step 2. Export PDF
Click the ‘File’ icon on the left side of the taskbar.
From the drop-down, click Export .
Step 3. Set up Quartz Filter
After clicking Export, a pop-up appears with these options 👇
- Export As: Edit PDF title
- Tags: Include tags
- Where: Change export destination
- Format: Save PDF as JPEG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, etc.
- Quartz Filter: Modify PDF document
Click the ‘Quartz Filter’ pop-up menu and select Reduce File size .
Before you exit, click ‘Save’ to implement all the changes made to your PDF.
And that's it! The modified version of your PDF will have a reduced file size.
When I first started the process, the PDF size was 46.1 MB. After saving it with a reduced size, it went down to 11.6 MB.
How to make a PDF smaller with Automator
Automator is another built-in tool that lets Mac users automate repetitive tasks. Let's see how to compress a PDF on Mac using Automator.
Step 1. Open the Automator app on your Mac
Press F4 to open Spotlight search. Then, type Automator in the search bar.
Once into the app:
- Click Quick Action from the pop-up menu
- Press Choose to re-confirm your selection
💡 Know the feature: Quick Actions are workflows that you can add to Finder, Touch Bar, and the Services menu.
Step 2. Set up workflow and variables
First, customize field items in the highlighted area (see image below) to create a workflow.
For starters, in the ‘Workflow received current’ dropdown menu, select ‘PDF files,’ and in the menu ‘in’ select ‘Finder.’
Next, find ‘Apply Quartz Filter to PDF document’ from the listings and drag the filter to the pointed area.
As you drop Quartz filter in the right side space, a warning will appear.
It asks whether you would like to save originals after conversion. Depending on your needs, choose ‘Add’ or ‘Don’t Add.’
Step 3. Apply Quartz Filter to PDF files
Click ‘Filter’ and select the ‘Reduce File Size’ option.
Then, go to the ‘File’ menu (in the taskbar) and choose ‘Save.’
Give your new automation a name and click ‘Save.’
Step 4. Reduce PDF file size
Right-click on the PDF you want to compress and, from the drop-down, click Quick Actions > PDF compressor .
As you click the option, a compressed version of the selected PDF will be downloaded on your desktop (or the set location on the device).
How to compress a PDF on Mac with Smallpdf
Smallpdf is an online PDF editor with 20+ PDF tools that help you compress, convert, scan, annotate PDFs, and more.
The platform’s Compress PDF feature lets you reduce PDF sizes in seconds.
Let’s see how:
Visit the Smallpdf’s Compress PDF page.
Click ‘CHOOSE FILES’ or drop a file in the red box on the screen. After choosing a file, Smallpdf will start uploading, and then compressing the PDF.
So I uploaded a 35 MB PDF and Smallpdf compressed it to…
🥁
🥁
2 MB 🤯.
I checked the PDF quality, and it looked the same as it was previously.
94% compression in a few seconds without affecting quality is not bad at all.
Read and edit documents faster with Macro
Compressing PDFs can help you circulate them quickly and free up extra space in your device, which everyone needs.
But compressing PDFs isn’t the only task you need to perform on a document. Want to edit, annotate, review, draft, merge, or split PDFs?
Download the free Macro app and get started now!