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Compress PDF

The Compress PDF action reduces the file size of a PDF by applying a compression profile you select. It takes one PDF document as input and returns a single compressed PDF with the same pages, its images and internal structure optimized according to the profile.

Use it to shrink large scanned documents before they are emailed, since many mail servers reject attachments over a fixed size. Use it to cut the storage cost of PDF files that a workflow saves to cloud storage in bulk. Use it to prepare PDF files for quick display in a browser, where the Web profile makes the first page appear fast.

Configuration​

Configure the Compress PDF step in the workflow builder:

Compress PDF configuration in PDF4me Workflows

Action overview​

InputSingle PDF document
OutputA single compressed PDF document

Properties​

Profile​

  • Type: Select
  • Required: Yes

Sets how far the file is compressed and what the result is optimized for. Choose one of four values:

  • Default: minimal compression with the least quality loss. Start here when you want a smaller file but cannot risk a visible change.
  • Max: maximum compression for the smallest size, shortest download, and fastest display. It compresses images and can drop some image detail, so use it when size matters more than image fidelity.
  • Web: optimized for viewing in a browser. It linearizes the file so the first page shows quickly and does not compress images much, which suits documents published online.
  • Print: keeps the correct fonts, color scheme, and a resolution suitable for printing, with only a minor drop in image dpi. Use it for files headed to a printer.

Change the profile when the destination of the file changes: Max for email attachments, Web for online viewing, Print for print jobs.

Output Filename​

  • Type: Text
  • Required: No

Sets the name of the compressed PDF the action returns. Leave it blank to keep an auto-generated name derived from the input file, and set it (for example invoice-compressed.pdf) when a later step such as Save to Google Drive needs a predictable filename.

How to compress PDF using Workflows​

PDF4me Workflows can compress PDF files automatically as they arrive. Here is a sample workflow that compresses PDF files and saves them to your storage.

Create a workflow​

Go to the Workflows dashboard and select the Create Workflow button to start building your automation.

Create a new workflow

Add a trigger​

Create and configure a trigger to initiate the workflow. For this example, use a Google Drive trigger. PDF4me Workflows also support Dropbox triggers, so choose whichever suits your workflow.

Google Drive trigger for the compress PDF workflow

Add the Compress PDF action​

Add and configure the Compress PDF action, then choose the compression profile that fits your needs:

  • Default: normal compression with the least quality loss.
  • Max: high compression with some quality loss.
  • Web: linearized PDF for fast web view.
  • Print: optimized for print jobs.

Compress PDF action for the workflow

Add a Save to Storage action​

Once the files are compressed, save them to your storage. For this use case, add and configure a Save to Google Drive action.

Save to Google Drive action for saving output files

Save and publish​

Select Save and Publish once the workflow is configured. The completed sample workflow looks like this.

The sample workflow for compress PDF automation

Try it in PDF4me Workflows​

Open the Workflows dashboard, create a workflow, and add the Compress PDF step to run this on your own documents.

Open the Workflows dashboardExplore PDF4me Workflows