Compressing PDFs without losing quality

Most oversized PDFs are not oversized because of their content. They are bloated by duplicated fonts, leftover metadata, revision history and uncompressed object streams.

Start with the least destructive option. Stripping metadata and rewriting object streams often removes a surprising share of the file size with zero visual difference.

Only reach for aggressive settings when you are sending something for screen viewing. For anything destined for print, stay on the low setting and accept a larger file.

Finally, check the result. A good compression tool shows you the before and after size so you can decide whether the trade is worth it.