2020-09-11 17:49:35 • Filed to: Choose Right Mac Software • Proven solutions
PDF compressor on Mac typically comes packaged with downloadable software like PDFelement or Adobe Acrobat DC, but there are also a number of online PDF compression services for Mac users, such as the ones covered in this article. However, only the best will offer advanced size reduction tools for flattening PDF forms, extracting text or images. It can also batch process multiple PDF files at once, create universally compatible PDFs from 300+ formats, add electronic and digital signatures to PDF, edit PDF text and images, split and merge PDF pages, and more. Available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. Learn more about Able2Extract Professional.
A free PDF compressor for Mac should be able to do three things: adequately reduce the file size, maintain the key data, attributes, and layout of the content, and produce a clean, uncorrupted output file. And it should be able to do all of this for free. PDF compressor on Mac typically comes packaged with downloadable software like PDFelement or Adobe Acrobat DC, but there are also a number of online PDF compression services for Mac users, such as the ones covered in this article. However, only the best will offer advanced size reduction tools for flattening PDF forms, extracting text or images from PDF files, and other features that can help create lighter files while retaining the integrity of the content.
This is our selection of the top 5 PDF compressor on Mac after carefully reviewing feature-richness, advanced options, ease-of-use, and convenience.
5 of the Best PDF Compressor for Mac
#1: PDFelement for Mac: The Best PDF Compressor Software for Mac
A highly capable PDF editor that offers the best PDF Compressor for Mac, PDFelement leads the race with highly advanced PDF optimization features. It also includes several other features that can help you gain control over increasingly large PDF files. A lot of files have content that doesn't need to be there, and this software can strip away all those extras with tools like the flatten PDF module, the ability to extract images or text from a document, batch removal of Bates Numbering and watermarks, and a lot more.
A clear categorization of PDFelement's features would look something like this:
Features
- PDF Creation, Editing, Conversion: These three components typically go together in a document workflow - other file types need to be converted to PDF to help maintain their content attributes, such as layout, fonts, etc.; PDFs need to be edited so data, numbers, images, tables, etc. can be changed or updated with new information; and the output is often required in a different file format. This software takes care of all three aspects of PDF management, plus several others listed below.
- Create, Fill, Sign PDF Forms: Comprehensive forms management tools at your fingertips at all times. PDFelement for Mac offers a range of templates, extensive form fields, full editing, and creating fillable PDF forms by converting them from non-interactive formats. Digital signatures can legally validate documents, which is useful in remote work scenarios.
- Protect, Optimize, Share PDFs: The first step to sharing information online is protecting it with a password and strong encryption. It can also optimize PDFs to reduce file size, which is essentially the ‘free PDF compressor on Mac' tool this article refers to. Finally, PDF sharing is made easy via cloud integration with top services like OneDrive and Dropbox.
- Advanced Features: These include batch processing for large queues, form field recognition, optical character recognition, and redaction tools.
Pros
- Affordable alternative to Adobe Acrobat DC and Pro DC.
- Full set of document and PDF management features.
- Clean interface with clear navigation.
- Tools are all well-organized by function type and are easy to find.
- Options for Standard and Professional versions.
- iOS and Android apps available.
- Best PDF compressor download for Mac.
Cons
- Needs to be downloaded to your Mac.
#2: Cisdem PDF Compressor for Mac
Cisdem is a purpose-built PDF compressor for Mac and one of the best in its class. Standard features include preset compression modes and a simple, three-step process to compress PDFs on a Mac. It offers options to remove unwanted elements that make a PDF file heavy, such as metadata and embedded elements that aren't required for the proper visual rendering of content. It also maintains the best possible quality for images, graphs, and other objects, while optimizing the overall file size as much as it can without the output being distorted or garbled.
Pros
- Easy to use - literally no learning curve.
- Simple steps to follow unless you require custom options.
- Renders visual content at the best possible quality level.
- Significantly reduces file size.
Cons
- No additional PDF functionality.
