Open the PDF in Preview. Don’t just double-click it; right-click and choose “Open With” > “Preview.” Why? Because sometimes the default reader is stubborn. Now, click on “File” in the top menu bar.
Scroll down to “Export…”—no, don’t panic, it’s just exporting a copy. A tiny window will pop up. Look for a dropdown that says “Quartz Filter.” Click it. See “Reduce File Size”? That’s the magic button. Click it, then hit “Save.”
Boom. Your PDF just lost weight faster than a New Year’s resolution. It might look slightly squished, but for most documents—like invoices, drafts, or memes—it’s perfect. Try it right now. I’ll wait.
But Wait, There’s More (If Your PDF is Still Chunky)
Sometimes “Reduce File Size” makes text look like a potato stamp. If that happens, don’t throw your laptop out the window. Go back to Preview and try a different Quartz Filter. Choose “Reduce File Size (Smaller)”—yes, that’s a real option—or even “Reduce File Size (Smallest)” if you’re feeling reckless.
Still too big? Then we need to play with resolution. In the export window, look for the “Resolution” box. Drop it from 300 to 150 or even 72 DPI. Your text will still be readable, but the file will shrink like a wool sweater in hot water.
