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Participant
July 28, 2023
Question

Output PDFs file size too big

  • July 28, 2023
  • 21 replies
  • 5329 views

As a photographer I have been using Bridge for over a decade. One of the most important ways I use it is to create PDF documents of low res (but good quality) images to show clients as contact sheets, often with one image per page. I found this to be a quick easy way to create a high res or low res PDF that can be emailed.

 

Recently with the new Bridge updates, the PDF sizes have become exponentially bigger - and therefore not possible to email. I never used to have to resize every image as the Output panel was very good at compressing and doing this for me and creating a usable file size. It is even creating large file sizes from small LR images. I don't know what has happened or if there is any solution to this, but my workflow is now incredibly slow as I try to compress and optimize PDFs in Adobe Acrobat which also is very glitchy and sometimes doesn't work at all. I'm now doing more work to try and do something I have done in Bridge for years and it's driving me crazy. I have already read the one post I found about this where someone suggested removing transparency option. I have already done this, and still the files are too big to email. For example, the images themselves (around 10-30 depending on job) together in MB make less than 15MB but as soon as I drag them into a PDF in Output panel, the file size will jump to over 100MB. This makes no sense to me - what information is it adding? I am also selecting a web size file at 1200x1600 px 72 dpi and high quality but not max which I have done for years. So why are the PDF'S SO BIG. Any help would be apprecaited as this used to just work well.

21 replies

Participating Frequently
May 20, 2025

Has anyone found a fix within the latest version of Bridge itself? It was working better for me after I disabled transparency in Output settings, but now the files are bloated again and I have no idea why. Come on Adobe!!!

Michelle at DM
Participant
April 2, 2025

Same. Issue. Had to go back to version 12 (2022). How have they not addressed this? Bloated PDF files aren't helpful OR useful. Get it sorted! 

Participant
February 24, 2025

Came here with the same issue -- Massive file sizes that cannot be reduced in acrobat. I only use bridge to create contact sheets and browse images quickly (it had one job!). After reading a lot of comments, I went to Creative Cloud and installed Bridge version 14.0. Problem solved and fine for me to never update again since I don't use any other features!

Participant
February 14, 2025

I can't believe that this thread is now almost 18 months old and nothing has been done about it. !!!   We are paying a subscription to be using the latest software with all the new features however am stuck on a 2022 version because something as simple as this hasn't beef fixed. The only reason Adobe keep that particular version on the download list is because they are yet to fix this issue. It's mindblowing that this hasn't beend done. 

They are happy to waste billions of dollars on AI functionality that no one uses and yet can't fix a pretty simple known issue that everyone is complaining about.   Just grab the code from the 2022 version and slot it into the latest version. !!!!!!  

 

COME ON ADOBE !!!!!

Stephen Swain
Known Participant
February 14, 2025

Well said, it is a farce...every update has me thinking "it must be solved this time" . When I phoned the help line they cut me off when they realised what I was talking about...

 

Inspiring
February 13, 2025

I have the same issue here.

I don't understand how the Bridge output mechanism works. It's not enough to reduce the resolution or the chosen quality. Sometimes even reducing the quality makes the PDF bigger!
I use it to export images, one per page with the file name in the footer, around 30 photos. Sometimes it's 50MB and sometimes 130MB.
Adobe needs to adjust this function better. I've had this issue for many years.

Participating Frequently
February 10, 2025

Incase anyone reads this, I have found the following work around...

 

When I open up Bridge and get my docs ready to export as a PDF I do the following:

1. Export at lowest reloution and detail (if you don't do this for the first export you need to quit and open Bridge again).

2. Save at higher resolution and detail (can save over the same file name)

I have found this works, I hope it works for others.

Participating Frequently
February 4, 2025

What's the earliest version of Bridge where this doesn't happen? Asking for a friend (ADOBE).

Participating Frequently
February 4, 2025

Same problem here! Using version 15. The files are absolutely huge with no easy way to reduce them.

Participating Frequently
October 16, 2024

I have the same problem with Bridge creating extremely large files no matter what I try. I even made the files smaller than 1mb an no difference. I lower quality and dpi to 72 out come is horrible images and still large pdf.. I do a lot of emailing pdf. 

MY SOLUTION WHICH I FEEL SINCE I PAY FOR A SUBSCRIPTION I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SPEND EXTRA TIME FOR A WORKAROUND. WHAT I HAVE TO DO IS OPEN MY SAVED ADOBE BRIDGE 2022 AND USE THAT TO CREATE THE PDFS AND THEY ALWAYS COME TO AROUND 5 TO 8MBS. THEY ARE JPGS AND I EXPORT 150PPI AND 8 QUALITY. IF I DO THAT IN BRIDGE 2024 I GET ABOUT 30MB OR BIGGER!!!! WHY IS NOT ADOBE LISTENING TO US???? I CALLED SUPPORT A FEW MONTHS AGO AND WE SPENT ABOUT AN HOUR AND THEIR FINAL COMMENT, "I AM BAFFELED AND CAN'T GIVE YOU A FIX SO USE THE ADOBE 2022" WTF? PEACE. 

Stephen Swain
Known Participant
October 16, 2024

Has the new updtae fixed it?

Legend
October 16, 2024

I ported my custom PDF Export script from Bridge 12 to Bridge 13+ and just setup a template because I produce PDFs for work, and I'm seeing pretty close to identical filesizes with the same set of photos. Make sure your settings haven't changed from what you have been using with the older Bridge version.

Adobe changed the template XML format used to store each template's settings but that shouldn't have any effect on the finished product.

My last output used 413 1600 pixel wide JPEG files, 96ppi, quality 3, plus a small header graphic, and came out to 15.24MB. This is consistent, the one with almost the same set of images was 16MB from Bridge 12.

Participating Frequently
October 11, 2024

I have recently caught this bug too.  I have found that by exporting my file at a very low resolution and image quality first for some reason if I then change back to 300ppi and save the file again it will be at a good quality and reasonable size.  It may take a few goes though.  It makes no sense.