Compress / Optimize your PDF in Acrobat DC

  • Need to print a large PDF file? Optimize it to shrink the file size, which will usually result in faster prints with fewer problems.
  • If you want to print from Photoshop, Illustrator, or InDesign, convert to PDF first, then open the file in Adobe Acrobat DC to optimize and print it. This controls the file size and provides a way to reduce printing errors such as rotated and cut-off prints.

Instructions

  1. Open your PDF in Acrobat DC. Click File > Save As Other > Optimized PDF.
  2. Change "Make compatible with" to "Acrobat 10.0 and later".



  3. Under Images, change the first two Quality settings to "High". 



  4. Under Discard Objects, make sure everything is checked.



  5. Under Discard User Data, make sure everything is checked.



  6. Click Clean Up on the left. Make sure everything is checked (Figure 4; see other side)



  7. Click OK. Choose a location to save your optimized file.
    1. Don't save over your original filename, in case you need to go back and adjust settings.
    2. Add the word "opt" to your file name, so you know it's been optimized (example: elevation-opt.pdf). This also tells the plot monitor that your file has been optimized.
    3. Now print the new PDF!