Jerome Colas

Q: A simple and free way of reducing PDF file size using Preview

Note: this is a copy and update of a 5 year old discussion in the Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard discussions which you can find here: https://discussions.apple.com/message/6109398#6109398

 

This is a simple and free solution I found to reduce the file size of PDFs in OS X, without the high cost and awful UI of Acrobat Pro, and with acceptable quality. I still use it every day, although I have Acrobat Pro as part of Adove Creative Cloud subscription.

 

Since quite a few people have found it useful and keep asking questions about the download location and destination of the filters, which have changed since 2007, I decided to write this update, and put it in this more current forum.

 

Here is how to install it:

 

Here is the appropriate location for the filters:

This assumes that your startup disk's name is "Macintosh HD". If it is different, just replace "Macintosh HD" with the name of your startup disk.

  • If you are running Lion or Mountain Lion (OS X 10.7.x or 10.8.x) then you should put the downloaded filters in "Macintosh HD/Library/PDF Services". This folder should already exist and contain files. Once you put the downloaded filters there, you should have for example one file with the following path:
    "Macintosh HD/Library/PDF Services/Reduce to 150 dpi average quality - STANDARD COMPRESSION.qfilter"
  • If you are running an earlier vesion of OS X (10.6.x or earlier), then you should put the downloaded filters in "Macintosh HD/Library/Filters" and you should have for example one file with the following path:
    "Macintosh HD/Library/Filters/Reduce to 150 dpi average quality - STANDARD COMPRESSION.qfilter"

 

Here is how to use it:

  • Open a PDF file using Apple's Preview app,
  • Choose Export (or Save As if you have on older version of Mac OS X) in the File menu,
  • Choose PDF as a format
  • In the "Quartz Filter" drop-down menu, choose a filter "Reduce to xxx dpi yyy quality"; "Reduce to 150 dpi average quality - STANDARD COMPRESSION" is a good trade-off between quality and file size

 

Here is how it works:

  • These are Quartz filters made with Apple Colorsinc Utility.
  • They do two things:
    • downsample images contained in a PDF to a target density such as 150 dpi,
    • enable JPEG compression for those images with a low or medium setting.

 

Which files does it work with?

It works with most PDF files. However:

  • It will generally work very well on unoptimized files such as scans made with the OS X scanning utility or PDFs produced via OS X printing dialog.
  • It will not further compress well-optimized (comrpessed) files and might create bigger files than the originals,
  • For some files it will create larger files than the originals. This can happen in particular when a PDF file contains other optomizations than image compression. There also seems to be a bug (reported to Apple) where in certain circumstances images in the target PDF are not JPEG compressed.

 

What to do if it does not work for a file (target PDF is too big or even larger than the original PDF)?

  • First,a good news: since you used a Save As or Export command, the original PDF is untouched.
  • You can try another filter for a smaller size at the expense of quality.
  • The year being 2013, it is now quite easy to send large files through the internet using Dropbox, yousendit.com, wetransfer.com etc. and you can use these services to send your original PDF file.
  • There are other ways of reducing the size of a PDF file, such as apps in the Mac App store, or online services such as the free and simple http://smallpdf.com

 

What else?

Feel free to use/distribute/package in any way you like.

MacBook Pro with Retina display, OS X Mountain Lion (10.8.2), and other Macs too

Posted on Apr 16, 2013 9:35 AM

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Q: A simple and free way of reducing PDF file size using Preview

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  • by Pepetono,

    Pepetono Pepetono Apr 7, 2014 4:09 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Apr 7, 2014 4:09 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    It works perfect. However, I am using Maverick and probably that is the reason I see the Quartz Filter cut.

     

    Screen Shot 2014-04-07 at 7.06.58 PM.png

     

    Hopefully you could help me to fix this.

     

    Thank again.

  • by captwiggum,

    captwiggum captwiggum Jun 26, 2014 7:54 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 26, 2014 7:54 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    Hi all. This method is a great idea. Thanks to Jerome for this great contribution!

     

    Is anyone else having trouble with Mavericks? I first followed the old instructions, and copied the filters to ~/Library/Filters. Then when I started preview, I got the spinning beach ball. After about 10 seconds, it stopped. The preview window was present, but the menu bar did not show preview. Expose did not show preview. I quit the window. I can see it via "ps -axf | grep -i preview" and kill it accordingly.

     

    So I thought maybe it did not work with my Mavericks. No problem. I removed the Filters folder. (It was not previously present, I had created it). Then logged out, logged back in. Still today when I start preview, I get the spinning beach ball followed by now menu, and unusable preview.

     

    If anyone else has this trouble, and found a fix, please share.

  • by captwiggum,

    captwiggum captwiggum Jun 27, 2014 12:49 PM in response to captwiggum
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 27, 2014 12:49 PM in response to captwiggum

    I have found that the above problem is limited to the command line opener. In other words, if I open apps via dashboard or launch pad, then all is well. But if I open via cmd line "$ open blah.png" then the above problems occur. This problem persists for any type of file opened, such as jpg, pdf, docx, etc.

     

    So how is it, that simply copying some new quartz filters into ~/Library/Filters broke my command line opener? Any hints appreciated.

