PDF Compressor

THE PRACTICAL GUIDE · NORMANDIN SYSTEMS

Get more from PDF Compressor

PDF Compressor uses Ghostscript to rewrite a PDF with a selected compression-quality preset and compatibility level. The workspace offers Screen, Ebook, Printer, and Prepress quality choices. Smaller output often comes from reducing image resolution or changing compression, so the appropriate preset depends on whether the document is intended for on-screen reading or detailed printing. A PDF can contain more than visible pages: embedded fonts, bookmarks, form fields, attachments, metadata, and digital signatures may also be present. Keep an untouched original before making a new version. The most useful verification is to open the downloaded document in a PDF reader and inspect both its appearance and the features you rely on. Large or complex documents can take longer because the browser must hold document data in memory while the operation runs.

Guide updated October 13, 2026

How to use this tool

1. Select a copy of the source PDF and confirm that it opens normally in a reader. Start with a smaller document when checking an unfamiliar workflow.
2. Choose the quality and PDF compatibility settings before selecting the file, then inspect the processed document and file size.
3. Review the example below and compare its expected behavior with a small sample of your own input before continuing.
4. Open the resulting file or report, compare representative pages with the source, and check that the intended information is present before sharing it.

SEE IT IN PRACTICE

A worked example

An image-heavy PDF with the Ebook preset selected

A rewritten PDF using the balanced preset

The size change depends on the source; a document already optimized for size may shrink little or can even become larger.

Choosing a quality preset deliberately

Screen targets smaller viewing-oriented output, Ebook is a balanced starting point, and Printer or Prepress aims to retain more detail for higher-quality use. These names describe intended tradeoffs rather than a guaranteed size reduction. A text-heavy PDF may already be compact, while a scan with large images may change substantially. Try the same source with two suitable presets and compare fine text, diagrams, and photographs. Select the PDF compatibility level to suit the recipient's reader requirements rather than assuming the newest or oldest option is automatically best.

Checking document behavior after rewriting

Ghostscript rewrites the document, so the review should include more than the page count and file size. Test searchable text, special glyphs, page dimensions, and important interactive features if the source contains them. Rewriting a signed file can affect its signature status, which is a reason to retain the original independently. If a result is larger, the source may already have used more efficient encoding for its particular contents. Choose the version that meets the actual delivery requirement with acceptable quality, rather than pursuing a percentage reduction as an end in itself.

When this tool is useful

• Reduce an attachment's file size
• Prepare a PDF for screen reading
• Compare quality presets on an image-heavy document

Tips for a better result

• Compare fine text, diagrams, photographs, page count, and the final size, and test printing if print quality is the reason for the chosen preset.
• Keep meaningful filenames for the original and processed versions. If the source is digitally signed, preserve that original because document modifications can affect signature validation.
• Keep the source and the settings used for this result together. That makes a later comparison or correction easier, especially when another person needs to reproduce the same outcome.

Frequently asked questions