Compress PDF box is missing from options

[Aimee23231574llem]

Hi, I have Illustrator 2022 which is the newest version, obviously. I need to save my work as a PDF, but more specifically as a compressed PDF, but that box is missing from the options. It does appear if I save the file as an AI file, so I am not sure how to get that option to show for a PDF. Can you help?

Thanks!

[Brad @ Roaring Mouse]

Your compression options should appear after you click Save As PDF. Is this not happening?

[Aimee23231574llem]

No, I cannot get the compression option to appear at all. I clicked file>save as>saved to my computer>selected PDF>clicked save>then illustrator options pop up and there is no compress PDF box. See screenshot:

 

Any ideas?

[Luke Jennings3]

The compression option is just below the "General" option.

You can also use Acrobat to compress a pdf (File> Save as other> Optimized pdf).

[Aimee23231574llem]

Correct me if I am wrong, isn't Adobe a paid subscription? Our company doesn't have Adobe so that will not be an option. Maybe there is a free version with the compression option?

I did explore the compression tab below the general tab, however, the box I am looking for isn't found there either. See below for what I am trying to locate in Illustrator 2022.
[cid:c9128617-4e23-42aa-aec8-8bf804a1bec6]

[Aimee23231574llem]

Sorry, it looks like the screenshot didn't work. Here it is:

Also, please note that the PDF optimizer doesn't appear when I save as a PDF. I don't see the same options as you have shown above and I am not sure why. I specifically cannot locate the highlighted portions below:

[Ton Frederiks]

You are confusing a couple of things.

The PDF Optimizer is Acrobat, if you don't have it forget about it.

The use compression checkbox is for saving Illustrator files.

When saving as PDF, all the compression settings are in the Compression tab that Luke pointed to.

[Luke Jennings3]

Yes, Adobe CC is a paid subscription. Adobe Reader is a free pdf viewer, but you can't use it to compress a pdf. Illustrator and Acrobat are two applications of many in the CC Suite. Your original question is about saving a pdf from Illustrator with compression, (File> Save-as> Format: Adobe PDF), your latest screen shot shows the panel you see when you save an Illustrator file as .ai (native Illustrator format).

I was showing the Acrobat compression options just to show alternate methods.