  • by bigkeef,

    bigkeef bigkeef Jul 6, 2014 3:48 AM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (8 points)
    Apple TV
    Jul 6, 2014 3:48 AM in response to Jerome Colas

    Thanks Buddy; that's REALLY helpful. Saved me a lot of messing around. Cheers

  • by wfstephens,

    wfstephens wfstephens Jul 14, 2014 2:51 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 14, 2014 2:51 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    I am using 10.9.4 and there is no PDF Services folder in the Library.  Is there a new location now to install the filters?  I installed these filters on another laptop before i upgraded to 10.9.4 and can't even find them in the other directory now, so evidently they've been hidden, so where are they now located?

  • by Jes Anderson,

    Jes Anderson Jes Anderson Jul 15, 2014 3:50 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jul 15, 2014 3:50 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    JEROME COLAS FOR THE WINNNNN!!

     

    I have been looking for this solution for years. Previews reduce file size is useless.

     

    THANK YOU JEROME, I would buy you a snickers, or your candy of choice if we worked together. You have saved me so much time and pain.

  • by Jerome Colas,

    Jerome Colas Jerome Colas Jul 20, 2014 1:01 AM in response to wfstephens
    Level 2 (229 points)
    Jul 20, 2014 1:01 AM in response to wfstephens

    Hi wfstephens.

     

    In 10.9.x (and probably 10.10) there is a "PDF Services" folder on your hard drive.

    It is in the "Macintosh HD/Library" folder, or whatever the name of your hard drive is /Library.

     

    If you are looking in the Library directory within your home folder (the one with a house icon), it is normal that there is no PDF Services folder.

     

    :-)

  • by *Q,

    *Q *Q Aug 5, 2014 12:16 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Aug 5, 2014 12:16 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    I love how simple and intuitive apple makes their software!  nothing at all like confusing microsoft software with hidden features in a place that makes no sense. 

     

    or is this the microsoft site? so confused.

  • by Dannymac22,

    Dannymac22 Dannymac22 Aug 5, 2014 12:39 PM in response to *Q
    Level 1 (9 points)
    Mac OS X
    Aug 5, 2014 12:39 PM in response to *Q

    This is a nice utility, but I have to say that, half the time I use it, it makes my pdf file bigger. Sometimes a LOT bigger. A lot of us see that. So when it makes it smaller, great, smiles, and kudos. But when it doesn't, I guess I'll just shrug. It really surprises me that, to my knowledge, there is no explanation of what kind of pdf file this utility works well on, and what kind of pdf file it doesn't.

  • by Toronto.Girl,

    Toronto.Girl Toronto.Girl Sep 20, 2014 12:49 AM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 20, 2014 12:49 AM in response to Jerome Colas

    Thank you soooo much for taking the time and effort to share this with everyone, Jérôme!! I remember your post from over a year ago and how kind you were to help me when I had issues installing it back then. I just had my computer restored to factory settings and right away one of the very helpful things I required was the ability to easily reduce PDF file sizes. I am so happy and thankful to see your very helpful post here. Your instructions are very clear, easy to follow and it worked right away for me   I see previous commenters have offered you candy to thank you LOL If you're ever visiting Toronto I would love to grab coffee with you to thank you.

    Karen

  • by Noah M.,

    Noah M. Noah M. Oct 7, 2014 8:44 PM in response to Toronto.Girl
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 7, 2014 8:44 PM in response to Toronto.Girl

    This worked for me:

     

    1. emailed myself the pdf file

    2. opened received email > file > export as pdf to desktop

    3. opened pdf on desktop > view > thumbnail > dragged particular page of document to desktop

    4. re-saved

     

    file size was automatically reduced from 9MB to 581KB.

  • by Freewheeller,

    Freewheeller Freewheeller Jan 15, 2015 5:08 AM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jan 15, 2015 5:08 AM in response to Jerome Colas

    Works like you say it does. 

    Also just to confirm that this works on Mavericks 10.9.5!

     

    Thanks Jérôme !

  • by tret85,

    tret85 tret85 Mar 30, 2015 6:35 AM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Mar 30, 2015 6:35 AM in response to Jerome Colas

    Hello Jerome Colas,

     

    thank you very much! Your advice works even on Mac Os 10.10.2 perfectly. Such a helpful advice.

     

    Regards,

    Zhenya.

  • by jmreich,

    jmreich jmreich Jun 21, 2015 11:35 AM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Jun 21, 2015 11:35 AM in response to Jerome Colas

    Just upgraded (time will tell I guess!) to Yosemite.  Re-installed quartz filters and they work like magic.  Thanks Jerome for the gift that keeps on giving.

  • by MichelPM,

    MichelPM MichelPM Jun 21, 2015 6:22 PM in response to Jerome Colas
    Level 6 (13,653 points)
    iPad
    Jun 21, 2015 6:22 PM in response to Jerome Colas

    Hello Jerome,

    Thank you for reposting this, again.

    I have saved all of your info, so I can try this on PDFs I create using OS X Preview in the future.

    Great info and procedures on how to reduce PDF file sizes without having to purchase very costly Adobe Acrobat Pro.

    I bought Acrobat Pro for a much earlier Acrobat version. i used it, but did not like it or its interface much.

    So glad you found a way to introduce some of Acrobat's functionality into the OS X Preview app.

    Good Stuff!!!

     

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