How to Compress PDF files on Windows 11/10

As someone who often juggles with PDF files, you know the plight of dealing with large PDFs. They take up immense storage space and are harder to share.

In this post, we are going to discuss some of the best ways in which you can compress PDF files.

2 Easy Ways To Compress PDF Files

Way No. 1 – Using A PDF Editing Tool Compress PDF Files on Windows

A PDF editing tool can be very effective when compressing PDF documents.

Why Choose Systweak PDF Editor to Optimize PDF File Size on Windows

– Reduce the size of individual PDF files as well as multiple PDF files.

– Multiple compression levels where you can choose both file size and quality.

– When compressing PDF files in batches, you can add or remove PDF files and even keep a track of compression progress.

– You can drag and drop PDF files whose size you want to reduce.

Here’s how you can use Systweak PDF Editor to make PDF files smaller on your Windows computer –

Step 1 – Download Systweak PDF Editor and run the installation file.

Step 2 – Under the Recommended Tools on the home screen, click on the Compress PDF option.

Alternatively, you can click on the Tools menu from the top and then click on the Compress PDF option that you can find beneath.

Step 3 – When it comes to compressing PDFs, Systweak PDF Editor offers you two ways – You can either choose to reduce the file size of individual PDF files or you can batch compress various PDF files at once. We have shown both the methods below –

(i) Reducing The Size of Individual PDF Files

– Open the PDF file that you wish to compress.

– Click on the Compress PDF option from the top.

– Select the compression level based on how much size you want to reduce and the quality you desire.

– Choose the Output Folder where you wish to save the compressed PDF file.

– Click on the Compress button.

(ii) Reduce the Size of Multiple PDF Files

– Click on the Tools menu from the top.

– Click on the Batch Process dropdown and select Batch Compress.

– Click on the Add files dropdown to add PDF files or folders containing PDF files whose file size you want to reduce. Alternatively, you can also drag and drop PDF files.

– Select your desired Output Folder where you want to save the compressed files.

– Choose your desired Compression Mode. The higher the compression, the lower will be the file size and quality

– Additionally, you can also choose to include files from all subdirectories.

– Once you have selected all settings, click on the Compress PDF.

Way No. 2 – Making PDFs Lightweight Online

Don’t want to install a utility to compress PDF files? Wish to optimize the size of your PDFs on the go (maybe while you are traveling)? Here is how you can decrease the size of your PDF documents online –

Step 1 – Although various online platforms can help in compressing PDF file size, iLovePDF is one of the best online PDF compressors. Visit this link.

Step 2 – Click on Select PDF file or drag and drop the PDF files directly.

You can even add PDFs for compression from your Google Drive or Dropbox account as well.

Step 3 –  From the right-hand side, select the Settings gear and choose a compression level.

Step 4 – Once you have added PDF files whose size you want to decrease, and have chosen a Compression Level, click on the Compress PDF button that you can see at the bottom right-hand side of the page.

In a while, the compressed PDF file will be downloaded to your desktop. You will even be able to see the % reduction in the PDF size.

Shrink The Size of PDF Files Like A Pro

Oversized PDF files can clog your storage space and cause issues when sharing them with other users. To keep things simple, clean, and fast, compressing PDF files can be a good move. As we have established in this post, using a PDF editing tool like Systweak PDF Editor can be a great way to cut down the size of any number of PDFs as it lets you have a complete grip on both file size and quality. So, which of the above methods would you choose to reduce the size of PDF files? Do share with us in the comments section below.