How to Resize a PDF file

Resizing a PDF file is sometimes necessary for a variety of reasons. Find how to compress or scale your PDF file using PDF Multitool or an online resource (Pdf.co) in the next sections. There are different ways to go about resizing a PDF depending on the specific purpose in question, which will be defined in the following paragraph.

Compress vs scaling PDF files

If you are looking to resize your PDF file in order to print onto a specific size of paper, then it is typically called scaling. Scaling options are typically built into most printers. Scaling can also be done manually by percentages if available. When you compress a PDF file, you are making it smaller but not necessarily for printing. It could be to save space or make it lighter to send through the electronic mail. Compressing PDF files keeps it quality but makes the file size smaller, which is perfect for those PDF documents with loads of images and content that have created a bulky sized file.

Scaling PDF files

You can choose the type of scaling you require in the printer settings menu of your printer in most cases. Know the original size of your document beforehand to help you choose an option that will retain its quality. Amplification of PDF files can also be done if printing on extra-large paper or if you wish to print larger text but this requires taking various steps.

Compressing PDF files

PDF.co has an available PDF optimizer tool that allows you downsize large files with greater quality than other online sources. It is also very simple to use, as you can just upload your document online and reap the benefits of a compressed file with a few clicks of your mouse. Select “Compress PDF Online” option in the homepage, upload your file from three distinct sources, and automatically get the compressed copy. It is that simple.

How to resize a PDF file

PDF files can be resized using several tools on the market today (mobile and computer programs), for Mac users there’s a built-in solution to resize a PDF file; firstly open the PDF file, click on ‘File’ and then ‘Export’, once that’s open click on ‘Quartz-Filter’ then click ‘Reduce file size’ from the drop-down menu, click ‘Save’ to save your file and your PDF is now resized.

In the cloud, you can compress PDF files offline using PDF.co Web API. First, make sure to read the documentation. When done, you can perform PDF file compression directly with the API, It is easy and fast and can be done in different programming languages.

Another good option is using Adobe Systems PDF application called Adobe Acrobat which is a tool that allows you to create, view, edit, and print PDF files on and offline.

You can either use the ‘PDF Optimizer’ function of the application; the location of the PDF Optimizer depends on your version of the application (Adobe Acrobat). In this case for the sake of the tutorial, we’ll be using Acrobat 9.

To resize PDF file could either be Compressing the PDF file size to make it easier for sharing, as some uploads have a file size limit or it could also mean Scaling your PDF file to print. The latter can also be achieved using PDF.co Web API since it’s made especially for PDF undertakings.

You can easily achieve this using a PDF Multitool desktop tool for Windows 10. Just open the application, upload your file and choose “Compress PDF feature”. It can be done within a few seconds.

While Creating the PDF File

The best way to resize (reduce) a PDF file is to do it before it is created. Doing this gives a user greater flexibility concerning the size of the PDF file. Therefore, if a user has access to the original manuscript before PDF conversion, it is best to reduce the size of data within the initial file format before the conversion process. So also, if for some reason a user wants to increase the size of a PDF file, it is best carried out before the PDF file is created.

There are two major ways a PDF file can be resized before its creation. These ways are discussed below.

Reducing the Quality of Images and Graphics

Images and graphics are two types of data that occupy a lot of space within any file type including a PDF file format. In essence, images and graphics are similar and they are stored in the same way. In each case, a bitmap method may be utilized to store the pixels for images or graphics. The bitmap is a map that stores bits of data. Therefore, the higher the quality of data, the bigger the bitmap required to store the information. Thus, a low-quality image or graphics occupies less space on a PDF format, which translates to a smaller PDF file.

Reducing Font Size and Removing Hyperlinks

Another way of reducing the size of a PDF file before creation is by reducing the font size and removing hyperlinks from a document if they are not necessary. Doing this significantly reduces the PDF sizes especially if it is a very large document with thousands of pages.

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