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September 3, 2026
Question

Compress all PDFs in a folder or thumb drive at once, is there a batch option?

  • September 3, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 10 views

How can I: 1-Compress multiple files in a directory, or 2-Compress an entire directory, or even 3-Compress an entire thumb drive full of pdf files?
The question is clear enough

    1 reply

    Anand Sri Bhattacharya
    Community Manager
    Community Manager
    September 3, 2026

    Hello @stunning_project727a


    I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out. Sorry for any trouble you had while using the services.


    Please note that this is doable in Acrobat, but with one important caveat up front: batch-compressing PDFs is an Acrobat Pro feature, not something the free Reader can do.


    If "compress" means make each PDF smaller (reduce file size)
    This is what Acrobat does. Two ways, depending on scale:

    Method A, for several files or one folder (simplest):

    1. Menu > Save as Other > Reduced Size PDF (or use All tools > Compress a PDF).

    2. Choose Apply to Multiple Files.

    3. Add Files (or add a whole folder's worth), then in Output Options, pick a separate output folder so you do not overwrite your originals.


    Method B, for a whole folder or an entire thumb drive with subfolders (Action Wizard):

    1. All tools > Use guided actions > New action.

    2. From the Document Processing group, add the Reduce File Size command, and uncheck "Prompt User" so it runs unattended, then add a Save step.

    3. Save the action. When you run it, set the input to a folder; if you point it at a parent folder, Acrobat processes every PDF in it and in all subfolders automatically. That is how you cover a thumb drive in one go.


    Please check these articles for more information: https://adobe.ly/4yl0zIl

    https://adobe.ly/46145LX


    I hope this helps, and answer the questions. Please reach out if you experience any issues or need any assistance.


    Regards,

    Anand Sri.