- Can be used as a free PDF compressor on Mac for only 3 files; upgrade required after that.
#3: Lightweight PDF
Lightweight PDF is an excellent free PDF compressor on the Mac App Store that you can download to your computer. It does PDF compression and that's about it. As the name suggests, it's a relatively small program compared to a full-fledged PDF editor, but it claims to be able to reduce a PDF's file size by up to 90% in some cases. Being a downloadable application, Lightweight PDF also promises to 'Keep your confidential documents offline and private.' It's a good utility to have installed on your Mac for emergency purposes, but if you need PDF editing or other features, this can be an enabler.
Pros
- High compression ratio.
- Good quality vs. size balance.
- User-friendly interface with drag-drop option.
Cons
- Automatically overwrites the original so it will be lost unless you have a copy.
- Not compatible with other compressible file types.
#4: PDF Expert
PDF Expert is a third-party Mac PDF editor with all basic functions like reading, editing, annotating, form-filling, and PDF merging. It also has a file size reduction feature that's useful when you want to email PDF documents but the files are too big to go as attachments. It also has a feature allowing you to email someone a PDF document right after compression from within the software. You can also choose the compression quality in order to maintain the visual integrity of the content.
Pros
- The software is built for Mac.
- Lets you control the quality of conversion during compression.
- Saves as a new file.
Cons
- No advanced PDF functions like OCR and Batch Processing.
- No perpetual license for Pro version when you upgrade from free.
#5: Smallpdf
Smallpdf offers a powerful online PDF compression tool that you can use if you don't want to work with a downloadable desktop version. Though not as secure as handling your files natively on your computer, it gives you the convenience of compressing PDFs using a browser on any connected device. The only downside is the upload file size limit. Smallpdf also has other tools in case you need further processing, such as editing, converting, merging/splitting, etc.
Pros
- Online access from any device with an Internet connection and browser.
- Totally free to use, no watermarking.
- Compresses to 144 dpi for easy email sharing and web distribution.
Cons
- Only basic compression (up to 45%) is free.
- Conversion happens on the cloud; confidential information may be at risk during transit (upload/download).
All of these are great ‘PDF compressor on Mac' utilities and each one is built for a specific purpose. If you want more out of your PDF compression tool, we recommend PDFelement, which gives you basic and advanced features and a pleasing and intelligent interface to work with.
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Free Download or Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
Buy PDFelement right now!
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Jul 01,2020 • Filed to: Mac Tutorials
'Is there a reliable PDF reader for Mac (macOS 10.15 Catalina)?'
Mac users have a number of PDF reader programs to choose from, including Adobe Reader for Mac and Preview. But if you want a better PDF reading experience, you might want to use a more robust and powerful PDF program. In this article, we’ve compiled the top 5 PDF reader for Mac tools including PDFelement Pro, which offers more features than a simple PDF reader.
Part 1: Top 5 Best PDF Reader for Mac
1. PDFelement Pro - The Best Alternative Free PDF Reader Pro for Mac to Adobe Acrobat.
As high-quality as Adobe Reader is due to its constant updates and improvements, you can also look into alternative programs that can perform many of the same tasks. PDFelement Pro for Mac, as the best alternative PDF Reader to Adobe Acrobat for Mac, acts as both a PDF editor and reader that provides you full functions for PDF editing and a better experience reading PDF on Mac. This tool lets you add text, images, bookmarks, and more to your PDF. In addition, a user can also highlight text, underline, use strike-through features on the text and crop PDF pages on Mac. Watermarks can also be used to protect your PDF files on Mac. You can even edit and convert scanned PDF files with PDFelement Pro.
Key Features of this PDF Reader for Mac:
- Add, delete or edit text, images, graphics, links, watermarks, and more.
- Convert PDF to Word and other formats, or create PDFs from Webpages, images, and text files.
- Quickly mark up and annotate PDFs with various annotation tools.
- Combine or split PDFs, organize pages, and easily fill out PDF forms.
- Edit and convert scanned or image-based PDFs using the OCR feature.
