University portals, job sites, visa applications and email all have file size limits. If your PDF is too big, you can usually shrink it a lot without losing anything important.

Method 1: an online compressor

  1. Open a reputable online tool, such as PDF24 Tools’ “Compress PDF”.
  2. Upload your PDF.
  3. Choose a compression level (start with medium).
  4. Download the result and open it to check the text is still clear.
For sensitive documents (Ghana Card, bank statements, certificates), use an offline tool instead of uploading.

Method 2: offline on Windows

  • PDF24 Creator (free Windows app) compresses files on your own PC.
  • Microsoft Word: if you made the document in Word, export again with File → Save As → PDF and choose “Minimum size (publishing online)”.
  • LibreOffice: export to PDF and lower the image quality in the export options.

Method 3: on your phone

Many phone PDF and scanner apps include a compress option. If you scanned with your phone, re-scan at a lower quality setting; that alone often fixes the problem.

Scan smarter from the start

  • Scan text documents in black and white or greyscale, not full colour.
  • Use about 150 to 200 dpi for documents; higher is rarely needed.
  • Crop out the table and background around the paper.
  • Combine pages into one PDF rather than many large images.

Still too big?

Split the document into parts if the portal allows multiple uploads, or remove unnecessary pages. More PDF tools: the best free PDF editors.

This guide was checked in October 2026. Menus and services change, so if something looks different on your phone, check with your provider.

Common questions

Why is my PDF so big?

Usually because it contains high-resolution scans or photos. Text-only PDFs are small.

Will compressing make my document blurry?

Strong compression can. Choose a medium setting and check that text is still readable before submitting.

Is it safe to compress my Ghana Card scan online?

For sensitive documents, prefer an offline tool on your own computer, such as the PDF24 Windows app.

How do I get a PDF under 1MB?

Scan in black and white or greyscale at a lower resolution, then compress. Split very long documents if allowed.

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