PDF upload limits are common on recruitment portals, government forms and email services. Compression should reduce unnecessary image data without making names, signatures or supporting documents unreadable.
Start with the target limit
Check whether the destination specifies a maximum size in KB or MB. Open the Compress PDF tool, select the document and begin with a moderate setting. Compare the original and compressed sizes before downloading.
Inspect important pages
Zoom into identification numbers, signatures, stamps and small text. If they become blurred, return to a lighter compression level. Scanned PDFs usually shrink more than text-based PDFs because their pages contain large images.
Better source files produce better results
If you created the PDF from photographs, resize extremely large images before combining them. Avoid repeatedly compressing the same PDF because each pass may reduce clarity. Keep the original document separately.
FAQ
Why is my PDF still large?
High-resolution scans, embedded fonts and photographs may limit the reduction. Splitting unrelated documents can also help when the portal accepts multiple files.
Is a smaller file always better?
No. The correct file is small enough for the limit and clear enough for the reviewer.