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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →On a Mac, the quickest built-in way to shrink a PDF is to open it in Preview and choose File > Export > Quartz Filter > Reduce File Size. Save the compressed file as a separate copy, then check its text and images before sharing it: Apple warns that compression can lower quality and that results vary with the options selected.
Reduce a PDF in Preview
- Open the PDF in Preview.
- Choose File > Export.
- Open the Quartz Filter menu and choose Reduce File Size.
- Save the exported PDF. If Preview asks whether to replace the original, cancel and save under a different filename so you can compare both files.
Apple documents this workflow in its Preview User Guide. It does not promise a particular reduction percentage or final file size. The result depends on the PDF and selected options.
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Check readability before using the smaller file
Open the compressed copy and inspect it at normal viewing size. Pay particular attention to small text, fine lines, photographs, and pages that may be printed. Keep the original until you have confirmed that the new version is suitable for its intended use. This matters because Apple’s guide warns: “When compressed, the PDF may be of lower quality than the original. The resulting file size and image quality may vary depending on the options you select.”
Understand the other Preview export options
Preview’s export dialog also offers options that can affect how a PDF behaves or how its images are stored:
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- Convert PDFs to editable Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint documents.
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- Optimize images for screen adjusts images for screen viewing to reduce file size. Check whether image detail remains adequate for your use.
- Save images as JPEG converts images to JPEG format using image compression, which can affect fidelity.
- Create Linearized PDF optimizes loading and viewing in web browsers. Apple describes it as a web-loading optimization, not a guaranteed way to reduce the file’s size.
These options are not a substitute for checking the exported document. Choose based on whether the PDF is mainly for on-screen reading, printing, or another purpose.
Preview the effect with ColorSync Utility
If you want to inspect a Quartz filter’s effect before applying it, Apple’s ColorSync Utility provides another built-in route. Open the PDF in ColorSync Utility, select a filter from the Filter menu, inspect the result in the window, and use the navigation arrows to step through pages. Click Apply to save the change. See Apple’s ColorSync Utility guide for the documented workflow.
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Choose another app for recurring or more controlled work
Preview is suited to a one-off conversion. If you often compress PDFs, need to process multiple files, or want additional choices, these documented alternatives may fit better:
| Tool | Documented workflow or control | Useful when |
|---|---|---|
| Adobe Acrobat | File > Save as Other > Reduced size PDF; Adobe also documents applying the operation to multiple PDFs and choosing compatibility and a save location. | You need a repeat or multi-file workflow. See Adobe Acrobat’s instructions. |
| PDF Expert | File > Reduce File Size…, with selectable quality choices listed as Lossless, High, Medium, and Low. | You want the documented quality choices in an optional third-party app. See PDF Expert’s feature documentation. |
These are product-documentation descriptions, not independent comparisons of resulting size or image quality. The available documentation does not establish which app will make a particular PDF smallest while keeping it readable. Compare the saved file against the original for your own document and purpose.
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