Acrobat Web PDF compression is taking forever to compress files

Question

I tried to compress PDF files with 1 MB and only 1 Page and it's taking forever to compress the PDF. It's stuck saying "Compressing, just a few more seconds". I tried it on multiple devices, multiple networks, told couple of my friends too and same results. It's taking too long to compress just a 1 MB PDF. I also tried different PDF files with different size. I want to batch compress 1000's of PDF and that's why I use Acrobat Web because it gives better quality with less size and used to take less time. Last year I compressed at least 2000 PDF files within 2 days. But now it's not even compressing a single file. I tried it on a different software and it's working totally fine. There is nothing wrong with the PDF file because I have tested a lot of different PDF files every single file is getting stuck while compressing.

Tariq Ahmad · Answer

Hi @Abhishek255974052oai,

Thank you for reaching out, and sorry to hear you’re experiencing delays with PDF compression using the Acrobat Web app.

Here are a few steps to help isolate or resolve the issue:

1. Check File Size and Content Type

Large PDFs (especially those with high-res images or scanned pages) can take more time to compress. If your file is image-heavy, try using the desktop version of Acrobat Pro, which often handles large files faster.

2. Try a Different Browser or Clear Cache

Acrobat Web is optimized for modern browsers like Chrome, Edge, or Firefox. If compression is hanging:

Clear browser cache and cookies
Disable browser extensions
Or switch browsers temporarily

3. Test with a Smaller PDF

Try compressing a small or simpler PDF to check if the delay is file-specific. This can help determine if the issue is content-related or platform-related.

4. Use Acrobat Desktop App (if available)

If you’re a subscriber, try:

Open the file in Acrobat Pro > Tools > Optimize PDF
Choose from the available compression presets (Low, Medium, High)

5. Report Network Slowness

Since Acrobat Web relies on cloud services, slow upload/download speeds can cause delays. Try testing from a different network or ensure a stable connection.

If the issue is still reproducible, could you share the file with us so we can test the behavior ourselves?

~Tariq

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