How to reduce size of PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro Continuous version 2023

[Juan31968030juri]

I know this is a common question, and I have reviewed a lot of posts in this community - no success: either the option/feature suggested in the solution is not available in the version of Acrobat Pro I am using, or the resuls are discouraging. I am hoping I can get some help.

More details:

I have tried the Reduce File Size, the Save as Other > Optimized PDF, and other (obscured) options inside Tools > Print Production > Preflight.

In all my attempts, a ~ 36MB file got reduced by a few KB's only.

Surpricingly, in the pdf2go online service,  I select Strong compression, choose Grayscale for images and click start and the resulting file size is down to ~ 13MB

I am using  Adobe Acrobat Pro Continuous version 2023.003.20284 | 64 bits

Thanks.

[Amal.]

Hello @Juan31968030juri 

I hope you're doing well! Thank you for getting in touch.

I appreciate your interest in using the PDF Optimizer to reduce the size of PDF files. The PDF Optimizer offers a range of settings that can help you achieve efficient file size reduction. It's worth noting that some of these settings are similar to those you might encounter when creating a PDF using Distiller. The choice of which settings to use depends on your intended usage of the files and the essential characteristics the files must retain.

In many cases, the default settings are quite effective as they focus on saving space by removing unnecessary elements such as embedded fonts, compressing images, and eliminating redundant items from the file. Prior to optimizing a file, I recommend performing a space usage audit. This audit can provide valuable insights into where you might be able to best reduce file size. Additionally, you can explore the option to use the "Reduce File Size" command to further decrease the PDF's size.

By conducting a space audit, you'll receive a comprehensive report detailing the bytes used by specific document elements like fonts, images, bookmarks, forms, named destinations, and comments. This report includes both byte values and the percentage of the total file size they represent.

For more detailed guidance and information, I encourage you to consult the help page at https://helpx.adobe.com/acrobat/using/optimizing-pdfs-acrobat-pro.html.

Please feel free to keep us updated on your progress. If you have any questions or need further assistance, don't hesitate to reach out.

Regards

Amal

[Juan31968030juri]

Thank you for your replay Amal.

I ran the space audit and got the below report:

I see that Content Streams and Document Overhead are largely contributing to the file size. Do you know what those two elements are, and how can I reduce their size?

FYI: I already tried the option to use the "Reduce File Size" command to further decrease the PDF's size with no luck.

Also, we tried using the  PDF compressor: Compress PDFs online for free | Adobe Acrobat and got the result below, which is OK.

Unfortunately, our company cyber security policies won't allow us to send internal documents to online free services, and I am just surpriced that we haven't been able to achieve a similar result after trying various options in the paid version of Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Best,

Juan V