# How can I 200kb compress pdf files for a strict upload limit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Tools for Readers\ **Tags:** reading\ **Created:** [October 29, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61 "2026-10-29T15:08:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![melbourne\_00](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@melbourne\_00](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/melbourne_00)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/1 "2026-10-29T15:08:04Z")
Why do government portals still have such ridiculous file size limits in this day and age. I have a two-page scanned PDF that is sitting at 1.5 MB, and the application form refuses anything over 200kb. How can I shrink this PDF down that much on Windows without making the text completely unreadable? ---
**Author:** ![reid21](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/reid21/32/22_2.png) [@reid21](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/reid21)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 3:08pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/2 "2026-10-29T15:08:23Z")
Honestly with a two page scan the resolution is almost always the problem. If you still have the paper, rescan at 150 dpi in grayscale instead of color and you’ll likely land under 200kb easy. If not, try printing it to Microsoft Print to PDF, that sometimes slims a scan down a lot too. ---
**Author:** ![SneakySteel](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/sneakysteel/32/25_2.png) [@SneakySteel](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/SneakySteel)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/3 "2026-10-29T21:51:46Z")
Had the same thing last month with a visa form, so I feel this. For scanned pages, try opening it in the free Microsoft Print to PDF trick: open the PDF, print it to that virtual printer, it sometimes strips a lot of bloat. If it is just images, lowering scan resolution before scanning again helps more than anything after the fact. ---
**Author:** ![finlay.wilson](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/finlay.wilson/32/23_2.png) [@finlay.wilson](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/finlay.wilson)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 7:36am UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/4 "2026-10-30T07:36:51Z")
I had this exact headache with patient forms at my clinic. What worked for me was using PDFcap ([pdfcap.com](http://pdfcap.com)). Just drop your file into their compress tool and choose the stronger setting. It shrank my scans well under 200kb without turning the text into a blurry mess. ---
**Author:** ![sarcastic\_sea](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/sarcastic_sea/32/33_2.png) [@sarcastic\_sea](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/sarcastic_sea)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2026, 1:21pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/5 "2026-10-30T13:21:50Z")
If it is a scanned document, paste the images into Word and choose “Save as PDF” at the minimum size setting. Avoid trying to compress a colour scan because you will never get it under that limit. Switch your scanner to greyscale first. I learned this the hard way when uploading my market stall permits. ---
**Author:** ![emily.7](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/emily.7/32/26_2.png) [@emily.7](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/emily.7)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 9:21am UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/6 "2026-10-31T09:21:57Z")
@SneakySteel print to PDF is what I’d try first too, it’s built into Windows. 150 dpi grayscale got my two-pagers under 200kb on my old laptop. ---
**Author:** ![code\_pal](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/code_pal/32/27_2.png) [@code\_pal](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/code_pal)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2026, 9:21pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/7 "2026-10-31T21:21:47Z")
@Emily.7 That matches my experience too: 150 dpi grayscale is usually the best balance for readable text and a tiny file. I’d check the uploaded copy at 100% before submitting, since some portals make already-small scans look softer after processing. ---
**Author:** ![evelyn2008](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/evelyn2008/32/34_2.png) [@evelyn2008](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/evelyn2008)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2026, 11:51pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/8 "2026-11-01T23:51:44Z")
For scanned forms, I first re-scan or export at 150 dpi in grayscale, not color, then run OCR so the text stays usable. In Acrobat’s Optimize PDF or PDF24, downsample images and use JPEG compression around medium quality; that usually gets two pages near 200 KB. I learned the hard way that a color scan of plain black text wastes most of the file size. ---
**Author:** ![wallabies](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/wallabies/32/35_2.png) [@wallabies](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/wallabies)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2026, 5:51am UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/9 "2026-11-03T05:51:47Z")
Yeah, the classic struggle! Try dropping to 150 dpi and going grayscale if you can, that alone often does the trick. Tools like Smallpdf or iLovePDF let you pick a compression level and usually hit 200kb without ruining readability. I learned this the hard way with visa forms, default settings never cut it. ---
**Author:** ![user.871065](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/user.871065/32/30_2.png) [@user.871065](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/user.871065)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/10 "2026-11-04T12:07:01Z")
@Emily.7 Same here, 150 dpi grayscale is my go-to. One tweak: set grayscale at the scanner itself, not after, since converting a color scan later keeps the bloat. Then print to PDF again and check the pages at 100% zoom before uploading. ---
**Author:** ![isaacd99](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/isaacd99/32/36_2.png) [@isaacd99](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/isaacd99)\ **Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 2:37pm UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/11 "2026-11-06T14:37:14Z")
first thing id try is reprinting it through microsoft print to pdf. scanned pages are just huge photos so you have to drop the quality hard to hit 200kb. pdf24 is free on windows and the compress option works for my lease stuff without making text unreadable. not sure if its the same on mac ---
**Author:** ![new\_user.71287](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/user_avatar/pdfbookslib.com/new_user.71287/32/37_2.png) [@new\_user.71287](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/u/new_user.71287)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2026, 10:21am UTC](https://pdfbookslib.com/discussions/t/how-can-i-200kb-compress-pdf-files-for-a-strict-upload-limit/61/12 "2026-11-10T10:21:51Z")
I get this constantly at work, our expense portal is also stuck at 200kb. What I do first is reopen the scan at 200 DPI in grayscale instead of color, because that alone usually takes a two-pager under the limit and it stays readable. If I can’t redo the scan, iLovePDF with strong compression works fine. Just zoom in and check the text after.