FileCarpenter guide
How to get a PDF under an upload size limit
A portal that says “maximum 2 MB” gives you a measurable target. Compression is easier when the tool aims at that number instead of hiding everything behind “low, medium, high.”
Start with the least destructive option
Lossless rebuilding can remove structural waste without intentionally turning text into pixels. If that is enough to meet the limit, it preserves the most useful PDF behavior.
Scanned PDFs are usually image-heavy
When most of the file size comes from page images, meaningful reductions normally require lowering image resolution or quality. That can make small print and diagrams harder to read, so the target should be no smaller than the portal requires.
Exact-size tools still cannot promise an exact byte
Compression algorithms work with discrete image encodings and document overhead. A target-size workflow can search toward the requested limit, but the final file should always be checked against the portal’s actual byte limit.
Verify more than the file size
Check page count, orientation, text readability, signatures, form fields and any required searchable text before submitting. Keep the original document separately.