How to Drastically Reduce PDF File Size (90%+ Compression)

When You Need Extreme Compression

Sometimes regular compression isn't enough. You need to drastically reduce PDF size when:

Email limits - Your attachment exceeds the 10MB limit

Portal uploads - Government or job sites have strict limits

Storage - You're running out of cloud storage

Sharing - Large files are slow to download

Compression Levels Explained

Level	Size Reduction	Quality Loss	Use Case
Low	10-20%	None	Archive quality
Medium	30-50%	Minimal	General use
High	60-80%	Some	Email/sharing
Extreme	80-95%	Noticeable	Portal uploads

How to Get 90%+ Compression

Step 1: Use Extreme Setting

Go to ExactPDF Compress PDF and select Extreme compression.

Step 2: Understand the Trade-offs

Extreme compression:

Reduces image resolution significantly

May blur photos and graphics

Text remains readable

Step 3: Check the Result

Always preview your compressed PDF:

Can you read all text?

Are important images clear enough?

Does it meet the size requirement?

Real Compression Results

We tested with a 10MB PDF containing:

20 pages

Multiple images

Standard text

Setting	Output Size	Reduction
Low	8.5 MB	15%
Medium	5.2 MB	48%
High	2.1 MB	79%
Extreme	0.9 MB	91%

Tips for Maximum Compression

Remove unnecessary pages - Split the PDF first

Convert to grayscale - Color uses more data

Lower resolution - 150 DPI is fine for screens

Use multiple passes - Compress twice if needed

When Extreme Isn't Enough

If even extreme compression doesn't work:

Split into multiple files

Convert to image-based PDF

Remove embedded fonts

Compress images before adding to PDF

Compress PDF to Extreme →