Data compression is not a new field, but it has become much more prevalent nowadays since the sizes of files have risen exponentially. Close to 90% of the original file size can be reduced using lossless compression techniques without affecting the quality of the data. Here, we will discuss everything on how to Make a File Smaller on Mac.
This is also known as zipping the file. Zipping and compressing a file significantly reduces the space it takes on a hard disk.
We have compiled a list of elementary and straightforward steps to compress and make a file smaller on your Mac without using any third-party software such as WinRAR or 7-Zip, both of which are excellent tools in their own right.
In addition to that, we will also tell you how to compress word documents, video files, and PDFs. Furthermore, these methods work for all iterations of the Mac, including the MacBook Air, Pro, and the iMac.
How to Make a File Smaller on Mac
The process to make a file smaller on Mac is pretty straightforward and doesn’t take longer than a few seconds or minutes, depending on the size of the file.
- Open up your Mac.
- Open the Finder and find the file whose size you want to reduce.
- Right-click on that file and select Compress from the drop-down menu.
- Wait until you see the compressed file show up. The time can vary depending on the size of the file. So if you can’t see it show up immediately, be patient.
- After the file is finished compressing, the zipped archive will pop up right beside the original folder. The name will be identical to the initial file, but it will have a .zip extension after it.
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Reduce the Size of a PDF File On Your Mac
Refer to the steps given below to compress the size of a PDF file on your Mac. If you particularly have PDFs on your Mac such as ebooks or any other doc that are way too big to be sent over an email, you can follow the steps given below to make a file smaller on Mac.
- Open the Finder and search for the PDF file.
- Now, open the file in Preview.
- Now Press the File button on the Menu Bar and click on Export.
- Press the dialog box next to the Quartz Filter and select Reduce Size from the drop-down menu.
- Select Save, and you’re done.
You can now send your PDF via email or to anyone you wish to since it has lesser file size than before.
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Can you Reduce the Size of a Word Document on Mac?
Yes, you can reduce the size of a Pages document, but it will only be helpful when you have a lot of embedded pictures of videos within your document.
- Open your Mac and find the document you want to reduce the size of.
- On the Menu Bar, click on File.
- You will see an option called Reduce File Size in the drop-down menu; click on that.
- A new dialog box will appear where you can adjust how you want to compress your file and choose the quality of the photo and videos in it. Select how you want to compress it and hit Reduce a copy.
- Hit Save, and you’re good to go.
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How to Compress a Video File on Mac?
This method can only be done using iMovie, so make sure you have the iMovie application updated and ready to work.
- Open up your Mac.
- Find and open iMovie from the Finder.
- When the window opens up, select create new and then hit movie.
- Hover the cursor over to the Menu Bar and select File.
- Select import media to choose whichever video file you want to compress.
- Once the file is loaded up, press File on the Menu Bar again.
- Select Share from the drop-down menu and hit File again in the new drop-down menu.
- You can now reduce the resolution and the video file size; hit Next and select Save when you’re satisfied with the result.
Wait for some time as depending on the file size it will take a little while for your file to save on your Mac.
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How to Make a File Smaller on Mac using Online Tools?
Well, apart from simply using the tools already available on your Mac, you can choose to use online tools as well that might make your work easier. There is multiple such free software available that has a lot more functions than simply compressing your file. Here are some of them you can use.
- Adobe Acrobat
- Compress2go
- Wecompress
- Smallpdf
These are only a few of the many you can find with a simple Google search. Simply add your file and within seconds your file will be compressed so that you can use it anywhere you feel like.
Furthermore, the best part of these tools is that they are safe to use and also do not compromise the quality of the overall file.
How to Compress a PDF File on Mac?
The Preview app, which comes pre-installed on all Macs, can effectively reduce the size of PDF files using the Quartz Filter. Read the instructions provided below to know more about the process.
- Sign in to your Mac and launch the Finder application from the dock. If the app is unavailable on the dock, you can use a Spotlight search to do the same.
