One Legal is often asked by clients One Legal how to reduce the size of a PDF file so that it can be accepted by the court’s case management system, and thus successfully electronically filed.
There’s a myriad of guidelines available concerning file size, based on the back-office system that the court uses to manage the files it receives. In the majority of eFiling courts across the U.S. the file must be less than 35 megabytes. And each California courts has their own set of limits. You can find what is the max file size of your court in our Support Center, and learn more about the rules of your local court as well.
In general, there’s no reason to make PDFs hundreds of megabytes big except for documents that must be saved as extremely high-resolution images. With just the simplest steps using online tool like Soda PDF, even files that have hundreds of pages can be reduced to meet the needs.
How can you calculate the dimensions of your PDF documents?
In the case of Adobe Acrobat, checking the size of your PDF is easy. Click File and then Properties. There will be a wealth of information about your document such as the size of your document.
Alternately, go to the folder that contains your document, right-click it, and then click the Properties.
Larger files can require longer uploading, they are more difficult to transfer online (via mail, for example) as well as eat the firm’s file storage faster. Even if the courts are willing to accept larger files but prefer smaller, more optimized documents.
How can you begin to reduce pdf documents’ size? Here are five quick tips.
1. Avoid scanning PDFs whenever feasible.
There is a belief that in order to create PDFs, or to combine several exhibits and documents into one PDF, you must print all of it out and then scan it all together. The files that are converted electronically are typically smaller than scans.
There is no need for document scans which are in paper format onlyAll other documents can be converted digitally from the original document in PDF format. In addition, individual documents can be quickly merged with PDFs by using programs like Adobe Acrobat, avoiding any necessity to print the documents to join them.
2 Save the file as “Reduced Size PDF”
If your document is quite large, even though you’ve made it digitally, instead of through scan, you have options to take. The most straightforward is to save your file as a smaller PDF.
With the most recent version Adobe Acrobat, open the PDF you want to save as a smaller size file Choose File Save As Other and then choose Reduced Size PDF. You’ll be asked to select the version you require before clicking”OK” to save. We suggest setting your compatibility to at minimum Acrobat X since the version is still extensively used.
This method is fast and easy, but you should be aware that it could decrease the quality of the images and erase digital signatures. If you’d like to have greater control over the way your PDF files are compressed in Acrobat choose the optimization technique described below instead.
3 Utilize the PDF Optimizer feature of Adobe Acrobat.
Sometimes, you’ll need more control over what elements in your PDF document have been cut in terms of quality or eliminated. In such a case it is recommended to use the PDF optimizer software.
When you are optimizing the size of a file, it’s a recommended practice to examine the space use of the filelook at which elements like images, fonts, others, use much data. The results could help you decide where the best place to cut down on size.
To begin optimizing To begin optimization, open your PDF using Acrobat. select File Save as Other and then optimize your PDF. The dialog that opens it, select Audit space usage at the top right-hand corner. There will be a table of details that look similar to this:
The optimizer provides you with complete control over the parts of your PDF which are compressed. Choose the checkbox next to an option (e.g. Images or Fonts) to select the options available in the panel. There are many options that you can choose from, so take the time to read in the Adobe help document to learn what each option is.
Okay, we all know that not all users use Adobe Acrobat. What alternatives are available to those who are using another program or the standard Adobe Reader? Here are two additional options to minimize file size for your pdf files even if you’re not using Acrobat.
4 Reduce the size to the size you can Word Word
In Word for Word, in order to convert a document into PDF, select the Save asoption. This will generally result in the file as a small size, according to the number of images within the document. If you discover that the Word-converted PDF is not enough however, there’s a second option within Word that can produce an even smaller document. Here’s how you can use it:
Then open the Word document that you wish to convert into PDF. Select File and then Save as. Within the Save as type menu, choose PDF and then type in the file’s name of choice. The second step is Where it states optimize for at the end in the dialogue box choose the minimum Size (publishing on the internet).
5 Print-to-PDF tools are available.
Others (non-Adobe) PDF software typically include features that minimize the file size. If you’re looking for a tool that is free There are a number of options available. The most popular Free PDF Creator ( according to download.com) is PrimoPDF.
After you’ve installed PrimoPDF Open the PDF file you want to reduce (in Acrobat Reader, or an internet browser, for instance) then press C CTRL+P to open the print dialog. choose PrimoPDF from the list of printers available and select to create a PDF.
This method, which is similar to saving the PDF as a smaller size using Adobe Acrobat, reduces image quality and resolution.