Why PDF Forms Double in Size After Reader Enabling & How to Fix It
Question details
The user needs to understand why a PDF form's file size increases by approximately 100% after applying reader-enabling features, populating the form, and saving it, and seeks a way to prevent this issue.
- Product
- Acrobat Reader and Acrobat Pro
- Device & OS
- macOS and Windows
- Scenario
- Applying reader-enabling usage rights to a PDF form, filling out the fields, and saving the document.
- Observed behavior
- The PDF file size becomes roughly twice as large as the original after being reader-enabled, filled, and saved.
Check the PDF reader versions your recipients are currently using, as modern software natively supports form filling and often eliminates the need for legacy reader-enabling features.
Skip Reader-Enabling for Modern PDF Viewers
Avoid the reader-enabling step entirely if your document recipients use a modern PDF reader, which naturally supports saving filled form data.
Reader-enabling was originally designed to allow users with older PDF software to save filled form data. Applying this feature acts similarly to applying a digital signature, creating a large incremental update that locks in usage rights and inflates the file size.
Since recent versions of standard PDF readers natively support filling and saving forms, this legacy step is now largely obsolete and mostly serves to increase the file size unnecessarily.
Open your original, non-enabled PDF form in your PDF creation software.
Save the document normally using 'File' > 'Save'. Do not select 'Save as Other' > 'Reader Extended PDF'.
Send this standard PDF form directly to your users. Instruct them to open, fill, and save the form using any recent, standard PDF application.
Optimize the PDF Before Applying Usage Rights
If you are forced to reader-enable the file for users on older software, compress and optimize the base PDF first to minimize the final file size.
Seamlessly Fill and Compress PDF Forms with WPS Office
Avoid file size bloat caused by legacy reader-enabling features. WPS PDF allows users to efficiently fill out forms, save data, and compress large PDF files natively without adding unnecessary metadata or redundant usage rights.
- 1. Download and install: Download WPS Office Free and open the built-in WPS PDF application.
- 2. Open your PDF form: Drag and drop your standard PDF form directly into the WPS PDF workspace.
- 3. Fill out the form natively: Click on the form fields to enter your data. WPS PDF inherently supports saving form data without needing special 'reader-enabled' usage rights.
- 4. Compress and save: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and select 'Compress' to ensure the file size remains small, then click 'Menu' > 'Save' to securely save your document.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly does Reader-Enabling do to a PDF form?
Reader-enabling adds special usage rights to a PDF, allowing older, restricted versions of Acrobat Reader to perform actions normally reserved for the Pro version, like saving form data. This process acts similarly to a digital signature, creating a large incremental update that safely locks the rights but significantly increases the file size.
Do I still need to reader-enable my PDF forms today?
In most modern use cases, no. Current versions of PDF software, including recent iterations of Acrobat Reader and alternative tools like WPS PDF, natively support filling and saving forms without needing these special legacy usage rights.
How can I reduce the size of an already reader-enabled PDF?
You can try using the 'Save As' function rather than a standard 'Save' to rewrite the file structure, or use a PDF Optimizer tool. However, optimizing or structurally altering an already reader-enabled PDF will usually strip away the extended usage rights, reverting it to a standard PDF.
