PDF Squeezer: Reduce the file size of your PDFs

PDF Squeezer is a minimalist method for reducing the size of pdf files. The app doesn’t compress the PDF into an unreadable archive or ZIP file; it’s still a PDF, just smaller.

Its drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to get around size limits for emailing or posting PDFs online when you need to preserve their readability. Its customization features let you preserve image quality and design elements as needed, and you can even batch-reduce all the PDFs in a given folder.

Here’s how to reduce PDF file size with ease.

Squeezing a PDF

To start using the app, select the PDF you want to reduce and drag it into the square in the app window marked “Drop your files here.” Use the drop-down menu at the bottom of the window to select your preferred dpi and image quality, then click “save” to overwrite the original or “save as” to save the reduced file under a new name.

Note that if the file’s quality has already been reduced or optimized, the app may be unable to squeeze it further.

Compress multiple PDF files

If you drag multiple files or a folder of PDFs into the app window, you can customize how each one is reduced. Each PDF will be assigned a tab on the left-hand side of the window. Click through each to set individual parameters for reducing dpi. When you’re ready, click “Save” or “Save as”.

Make sure you compress a PDF and save quality

It can be helpful to check whether your reductions damage the overall quality of your PDF. Before you save reduced files, click the “Preview” button. This will open a small mockup that shows you how the final PDF will appear. This is a good way to check whether the dpi reduction you’ve chosen goes too far.

Share your PDF for email attachment

The app makes it easy to pass along any file you squeeze. Click the “share” button at the bottom of the window to send files by email, text, or other means. With this built-in sharing feature, it’s even easier to add the compression step to your workflow.

Email platforms and websites often limit the file sizes they allow. When you’ve got to post or send a PDF as is, PDF squeezer by Setapp can help you avoid those limits without sacrificing the quality of your work or archiving it as a ZIP.