There's an easy way to Compress a PDF on a MacBook without having to download software or using a third-party app.
I don't know why I'm always surprised to learn something new, but I am. Take, for example, my MacBook. I haven't always been a Mac user. Yes, I've been an iPhone owner for probably 20 years, but I didn't make the switch to a Mac for a Windows laptop until about five years ago.
Although I think I'm pretty computer literate and have a good understanding of how to use my Mac, I'm always finding something new. Something that makes my workflow even easier or better than before.
Like today's tip where I'm sharing how to easily compress a PDF document using just your MacBook.
How to Compress a PDF on a MacBook
First, let me state there is no third-party software to download or app to pay for. The easiest way to compress a PDF on a MacBook uses the built-in Preview app that comes already installed on your Mac! How cool is that?!
Instructions
Basically, you need to open the PDF document that you want to compress using the Preview app that is installed on your Mac.
You have two options. One, launch the Preview app and then select the file you want to compress. Or locate the file you want to compress using Finder, then right-clicking on the document and select Open With > Preview. Let's take a look!
- Step 1: Open the Finder app on your MacBook. You can typically find it in your Dock menu at the bottom of your screen.
- Step 2: Browse to the PDF document you want to compress. Then right-click on the document and select Open With > Preview.
- Step 3: Select File > Export from the top menu in Preview.
- Step 4: From the Quartz Filter drop-down menu, select Reduce File Size. You can also specify the file name and location to save the file to. Click on the Save button.
My original document before compressing was 28.5MB and only 2.9MB after compressing.
Easy, right?
TIP
Remember, you can also open Preview first. Launch the Preview app. When you do, it will automatically take you to Finder where you can browse to the file you want to open, click on it, then click on Open. Then just follow steps 3 and 4 above.
Video Tutorial
If you learn better by video instruction, be sure to watch my YouTube video that I've linked below:
FAQ
Compressing a PDF reduces its file size. Smaller PDFs help you bypass strict email attachment limits, load faster on mobile devices, and save on cloud storage fees.
Compressors work by reducing excess data, removing hidden/unused metadata, and optimizing image resolutions while keeping the visible quality intact.
Related
Looking for other tutorials like this? Try these:
Marta Nowell says
Nice clear walkthrough — the Preview trick worked perfectly for me. Do you know if the Reduce File Size filter ever degrades OCR or searchable text in PDFs?
Pamela Baker says
Yes it does impact significantly the OCR integrity and image sizes. Alternatively, you can either use the File > Print > Print as PDF option or use the ColorSync utility. Here’s how:
You can create a hidden custom filter natively in macOS that compresses images to an OCR-friendly size (300 DPI) instead of crushing them.
Open ColorSync Utility on your Mac (press Cmd + Space, type "ColorSync", and press Enter).Click on the Filters tab at the top of the window.Click the down arrow on the right side of the native Reduce File Size filter and click Duplicate.
Double-click the name of the new duplicated filter at the bottom and rename it to "Reduce File Size - Safe OCR".Click the small arrow to expand your new filter, then tweak these specific settings:
Expand Image Sampling: Change the Constraint Size (Max) from 512 to 3508 pixels (this preserves 300 DPI layout on standard A4/Letter paper).
Expand Image Compression: Set the mode to JPEG and slide the quality scale to roughly 75% (Best).
Close the app.
Open your document in Preview, go to File > Export, and select your brand new "Reduce File Size - Safe OCR" filter from the Quartz Filter dropdown menu!