I have fixed more PDF problems for colleagues by telling them about this one setting than anything else combined. Blurry images, 40 MB files for a five-page document, layouts that fall apart on mobile — almost all of it traces back to one export option that most people walk straight past every time.
The setting: PDF quality / optimisation purpose
When you export a document as a PDF, almost every application asks (or assumes) one question: what is this PDF for? Is it for print, for the web, for email, or for archiving? The answer determines how aggressively images are compressed, what resolution they are stored at, and whether fonts are fully embedded.
The problem: most applications default to a setting that is either too large ("Print Quality" — giving you a 25 MB file when you just wanted to send a quick email) or too small ("Minimum Size" — giving you blurry images when the recipient is going to print it). Setting this intentionally, based on what the PDF is actually for, fixes most problems at the source.
The right setting for each use case
- Sending by email or uploading to a portal: Use "Minimum size" or "Screen optimised". Images at 96–150 DPI. File will be 2–5× smaller than the print version and will look sharp on any screen.
- Sharing for general use (some may print it): Use "Standard" or "Balanced". Images at 150–200 DPI. Good quality on screen, acceptable for casual printing.
- Sending to a professional printer: Use "High quality print" or "Print optimised". Images at 300 DPI. Large file but genuinely print-ready.
- Long-term archiving: Use "PDF/A" if the option exists. This embeds all fonts completely and meets archival standards.
Where to find this setting in each app
Microsoft Word (Windows)
File → Save As → PDF → More options → Optimise for: "Standard" or "Minimum size". Always choose deliberately — never leave it on the default.
Microsoft Word (Mac)
File → Save As → File Format: PDF → Best for: Electronic distribution (smaller) or Print quality. Choose based on use case.
PowerPoint
File → Export → Create PDF/XPS → Options → "Minimum size (publishing online)" for sharing, or default Standard for general use. For print-quality slides, look for image compression settings: File → Compress Media is for video, but image compression is under File → Options → Advanced → Image Size and Quality.
Google Docs / Sheets / Slides
File → Download → PDF. Google gives you no quality control here — it exports at a fixed standard quality and that is that. Mildly annoying, but the output is generally fine for sharing. If the file is still too large afterwards, run it through Filero's Compress PDF tool.
Mac (any app)
File → Print → PDF (bottom left) → Save as PDF. For smaller files, choose "Save as PDF" and then apply the "Reduce File Size" Quartz filter: PDF dropdown → Open PDF in Preview → File → Export → Quartz Filter → Reduce File Size.
Adobe Acrobat Pro
File → Save As → Optimised PDF. This gives the most control — you can set image DPI, font embedding, metadata removal, and more, individually.
Already have a PDF that used the wrong setting?
If you have already exported a PDF at the wrong quality and no longer have the source file, use Filero's free Compress PDF tool to reduce it. Choose the Balanced preset for most use cases. This will not recover quality that was already lost, but it will reduce an oversized PDF to a manageable size.
Frequently asked questions
Does this setting affect text quality?
No. Text in a PDF is vector data — it is infinitely scalable and is never affected by the image quality setting. Only raster images (photos, screenshots, scanned pages) are affected.
What if I need the same PDF to look good both on screen and in print?
Standard quality (150–200 DPI) is the sensible middle ground. It looks sharp on any screen and prints well enough for everyday documents — internal reports, proposals, handouts. Reserve High Quality Print for documents that will genuinely be printed at large format: brochures, posters, exhibition panels. For a five-page business report that someone might print on their office printer, Standard is absolutely fine.
Why does Word sometimes ignore this setting?
Word remembers the last setting you used, but some third-party add-ins and templates override it. If the output keeps coming out too large despite choosing Minimum size, check whether any active add-ins are intercepting the export. Disabling add-ins temporarily (File → Options → Add-ins → Go → uncheck all) usually identifies the culprit.
Ready to try it?
Use Filero's free Compress PDF tool. No account needed, works on any device.
Open Compress PDF