How to reduce PDF file size so it actually sends by email
Most mail servers reject attachments over 10MB, and scanned documents blow past that easily. Here is what actually makes a PDF large and how to fix it.
6 min read
Blog
Guides to the document problems people actually run into — why a PDF is too big to email, what OCR really does, and how to get a conversion that does not need an hour of tidying afterwards.
PDF vs PDF/A: what is the difference and when do you need each?
Someone has asked you to submit a PDF/A and you are not sure what that means or whether your file already qualifies. Here is the practical answer.
6 min read
How to make a scanned PDF searchable with OCR
You can read the scanned contract perfectly well. Your computer cannot. Here is what OCR does about that, and how to get results worth relying on.
7 min read
How to convert a PDF to Word without wrecking the formatting
Some PDFs convert to Word almost perfectly. Others come out a mess. The difference is predictable once you understand what conversion is actually doing.
7 min read
How to password-protect a PDF (and safely remove the password later)
Sending payslips, medical letters or contracts by email? Encryption takes thirty seconds. Doing it properly takes one more decision that most people get wrong.
6 min read
How to merge PDFs into one file (and get the page order right)
A dozen receipts, four authors' sections, or a contract whose signature page came back separately. Here is how to combine them properly.
5 min read
How to compress images without visibly losing quality
Phone photos are several megabytes each, and almost none of that is doing any visible work. Here is how to reclaim it.
6 min read
How to remove or extract specific pages from a PDF
Someone wants page 12 of your thirty-page agreement. There are three tools that could do this, and picking the right one saves a lot of clicking.
5 min read
Why your PDF will not open — common causes and how to fix them
Before you assume the file is lost: most PDFs that refuse to open are recoverable, and the fix depends entirely on which of five things went wrong.
6 min read
Are online PDF tools safe? What actually happens to your files
You are about to upload a contract to a free website. That instinct to hesitate is correct — here is what to check, and why some tools never upload at all.
6 min read