received recently:

My [Fujitsu] ScanSnap makes PDFs that are too big . . . like around 60K per page!
What can I do to make these smaller in Acrobat?

I have to eFile [with the Federal Court] and am having to split the filings into
many segments to go through the [Court] gateway. The issue seems to be with
documents that are scanned on our network scanner. PDFs produced directly from Word
are a lot smaller. Is there some trick to reduce the size of scanned files?

Before covering how to reduce the size of scanned documents in detail, let�s
discuss four factors that affect the size of scanned images:

Scanning Resolution
A scan at 600 dpi results in a much larger file than at 300 dpi.
Color Space
Color and grayscale files result in much larger files than black and white files.
Physical dimensions of the scanned page
A legal-size scan will be larger than a letter-size scan, with all other factors
being equal.
Compression
Raw scan data can be compressed to make it smaller.

Compression Types
Lossless compression retains the exact appearance of the original.

Two common types of lossless compression are ZIP and CCITT Group 4.

Lossy compression makes some (hopefully) non-noticeable visual trade-offs to

further reduce file size.

JPEG is a common lossy compression method.

Ideally, you would control all of the above factors yourself by scanning at 300
dpi, black and white and using an efficient compression algorithm.

Unfortunately, you many not have that option. Many desktop and network scanners
offer limited or confusing options� or� the scanned PDFs arrived from outside your
firm.

Legal Scanning Recommendations

In almost all situations, scan at 300 dpi, black and white.

For the purpose of this article we will make a couple of assumptions:

You have a black and white scanned document of unknown dpi and compression
You have already OCR�d the document, or don�t need OCR
Read on to learn how to reduce the file size of scanned documents using Acrobat.

Black and White Image Compression

There are three common types of compression used on black and white scanned images:

Compression Type Avg Size per page Notes

CCITT G4
50K Most commonly used type of compression
JBIG2 Lossless
36K Good lossless alternative to
CCITT G4 compression
JPBG2 Lossy
15K A lossy compression scheme which often does a good job on typical legal
documents

For most 300 dpi black and white scans, it can be very difficult to spot any visual
differences.

Comparison of Compression, 300 dpi, 200% Enlargement

Compression comparison

Using "Optimize Scanned Image" in Acrobat Standard and Pro

The Optimize Scanned Image feature performs various image clean-up tasks (de-
skewing, edge enhancement) and also nicely compresses files.

Here�s how to use this feature:

Open the PDF you wish to optimize

Choose Document�> Optimize Scanned PDF. . .
The Optimize Scanned Image window appears.
Choose the appropriate level of compression and click OK.
What do the settings mean?
The slider at the top of the window has six clickable positions:

Optimize Scanned Image Window

For 300 dpi black and white scans, only options a, b and f result in different file
sizes.

Results for a 4-page scanned document

Original
a
b
c
d
e
f
199K
55K
55K
55K
55K
132K
199K
a, b, c and d = JBIG2 Lossy
e = JBIG2 Lossless
f=CCITT G4

Using Acrobat�s PDF Optimizer to Compress Scanned PDFs

The PDF Optimizer can be used to analyze and selectively compress documents. Sorry
Acrobat Standard users� this feature is in Acrobat Pro and Pro Extended only.

Analyzing File Size of Scanned Documents

To better understand why a document is big, view the statistics available via the
PDF Optimizer.

Open the PDF you wish to analyze

Choose Advanced�> PDF Optimizer . . .
Click the Audit Space usage. . . button

The Audit Space Usage window appears:

Audit Space Usage Window
The window above reflected the state of a 4-page scanned document:
A)Total file size about 200K
B) Over 190K was allocated to images!

We can do a lot better than that . . .

Reducing the Size of an Individual Scanned PDF using the PDF Optimizer
Open the PDF you wish to compress
Choose Advanced�> PDF Optimizer . . .
The PDF Optimizer window appears:
PDF Optimizer window

In the list on the left, ensure that only Images and Clean Up are checked:
Choosing PDF Optimizer categories
At the bottom of the window, set the following for black and white documents:
a) Set to 300 ppi
b) Set to 300 ppi
c) Set to JBIG
d) Choose Lossy or Lossless
PDF Optimizer settings for B&W files

Save your setting so you can easily recall it:

Saving PDF Optimizer settings
a) Clickthe Save button at the top of the window
b)Give the setting a name and click OK

Note: The PDF Optimizer may be used in batch mode which allows you to process
hundreds of files. See my article on Batch OCR with Acrobat Pro.

