Guide · 2026-05-08
How to Compress a PDF for Email — Get Under 25 MB
Gmail caps email attachments at 25 MB. Outlook does the same. Got a 60 MB PDF you need to send? You have two options: compress it, or use a cloud link. Compression is easier — and a good free tool can shrink most PDFs by 70%+ while keeping text crisp. Here's how.
Why are PDFs so big?
The biggest culprits in heavy PDFs:
- Embedded photos and scans at full camera resolution (4000+ pixels wide). A single iPhone photo can be 8 MB.
- Embedded fonts (uncommon scripts, custom typefaces).
- Vector graphics with thousands of paths.
- Uncompressed streams from older PDF generators.
Of these, embedded images are the biggest target — and easiest to fix.
Step 1: Compress with BunnyConvert (free, online)
- Open bunnyconvert.com/compress-pdf
- Drag your PDF in.
- Pick a level:
- Low — best quality, modest savings (10-30%).
- Medium — balanced, recommended (40-60%).
- High — smallest file, slight visual softening (70-90%).
- Hit Convert → download.
The whole process happens in your browser. Your file is never uploaded to any server. Privacy preserved, fast, free.
Step 2: If still too big — split it
If your PDF is 80 MB and you need it under 25 MB, even high compression might not be enough. Split it into 2-3 parts:
- Use the Split PDF tool
- Type page ranges like
1-30, 31-60, 61-90 - Send each part as a separate email.
Step 3: For very large files — share a cloud link
If neither compression nor splitting works (e.g., you have a 200 MB CAD drawing), share a link:
- Gmail: automatically suggests Google Drive when an attachment is over 25 MB. Click "Send as Drive link".
- Outlook: use OneDrive integration.
- Other: WeTransfer (free up to 2 GB), Dropbox Transfer, Smash.
Quick reference: Email attachment size limits 2026
| Service | Max attachment |
|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB |
| Outlook (web) | 25 MB / 33 MB attached link |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB |
| iCloud Mail | 20 MB (Mail Drop allows up to 5 GB via link) |
| ProtonMail | 25 MB |
| Most corporate Exchange | 10-25 MB (admin set) |
Aim for under 20 MB to be safe — some recipient servers reject anything close to the limit.
Privacy reminder
Online PDF compressors that upload to a server may keep your file. BunnyConvert runs entirely in your browser — your contract / invoice / financial document never leaves your device. We can't see what you're compressing.