The size of your file can increase greatly when you create an Adobe Illustrator document. You can optimize your document and create smaller files by using one or a combination of techniques, depending on your desired result. According to Adobe, flattening objects removes transparency, although it reduces the file's size. You can also save your file as an EPS file format if you want to preserve several elements in your file while you shrink it.
Remove Unused Actions from the File
Video of the Day
Step 1
Open the file you want to minimize in Illustrator.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Remove any actions the file is not using by selecting "Window" and "Actions" from the menu bar. The "Actions" panel will open.
Step 3
Go to the "Delete Unused Panel Items" section in the panel and click on the "Play" button. Any unused actions in the file will be removed.
Step 4
Re-save the file with your changes.
Flattening Objects
Step 1
Open the file you want to minimize in Illustrator.
Step 2
Flatten any transparent objects within your file by selecting them.
Step 3
Go to "Object" and "Flatten Transparency" in the menu bar. Then pick the options you want to flatten and click "OK."
Step 4
Save the file with your changes.
Optimize File Size
Step 1
Click on "File" and "Save for Web" in the menu bar to compress the size of your file. The "Save for Web" dialog box will open.
Step 2
Choose the file type for the compressed file from the "Preset" option.
Step 3
Click on the "Image Size" tab on the right-hand-side of the dialog box to change the dimensions of your image and reduce your file size even more. Then place a check-mark by "Constrain Proportions" and enter a new size for the height and width.
Step 4
Deselect "Anti-Alias" and "Clip to Artboard" if they are selected in the "Image Size" tab to reduce the file size, then click on "Apply."
Step 5
Select the "Optimized," "2-Up" or "4-Up" tab to pick your compression options. An image (with its file size) will display in the window.
Step 6
Click "Save." The "Save Optimized As" dialog box will open. Name your file and press "Save."
Saving EPS Format
Step 1
Open the file you want to manage in Illustrator.
Step 2
Select "File" and "Save As" from the menu bar. Enter the file name you want to use, choose "EPS" for the file format and click on "Save." The "EPS Options" dialog box will open.
Step 3
Change the "Format" to "None" under the "Preview" section and click on "OK." Then re-save your file.