Share163
By Rick Borstein
Comments (0)
CreatedHow to Reduce the Size of an Image Using Photoshop
With Photoshop open, go to File > Open and select an image.
Go to Image > Image Size.
An Image Size dialog box will appear like the one pictured below.
Enter new pixel dimensions, document size, or resolution. ...
Select Resampling Method. ...
Click OK to accept the changes.
How to Resize an Image - All About Images - Research Guides at ...
guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=282942&p=1888161
Feedback
About this result
People also askThis wikiHow teaches you how to increase or reduce the number of
kilobytes (KB) that an image takes up. You can adjust directly a photo's kilobyte
size by using the free online LunaPic editor. If you want to adjust the photo's
kilobytes by lowering or increasing its dimensions, you can use free programs on
Windows and Mac, as well as download and use free apps on iPhone and Android. Keep
in mind that lowering a picture's size in kilobytes will also lower its resolution,
while increasing the file's size will not necessarily increase its resolution.
Method
1
Using LunaPic
1
Open LunaPic. Go to https://www140.lunapic.com/editor/ in your browser. LunaPic is
a free, online photo editor with which you can increase or decrease an image's size
by kilobyte.
2
Click Quick Upload. It's a link in the lower-right side of the page.
3
Click Choose file. This grey button is in the middle of the page. Clicking it opens
a window.
4
Select an image. Click the photo that you want to resize. You may first have to
select the photo's folder on the left side of the window.
5
Click Open. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. The photo will be
uploaded to the LunaPic site.
6
Click Set File Size. This link is in the group of options above the photo.
7
Select a file size. Double-click the white file size text field above the folder to
select its contents, then type in the size of file that you want to use.
If you need your file to be larger, you'll type in a number that's larger than the
number currently listed here (and vice versa).
8
Click Resize File. It's a grey button to the right of the kilobyte number field.
Your photo will be resized, both in file size and in physical dimensions.
9
Click Save. This link is in the lower-left side of the page. Doing so will save
your photo in JPEG format.
You may have to scroll down to see Save.

Method
2
On Windows
1
Open Start Image titled Windowsstart.png . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-
left corner of the screen.
2
Type in paint. Doing so searches your computer for the Paint program.
3
Click Paint. It's at the top of the Start window. This will open the Paint program.
4
Open your image in Paint. Click File in the upper-left corner of the window, then
click Open, select a photo, and click Open.

5
Click on Resize. It's the rectangular icon in the "Image" section of the toolbar at
the top of the window. This will open the "Resize and Skew" dialog box.

6
Check the "Maintain aspect ratio" box. This will ensure that your photo doesn't get
stretched or flattened when resizing it.

7
Set a new size for the image. To do so:
Check the Percentage box to enter a percentage in either the "Vertical" or
"Horizontal" field and reduce the image size by a certain proportion.
Check the Pixels box to enter specific pixel dimensions (e.g., 800 x 600) in the
"Vertical" or "Horizontal" field.
Enlarging an image may result in pixelation and reduced quality.

8
Click OK. It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. Your dimensions will be
applied.

9
Save your file. Click File, click Save as in the pop-out menu, enter a name in the
"File name" text box, and click Save. You can also select a file type by clicking
the "Save as type" drop-down box and then clicking one of the following options:
GIF - best for web graphics. Small files.
BMP - best for web graphics. Compact files.
JPEG - best for photos on the web. Compact files.
PNG - best for graphics and small Web files. Larger files.
TIFF - best for editing and storing images. Larger files.
Method
3
On Mac

1
Open a photo in the Preview app. Do so by double-clicking on the blue Preview icon
that looks like overlapping snapshots, then clicking on File in the menu bar and
Open... in the drop-down menu. Select a file in the dialog box and click on Open.
Preview is Apple's native image viewer app that's automatically included with most
versions of Mac OS.

2
Click Tools. It's in the menu bar at the top of the screen.

3
Click Adjust Size�. You'll find this in the Tools drop-down menu.

4
Set a new size for the image. Click the "Fit into" drop-down box, then select new
dimensions (or click Custom) in the resulting drop-down menu.
If you select "Custom," enter the dimensions in the "Width:" and "Height:" fields,
and/or the number of pixels per inch/cm in the "Resolution:" field.
Enlarging an image may result in pixelation and reduced quality.

