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Jillian Barnes
Known Participant
Oct 27, 2026 9:40 PM UTC
Question

InDesign export to pdf

I have a 310 page InDesign document. When I export it to pdf it started off at 3.03 GB. I need it to be smaller. So I started by reducing the png resolution and photo size. That made the file bigger. Then I changed a bunch of the pngs to jpegs and that also made the file larger even though both of those actions made the photo sizes exponentially smaller. What am I doing wrong? Thanks

    5 replies

    leo.r
    Community Expert
    leo.rCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Oct 27, 2026 9:49 PM UTC

    The size of PDF is NOT related to the size of your InDesign file. The only thing PDF size depends on is the PDF Export settings you use in InDesign. (Lengthy technical explanations skipped as that’s all you need to know in the end anyway.)

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    Jillian BarnesAuthor
    Known Participant
    Oct 27, 2026 10:05 PM UTC

    Okay but whatever I do to the InDesign file makes the pdf larger. The InDesign file gets smaller and smaller and the pdf export larger and larger. Is there any way to make the pdf smaller other than altering the export settings?

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    leo.r
    Community Expert
    leo.rCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    Oct 27, 2026 10:08 PM UTC

    Can you please share your PDF export settings in InDesign. Post screenshots of General, Compression, Output, and Advanced settings.

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