How to Reduce Picture File Sizes in Microsoft Word

You can easily reduce your document's file size by compressing any pictures.

Because pictures contain so much more data than text the size of a picture file directly and significantly affects the size of the Word document containing that picture. In Microsoft Word 2007 and 2010 the picture compression tool offers the simplest and most effective method for reducing a picture's file size while preserving its quality as much as possible.

Instructions

Compress Pictures

1. Click one of the pictures you want to compress.

2. Click the "Format" tab on the ribbon.

3. Click the "Compress Pictures" button on the ribbon in the "Adjust" section to bring up the "Compress Pictures" dialog box.

4. Click the circle next to the option "All pictures in document" -- under the top heading "Compress Pictures" -- if you want to compress all the pictures in your document. If you only want to compress the picture you selected in Step one then click the circle next to the option "Selected pictures."

5. Click "OK" at the bottom of the "Compress Pictures" dialog box.

6. Click "Apply" when a warning pops up, noting that compression can reduce your picture's quality.

References

• Microsoft Office: Reduce the File Size of a Pictures
• Microsoft Office: Reduce the File Size of Your Pictures