How to Reduce Scanned Document Size for Free
Summary :
Discover the top 4 proven methods to significantly reduce the size of scanned documents, save storage space, and make sharing easier.
Table of Contents
Reducing scanned document sizes is key for efficient storage and quicker sharing. High-resolution files can consume significant space and be hard to upload or email.
This guide covers four effective methods to compress documents, saving storage and improving accessibility without losing quality.
Reduce Scanned PDF Size Using an Online PDF Compressor
The PDFgear Online PDF Compressor is a quick and efficient way to reduce the size of scanned documents. No installation, no registration, no watermarks, and no ads. It is a free and easy-to-use tool.
Follow the steps and click the image below to compress your scanned PDF instantly.
Step 1. Click the “Select PDF file” button to choose a scanned PDF from your device.
Step 2. Choose from Low Compression, Medium Compression, or High Compression, then click “Compress” and wait a few seconds.
Step 3. Once the process is complete, click “Download File” to save your optimized PDF. You’ll also see the original and final file sizes for reference.
However, it limits PDF files to 50MB and doesn’t support batch compression. Downloading PDFgear eliminates these limitations.
PDFgear is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, offering no restrictions on file size or quantity, and there are no subscriptions or watermarks.
Reduce Scanned PDF Size by Converting to Smaller Formats
Converting a scanned PDF into a more compact format is an effective way to reduce its size. PDFgear makes this process simple by allowing conversion to Word or Image formats (JPG/PNG) while maintaining quality.
Convert PDF to Word Document
Convert PDF to Word with PDFgear Online Converter
Step 1. Go to PDFgear online PDF to Word converter.
Step 2. Drag and drop the file into the upload box and wait a few seconds for processing.
Step 3. Once the conversion is complete, download the file, which will be smaller in size than the original scanned PDF.
This method works best on scanned PDFs with mostly text and a few images.
If your scanned PDF contains many photos, try using the PDFgear online compressor to reduce the file size. Alternatively, consider Method 3 to print your scanned PDF in black and white.
Convert PDF to Images
Convert PDF to Image with PDFgear Online Converter
Step 1. Visit PDFgear online PDF to Image converter.
Step 2. Choose the scanned PDF you want to convert.
Step 3. Once the conversion is complete, you can download the images, which will be provided in a zip folder.
The online PDF converter supports files up to 50MB and does not allow multiple file conversions at once.
For handling larger files or batch processing, downloading PDFgear is the better option.
Reduce Scanned PDF Size by Printing to Grayscale
One practical way to reduce the size of scanned documents is by printing.
Lowering the resolution and switching to black and white or grayscale can create smaller file sizes.
Print in Black and White Instead of Color
Step 1. Download PDFgear on your device and open the software.
Step 2. Choose the scanned PDF you want to open, then go to the “Print” button in the upper-left corner.
Step 3. Check the “Grayscale” option and click “Print” to reduce the file size.
Before scanning, set the scanner resolution to 150-200 DPI for most documents to keep the file size small.
Higher resolutions like 300 DPI or more increase the file size without improving text quality significantly.
Batch Compress Scanned PDFs Using a Free PDF Compressor
When dealing with multiple scanned PDFs or large files, PDFgear is here to help! There’s no limit on file size or quantity, so you can batch compress as many files as you need.
PDFgear offers a high compression ratio without compromising quality, ensuring faster and more reliable compression. You can even customize the compression level for each file, all in one go.
The best part? PDFgear is compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, so you can easily compress scanned documents across all platforms.
Batch Reduce the Size of Scanned Documents with PDFgear
Step 1. Download PDFgear on your device.
Step 2. Click the “Compress PDF” button in the “Hot Tools” toolbar.
Step 3. Hit “Add Files” to select and open multiple PDFs. Choose a compression level for each file.
Step 4. Choose the output path and click “Compress” to reduce the size of your scanned PDFs.
FAQs
Why is My Scanned Document Size So Large?
Your document may be too large due to high DPI settings, which measure dot density and result in bigger file sizes. For text documents, avoid scanning at resolutions over 300 DPI.
Instead, choose 150-200 DPI or use PDFgear Compressor to reduce the file size without losing quality.
Can I Reduce File Size While Scanning?
Yes! When using a connected scanner, adjust settings to reduce file size: switch to black-and-white scans, lower the resolution, choose formats like JPEG or DOCX, and enable file compression.
How to Reduce the Size of Color-Scanned Documents?
Color scans are generally larger than black-and-white scans. To reduce the size, upload the file to PDFgear Online Compressor, select a compression mode, and shrink the file.
Alternatively, you can download PDFgear and print the document to grayscale to further reduce the scanned PDF size, and check the detailed steps in method 3.
How to Reduce Size of PDF File While Scanning?
To reduce the size of a PDF file while scanning, try these options:
• Lower the DPI: Set the scanner to 150-200 DPI for text documents to keep the file size smaller.
• Use Black and White or Grayscale: Scanning in black and white or grayscale reduces file size more than color.
• Select Efficient Formats: Choose PDF or JPEG for better compression.
• Enable Compression: Use the scanner’s built-in compression settings to shrink the file size.
• Scan Multiple Pages as One File: Scanning multiple pages into a single PDF helps reduce overall size.
These adjustments will help keep your scanned PDFs smaller and easier to share.
To Sum Up
With these four effective methods, you’re sure to find one that suits your needs for reducing scanned PDF sizes. PDFgear will seamlessly fit into your workflow, offering reliable performance.
Its PDF reading and editing features will also enhance your document management. Give PDFgear a try, and if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to leave a comment below!
