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The short answer

WhatTheFile compresses PDFs locally by converting pages to images. This removes searchable text, links, interactive forms and digital signatures. Keep the original and check every output page.

Try the example in WhatTheFile

Decide whether compression is right for this PDF

A scanned document can be much larger than a portal allows. WhatTheFile can make a smaller copy locally, but it does so by turning pages into images. That trade is useful for some scans and wrong for documents that need their original digital features.

Know what will be removed

Searchable and selectable text, clickable links, interactive forms and digital signatures are not preserved after compression. Keep the original. If you need any of those features, export a smaller PDF from the original application instead.

Use the actual limit

Open the example below in WhatTheFile, choose your PDF and enter PDF under 1 MB, replacing the limit with the one on your form. Include both numbers if the portal gives a range. Read the interpreted requirement and the compression warning before preparing the copy.

Inspect every page

Check the result size, then open the prepared PDF. Look at small print, stamps, tables and faint scan marks on every page. A passing size check cannot tell you whether a document is legible. If the limit is not reached, the result should be treated as a failed check, not a file ready for submission.

Try this example

We will open WhatTheFile and place PDF under 1 MB in the requirement box. You can review and change it before preparing your file.

Try this requirement