5
Click OK. This will apply your changes to the photo.

6
Click File, then click Save. This will save your file on your computer using the
dimensions that you selected, which will either raise or lower the image's overall
file size.
To save the image in a different format, click Export� in the File drop-down menu,
then click the "Format" drop-down menu and select an image format:
JPEG - best for photos on the web. Compact files.
JPEG-2000 - high quality, good compression. Smaller files.
OpenEXR - best used to compress video files.
PNG - best for graphics and small Web files. Larger files.
TIFF - best for editing and storing images. Larger files.
Method
4
On iPhone
1
Download the free Resize Image app. Open your iPhone's App Store Image titled
Iphoneappstoreicon.png , then do the following:
Tap Search
Tap the search bar.
Type in resize image
Tap Search in the keyboard.
Scroll down to the "Resize Image" app.
Tap GET
Enter your Touch ID, or tap Install and enter your Apple ID when prompted.
Wait for the app to install.
2
Open Resize Image. Tap OPEN in the App Store, or tap the field-and-tree Resize
Image app icon.
3
Tap the "Photos" icon. It's in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
4
Tap Photo Library when prompted. Doing so will open a window with your phone's
photos in it.
5
Select a photo. Tap an album to open it, then tap the photo that you want to
resize. Doing so will open it in the main Resize Image window.
6
Tap the "Settings" button. It's an image of sliders on a grey background at the
bottom of the screen, just right of the "Photos" icon. A window will appear in the
middle of the screen.
7
Resize the image. Drag the "Width" or "Height" slider left to lower the image's
size, or drag one of these sliders right to increase the image's size.
As long as the "Keep aspect ration" switch is green Image titled
Iphoneswitchonicon1.png , adjusting one slider will change the other slider as
well.
8
Tap Resize. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so will resize your photo.
If prompted that resizing your photo will cause the app to crash, just tap Yes.
9
Save the photo. Tap the "Save" icon, which resembles a square floppy disk at the
bottom of the screen, then tap the sunflower-shaped "Photos" app icon. Your resized
photo will be saved to your iPhone's Camera Roll.
Method
5
On Android
1
Download the free Photo Resizer HD app. Open your Android's Google Play Store Image
titled Androidgoogleplay.png , then do the following:
Tap the search bar.
Type in photo resizer hd
Tap Photo Resizer HD
Tap INSTALL
Tap ACCEPT
Wait for the app to install.
2
Open Photo Resizer HD. Tap OPEN in the Google Play Store, or tap the Photo Resizer
HD four-arrow app icon.
3
Tap Gallery. It's in the middle of the screen. This will open your Photo Gallery
app.
4
Select a photo. Tap the photo that you want to resize. It will open in the Photo
Resizer HD app.
5
Tap the "Resize" icon. It resembles a diagonal arrow below the photo. Doing so will
open a menu.
6
Tap Custom. It's at the top of the menu.
7
Resize your photo. Tap one of the text fields and then replace its text with your
preferred size. For example, if the text field has "300" written in it, you would
replace it with "150" to halve the image's file size, or replace it with "600" to
double the file size.
As long as the "Keep aspect ratio" box is checked, adjusting one value will cause
the other value to scale with it.
8
Tap OK. It's at the bottom of the menu. This will apply your changes to the photo.
9
Tap the "Save" icon. This floppy disk-shaped icon is in the top-right corner of the
screen. Doing so will save the photo to your Android's Photo Gallery using your new
dimensions.
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Community Q&A
How can I reduce the size of a 2 MB image to 30 KB without compromising on the
quality of the photo?
wikiHow Staff Editor
Unfortunately, what you're trying to do isn't possible (at least, not in this
dimension!). Lowering an image's size inherently means that you're lowering the
picture's quality.
Not Helpful 0 Helpful 2
Which app can I use for this?
wikiHow Contributor
To decrease or increase size, decrease or increase the resolution of the image in a
program like Photoshop or GIMP.
Not Helpful 2 Helpful 19
Can I increase a 103kb size photo to 1mb to get it printed on an a canvas?
wikiHow Contributor
Increase the resolution in a program such as Photoshop or GIMP to make it fit.
Not Helpful 7 Helpful 17
I want to enter an image into a competition. It has to be 72dpi and betwen 1-3 MB.
When I do all this in Photoshop it looks good but when I save the image it is only
570kb. What am I doing wrong?
wikiHow Contributor
Just increase the resolution until the file size is where you need it to be.
Not Helpful 15 Helpful 6
Unanswered Questions
How can I REDUCE image size? Photo of my painting is coming in at 2500 pixels on
longest side, and the limit for show I am submitting to is 1200 pixels on longest
side.
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Tips
As a general rule, lowering a photo's dimensions (e.g., from 800 x 800 to 500 x
500) will decrease the photo's file size, while increasing the dimensions will
increase the file size.
On Windows, your file may not initially appear to have a different file size after
saving in Paint. Refreshing your screen a few times by pressing F5 will update the
file's information.
Warnings
Resizing an image will always change the image's resolution and perceptible
quality. You cannot resize an image without changing its quality.

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Article Info
Categories: Graphics

In other languages:

Italiano: Modificare il Peso di un'Immagine, Portugu�s: Mudar o Tamanho de uma

Imagem em KB, Deutsch: Die G��e eines Bildes in KB
ver�ndern, ???????: ???????? ?????? ??????????? (? ??????????), Espa�ol: cambiar el
tama�o de una imagen en KB, Fran�ais: modifier la taille en octets d'une image
num�rique, Bahasa Indonesia: Mengubah Ukuran Gambar dalam KB, Nederlands: De
grootte van een afbeelding wijzigen in
Kb, ???????: ????? ??? ????, ???: ???????????????????? KB, Ti?ng Vi?t: Thay d?i
k�ch thu?c ?nh theo KB, ???: ??????????????, ??: ????????

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Chandan Banerjee

Mar 28, 2016