14 DAY TRIAL // Using the PDF file format for sharing projects is a fairly common practice because the presentation remains the same regardless of the device or operating system used to visualize the data. PDF Squeezer enables you to quickly compress the images embedded in your documents in order to reduce the overall file size and allow a faster transfer rate.
Noteworthy is that the PDF Squeezer filters work only on documents that contain images: if you are dealing with text or vector graphics, the application cannot reduce the file size because the processing is applied exclusively to the pictures.
For your convenience, PDF Squeezer comes with 6 predefined filters that can be applied to your images: 72dpi, 150dpi, and 300dpi, each with average and low values. The presets names refer to the image resolution, but there are also other adjustments related to the image quality, color profile, or sampling quality.
The best part is that PDF Squeezer enables you to create your own filters which can then be applied to multiple PDFs in a matter of seconds. To get started, you can go up to 600dpi when it comes to the image resolution and manually tune the image quality via a slider bar.
Furthermore, you can switch between multiple color profiles (CMYK, RGB, Grayscale, and Black&White) and modify the sampling quality (low, average, or high). Since you can save these settings as profiles, you will have to go through the entire procedure only once.
The Preview.app and PDF Squeezer results are comparable within certain parameters, but keep in mind that the Apple vetted app does not provide any customization options when it comes to the compression method.
Via the bottom toolbar you can switch to another filter and PDF Squeezer will instantly recompress the selected file. Naturally, the filter settings, the file size, and the document content influence the amount of resources used by the application.
However, while processing a 58.8 MB PDF that was reduced to 10.73 MB by using the “150dpi – average” filter, PDF Squeezer took up to 90% CPU power and 30MB RAM on an iMac sporting a 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and 6GB RAM.
After each compression, PDF Squeezer displays the size of the original file, the size of the processed file, and the reduction rate expressed in percentage. All you have to do next is simply save the compressed document to your drive. On the other hand, if the file could not be processed, the application directs you to the PDF Squeezer FAQ webpage, where you might learn the reason why.
Last but not least, PDF Squeezer is featuring batch processing capabilities: you can import multiple files at the same time and manage them through the “Original PDF List” panel. Moreover, after you made the proper adjustments, you can select the “Save All Files At Once” option via the main “File” menu and export all documents with a single mouse click.
The Good
Even though PDF Squeezer claims a fair amount of your resources, it does so only when processing files. On the other hand, considering the streamlined interface and an intuitive workflow, you will certainly not have any problems finding your way around. Moreover, the batch processing capabilities greatly reduce the time reserved for handling and exporting the files.
The Bad
To avoid this, a simple notification message presented at launch stating which types of projects can be compressed by the app should prove to be sufficient. In addition, a standard help document showing all you can achieve with the application would be very helpful.
The Truth
To go around the problem, PDF Squeezer allows you to preserve the original document and create smaller versions that can be transferred faster, by applying different compression filters to the embedded images.
