small size Pages file exporting to large size PDF file

Question

Level 1

4 points

small size Pages file exporting to large size PDF file

I've run into this problem recently: Pages documents of reasonable size are exporting to be PDFs that are ten times as large. Here is a specific example: a Pages document that is 3.7 MB is exporting to be a PDF that is 37.6 MB. Yes, there are a number of pictures in this document, which I know can add to the overall file size. But, wouldn't the Page document have to be large to export to be a large PDF? I just added up the file sizes of the 11 pictures, which totals all of 3158 KB or a little over 3.1 MB. Which makes sense given the Pages file size. So, why is it multiplying ten fold when creating a PDF?

I've tried reducing the file size in Pages before exporting (even though the Pages file is already a reasonable size). This still exports a fairly large PDF file and the pictures are no longer clear.

I do this often for my work: create a document in Pages and then export to PDF. A few months back, this incredible file size increase did not happen. Is there some new setting? Something I need to change? Thank you for any help!

MacBook Air, macOS 14.4

Posted on Sep 17, 2024 7:11 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 20, 2024 6:11 AM in response to teacher_1234

The internal structure of a Pages document does not equate to the internal structure of a PDF.

Multiple compression techniques, inherent to PDF creation, may or may not be used when Pages exports that PDF. This will vary by the individual image content in the Pages document and the existing image compression.

The consequences of reducing the Pages document size will impact the image clarity before you export to PDF, just as reducing the PDF file size in Apple's Preview with a Quartz Filter will have the same consequences.

I would review what images are in that Pages document and whether their physical image size and DPI can be reduced external to Pages before inserting them into the document. That will have a reduction effect on the resulting PDF at the cost of more preparatory work.

Reply