Compress PDF for Email – Fit Gmail and Outlook Limits

Compress PDF for email

To make a PDF small enough to email, compress it in PDFWrangle to a size below your mail service's attachment limit, then attach it. Personal Gmail and Outlook.com accounts allow 25MB, while work mail can be stricter. It's free with no limits and no sign-up, you can compress several attachments at once, and your files never leave your device.

How to compress a PDF for email

Add your PDF.
Set the target to the limit you need, for example 10MB, or keep Recommended.
Compress, download and attach the smaller file.

Email attachment limits

Gmail: 25MB for personal accounts. For work and school accounts, the Google Workspace administrator sets the limit (Gmail Help).
Outlook.com: 25MB for attachments (Microsoft Support).
Outlook desktop app: by default, 20MB for internet email accounts and 10MB for Exchange (business) accounts, unless an administrator changes it (Microsoft Learn).

If you don't know the recipient's limit, aim for 10MB or less, the default for Exchange accounts. Your recipient's server can also have its own limit.

Several attachments?

The limit usually applies to the whole email, not each file. Compress every PDF, add up the sizes, and if they're still too big, send them in more than one email or merge and compress them as one file.

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Frequently asked questions

What size should a PDF be for email?

Below your service's limit: 25MB for personal Gmail (Gmail Help) and Outlook.com (Microsoft Support). For work email, 10MB or less is safer, since that's the default for Exchange accounts (Microsoft Learn).

What happens if my attachment is too big for Gmail?

Gmail removes the attachment and adds it to the email as a Google Drive link instead (Gmail Help). Compressing the PDF lets you send it as a normal attachment.

Can I compress several PDFs at once?

Yes. Add them all, and each one is compressed with the same settings.

Are my files uploaded?

No. Everything happens in your browser on your own device, so your files are never sent to a server.