- Now, find and select the PDF file you want to compress.
- Double-click the file and open it. If the file opens up in any other app than Preview, close the PDF file and then right-click on the file to display the context menu.
- Select Open with and choose Preview from the list.
- Once the PDF file has opened in Preview, move the cursor over to the Menu bar and click on the File tab.
- Select Export from the list and click the box next to the Quartz Filter option.
- Click on Reduce File Size and click on Save when you’re done.
How to Reduce Document Size Using the Pages App on Mac?
The Pages app on Mac also has a handy option to reduce the file size from the Menu bar. Read the instructions provided below to know more about the process.
- Sign in to your Mac and launch the Finder application from the dock. If the app is unavailable on the dock, you can use a Spotlight search to do the same. Use the Command-Space shortcut to launch the search bar, type in “finder”, and hit the return key to launch the app.
- Now, find the document you want to compress and double-click to open it.
- Suppose the document opens in any other application like Microsoft Word, for example. Close out the window, select the document, and right-click on it to display the context menu.
- Select Open with and choose Pages from the list.
- Once the document has opened inside Pages, move the cursor over to the Menu bar and click on the File tab.
- Select Reduce File Size from the list.
- A new pop-up window will be displayed on the screen in which you can scale down the images and reduce the quality of any attached videos to save more space.
- Select Reduce a copy if you want to create a duplicate version of the document that is smaller than the original one.
- Select Reduce this file if you want to make changes to this current file.
How to Make a File Smaller on Mac using Online Tools?
Apart from simply using the tools already available on your Mac, you can also choose to use online tools that might make your work easier. Multiple such free software is available that have many more functions than simply compressing your file. Here are some of them you can use.
- Adobe Acrobat
- Compress2go
- Wecompress
- Smallpdf
These are only a few of the many you can find with a simple Google search. Simply add your file, and your file will be compressed within seconds so you can use it anywhere you feel like it. The best part of these tools is that they are safe to use and also do not compromise the quality of the overall file.
How to Compress Video Files Using iMovie on Mac?
Video files tend to take up the most space on hard disks. Reducing their size can be a good idea to save some space. Read the instructions provided below to know more about the process.
- Sign in to your Mac and open iMovie from the dock. If the app is unavailable on the dock, you can use a Spotlight search to do the same.
- Click on Create new and select Movie from the list.
- Move the cursor over to the Menu bar and click on the File tab.
- Select Import media from the list and choose the video file that you want to compress.
- Next, click on the File tab again, select File, click on Share and select File again from the list.
- Reduce the quality of the video file as per your preference.
- Click on Next and press Save when you’re done.
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Frequently Asked Questions
If you zip a file, it will retain every bit of data that was initially present in it. Zipping does not reduce the quality of the image or video files present inside the archive.
Lossy compression is one of the two methods a file is compressed. It is sometimes referred to as an irreversible compression due to the fact that it doesn’t retain the original file after decompression, and this type of compression might compromise the data quality of the original file.
Furthermore, Lossy compression algorithms remove data that is not noticeable to reduce the size of the file; it is mainly used in images, audio, and videos.
Lossless compression does not hamper the data quality and is also known as reversible compression. After decompression, a file compressed using lossless compression can be restored to its original size. However, it does not compromise the data of the initial file. It just reduces the space the particular file takes on the hard disk.
Conclusion
That’s it, folks; we hope this article helped you understand how to compress and reduce the size of all types of files on your Mac without using any special third-party software.
We recommend WinRAR if you want a little more flexibility while compressing files; it is free-to-use software and the best one out there.
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Robert is a tech expert (with more than 10 years of experience in using mac os and iPhone) who loves to help others learn about the Mac operating system and iPhone. He provides helpful tutorials on how to use Mac OS, tips and tricks for getting the most out of your Mac operating system, iPhone tips and tricks, and more. He’s always up for a challenge and enjoys learning new things about his favorite OS. When he’s not helping people get the most out of their technology, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two cats. Check out more.