How to Reduce PDF Size for Email and Online Forms
← Blog · Updated 8 October 2026
Email services and portals often reject large attachments. Here is how to shrink a PDF.
1. Try light compression first
Light mode in Compress PDF keeps the text selectable and usually saves a modest amount.
2. Use strong compression for scans
Scanned and photo-heavy PDFs are mostly images. Strong mode turns pages into images and can make them much smaller. The text will no longer be selectable, so keep the original.
3. Shrink the pictures before making the PDF
If you are building the PDF from photos, compress them first with Compress Multiple Images, or pick the smaller quality in Image to PDF.
4. Send only the pages you need
Use Split PDF to extract pages such as 1-3, or send a large file in parts.
Questions
Why is my PDF still large?
It probably contains large images. Try strong compression or reduce the images first.
Is my PDF uploaded?
No. It is processed in your browser.