- Easily add watermarks, passwords, and signature to PDF documents.
2. Skim - A Popular and Well-developed Macbook PDF reader
Skim is a popular PDF Reader on Mac that is tailored towards scientific purposes, although it can also be used to view other types of documents as well. This free PDF reader software is designed to be customizable for individual use, and is handy for notes and previews. The reason why Skim is one of the most popular options is because it includes easy-to-use and visually impressive reading modes.
Key Features:
- Single swipe highlight mode for easy use
- AppleScript support
- Ability to preview internal links
3. Adobe Reader for Mac - A Widely Used Free Mac os PDF reader
You can download PDF reader for mac-Adobe Reader for free and set it as your default PDF reader. Adobe Reader for Mac is considered the industry standard. Adobe is still a very well respected product on the market, as they are constantly making improvements and upgrades to the program, but there are other options that offer many of the same features at a lower price and without without complicated licensing agreements.
Key Features:
- Fast and easy to use
- Established platform worldwide
- Considered industry standard
- Well developed and supported
4. Haihaisoft Reader for Mac - A Small Size Free PDF Reader for Macos
A prominent feature of Haihaisoft Reader for Mac is its small size at only 3MB ; this compact PDF Reader for Mac takes up much less space than other programs like Adobe Reader (see below). The package covers a wide range of languages and is designed for ease of use, while it is also well supported and has been developed for use on a number of platforms. Interesting features include:
Key Features:
- Instant launch time
- No background net connection for added security
- Opens all PDF documents
- Protection with DRM-X
The Best Pdf For Mac
5. PDFSam - A New Free PDF Reader for Macbook Pro or other Macs
PDFSam is a relatively new release that has been met with mixed reviews. This free PDF reader for Mac is designed for splitting and merging documents, hence why it is called 'SAM'. Some users report problems while using the application, though generally it is reported to be user-friendly and quick for the average user.
Key Features:
- Split and Merge - (SAM)
- Extract sections as separate PDFs
- Reorder pages when needed
- Compose documents by dragging and dropping
Part 2: Troubleshooting on Opening and Reading PDFs in macOS
Many people experience problems when trying to open or read PDFs on Mac. This is due to a variety of reasons, but luckily this problem is usually quite an easy one to solve in just a matter of minutes. Here are the three main reasons why you may have a problem reading a PDF on Mac, and what you can do to solve the problem.
Question 1. Your Web Browser needs Updating
Solution: This is one of the most common problemsthat can prevent you from being able to read a PDF. Not all not all browsers update automatically, and it could be that yours needs a manual update. You can usually run a regular software update, but other times you may be required to update manually through the menu. An outdated browser may be the issue, in which case you may need to update your browser to resolve the issue. You can then make annotations and markups within your document.
Question 2. Your Browser is not Compatible
Solution: This issue depends on your operating system. If you are running OS 10.5 x, as many are, you will find that the later versions of Safari, for example, are non-compatible with your operating system. This will lead to you being unable to open PDFs, as well as a number of other problems. It is recommended that users with this operating system try using Firefox instead, as that may solve the problem.
The Best Pdf For Mac
Question 3. Check the Adobe Reader Plug-in
Solution: This problem also affects many users. If you are opening your PDF with Adobe Reader, the Adobe Reader Plug-in can be problematic, especially if it is an automatic launch when you enter your browser. The trick is to delete the plug-in (just the plug in, not Adobe Reader itself). Try using Adobe Reader as a stand-alone program rather than having it run within your browser, and the problem should be solved. You can also re-install the plug-in if necessary.
Part 3: Best Recommendation
Best Pdf For Mac Reviews
With so many options of PDF reader for Mac, sometimes it is hard to make a choice. But taking all the possible troubles into consideration, PDFelement can be regarded as the best PDF reader for Mac because it can provide you with a cozy reading experience without those troubles. Besides, do you think PDFelement is only a PDF reader? The answer is no, it is a PDF editor and PDF converter as well
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