How to Reduce PDF File Size in Acrobat Without Losing Quality?

Question

Hi everyone,I’ve recently been using Adobe Acrobat to handle PDF contracts at my workplace. One problem I keep running into is when combining multiple PDFs or compressing large files, the final document either loses image quality or the file size doesn’t reduce much. I tried tweaking the settings, reducing image DPI, and using the “Reduce File Size” tool, but still not satisfied with the results. For people in similar situations, I found that using optimized PDF versions created via online tools helps — it gives a more balanced result between size and quality. On my website, I built a tool that helps calculate end-of-service/gratuity in the UAE by also providing downloadable PDFs — having properly sized and compressed PDF files there makes the experience better. Would love to hear from anyone who’s solved the PDF quality vs. size trade-off well in Acrobat: which settings or workflow you ended up using?

creative explorer · Accepted Answer

@robert_lewis00980 I either use the High Quality Print Setting or a modified version of that. You can also use the PDF Optimizer tool (Tools > Optimize PDF) to create a custom setting under the "Images" and "Discard Objects" panels. A good starting point is to target a downsampling of color and grayscale images to around 150 dpi and monochrome images to 300 dpi with a JPEG compression quality set to Medium/High. Also, under "Discard Objects," check the option to "Discard all alternate images" and "Flatten form fields" if they're no longer needed. This detailed, custom approach gives you far more granular control than the "Reduce File Size" preset and often delivers a much better quality-to-size ratio.

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