File Workbench
Office guide

Compress a PDF for email attachments

Email systems often reject large PDFs, especially scanned packets. Compression is most effective when the file contains images, receipts, or scans.

Common use cases

  • •Send a PDF under mailbox attachment limits
  • •Upload documents to a portal
  • •Shrink scanned packets before archiving

Steps

  1. 1Check the required file size limit
  2. 2Try balanced compression first
  3. 3Open the result and confirm text and images remain readable

Mistakes to avoid

  • •Do not keep compressing a file that is already optimized
  • •Do not send sensitive documents through tools with unclear retention policies

FAQ

Why is my PDF still large?

High-resolution scans and embedded images can keep file size high even after rewriting.

Should I compress before merging?

Usually merge first, review the final packet, then compress once.