Merge & Compress PDFs (Under Email Limits)
Need one clean PDF under an email cap? Merge pages, split the extras, and compress to size with free, trustworthy tools. Here’s the workflow for every OS.
Quick targets (what size to aim for)
| Use case | Target | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Email attachment | < 20–25 MB | Many providers cap here |
| Web upload | < 5–10 MB | Common job/visa portals |
| Archive | Best quality | Keep an original, compress a copy |
Best free tools
- macOS Preview — merge, reorder, delete pages, export reduced file size.
- PDFsam Basic (Windows/macOS/Linux) — merge, split, rotate; open-source.
- Online compressors — quick, but avoid for sensitive docs. Prefer local tools.
Merge PDFs (macOS Preview)
- Open PDF #1 in Preview → View → Thumbnails.
- Drag PDF #2 onto the thumbnail sidebar at the spot you want to insert.
- Reorder pages by dragging; delete extras (Backspace).
- File → Export as PDF (this creates a new merged copy).
Merge/Split (PDFsam Basic: Windows/macOS/Linux)
- Open PDFsam Basic → choose Merge → add files → set order → Run.
- For splits: choose Split → by pages/range or after each bookmark → Run.
Compress to target size
macOS Preview
- File → Export… → Quartz Filter: Reduce File Size.
- Check quality; if too blurry, try a different tool (Preview filter is aggressive).
Windows/macOS/Linux (local tools)
- Use PDFsam’s Visual reorder to delete heavy pages you don’t need.
- Export images to JPEG at 150–200 DPI if your PDF is image-scanned; re-insert.
Online compressors (when the doc isn’t sensitive)
- Upload → choose Medium compression first.
- Download and verify legibility; if forms look fuzzy, retry with Low compression.
Always keep an original high-quality copy. Send the compressed version.
Tips for scanned documents
- Scan at 200–300 DPI, grayscale. Use OCR if available so text stays selectable.
- Crop margins and rotate off-angle pages; they bloat size and look unprofessional.
