Index
Virtual printer
If you need to resize a PDF file, know that you can first do this by using one virtual printer. Don't you know what I'm talking about? No problem, I'll explain it to you right away: these are software that are configured as "real" printers (that is, they become accessible through the command to print any application), they process the information that is feed them and turn them into PDF documents.
They are therefore useful above all for converting various documents into PDF format, but also for changing the size of the type of file in question, which is why I have chosen to talk about them in this guide. To find out more, read on.
Windows 10
Stai using a PC with your installato Windows 10, I am pleased to inform you that this version of the Microsoft operating system has a built-in virtual printer. To exploit it for your purpose, all you have to do is open the PDF in relation to which you intend to act with any program, invoke the command of print (usually attached to the menu Fillet) and choose Microsoft Print to PDF o Save as PDF from the list of available printers.
Subsequently, intervene on the settings related to theorientation and format, then click the button for proceed with printing and indicates the position and name you want to assign to the edited PDF. Et voila!
Windows 8.1 and earlier versions
Stai using a PC with your installato Windows 8.1 or versioni precedenti of the Microsoft operating system, you have no built-in virtual printer you can rely on. However, you can remedy this by resorting to third-party software, such as the excellent doPDF: it is a free program (in its basic variant) that installs a virtual printer in the system to transform virtual documents into PDF, also offering the possibility to resize them and make various other changes. Works with all software that support the print function.
To get it, connect to the doPDF website and click on the button Download Now twice in a row, in order to download the program to your computer.
When the download is complete, open the .exe file obtained and, in the window that appears on the desktop, remove the tick from the box relating to the installation of theadd-in for Microsoft Office and from that relating tosending anonymous statistics. Then click on the buttons install Now, Si e Close, but will conclude the setup.
At this point, open the PDF you want to resize with the viewer you usually use on your PC (eg. Adobe Reader), calls the command to proceed with the print usually attached to the menu Fillet, select doPDF from the printer menu and click on the button Property adjacent.
A window will open with the PDF print settings, through which you can adjust the page size, layout and other parameters useful for resizing. To apply the changes, press the button OK and on that Print, to indicate the name you want to give the new resized PDF you are about to create and the location for the output.
MacOS
Similar to Windows 10, also on MacOS an integrated virtual printer is available that can be convenient for you to perform the operation that is the subject of this tutorial. To use it, open the PDF file to be edited using the program you usually use as a viewer for this type of document (the one set as default is Preview) and calls the command Print from the menu Fillet (top left).
At this point, pigia sul pulsating Show details and intervene on the settings that you find in correspondence with the items Page size e Orientation. Choose, therefore, the option you prefer among Ladder e Fit to scale and adjusts its parameters. You can also select the option layout from the menu in the center to adjust the layout parameters.
Finally, select the item Save as PDF from the drop-down menu located at the bottom left and, in the next window, type the name you want to assign to the file, select the location of your Mac where you want to export it and press the button Save.
Programs for resizing a PDF file
Let's see, now, what are the programs to resize a PDF file which you can use on both Windows and macOS to adjust the appearance of your digital documents in more detail.
PDFill FREE PDF Tools (Windows)
PDF è PDFill FREE PDF Tools is a suite of tools useful for editing and converting files into PDF format that can be used for both personal and commercial purposes at no cost. It only works on Windows and is super easy to use.
To download the program on your PC, go to its website and click on the link Download placed on the left, then presses the button Download now present sotto la scritta GET FREE Basic Version in the newly opened page and on the additional button Download Now.
A download complete, apri il .exe file obtained and, in the window that appears on the desktop, click the buttons Si e Next. Then check the box I accept the terms in the License Agreement and complete the setup by clicking on the buttons Next (three times in a row), install e Finish. If during the installation process you are asked to install Ghostscript e .NET Framework, accept: these are two free software useful to take advantage of some of the functions included in PDFill FREE PDF Tools.
Then start PDFill FREE PDF Tools by double clicking on the relevant one collegamento that has been added to the desktop and, through the window that opens, presses the button Reformat Multiple Pages, to start the PDF resizing tool. Next, select the file you want to edit.
Then indicate the format you want to assign to the pages of the PDF using the drop-down menu New PDF Page Size and choose the orientation by selecting the option Portrait (vertical) or Landcape (horizontal). If you prefer, you can also specify "manually" the size of the document by selecting the item Custom Size from the aforementioned menu and filling in the fields you see appear.
Now indicate if and how to change the original layout of the document using the menus under the item Original PDF Page Layout, adjust (if you deem it necessary) the margins using the fields in places under the heading Margin from Original PDF Page to New Page Edge and adjust the other available settings according to your needs.
Infine, click your button Save As located at the bottom left, specify the location on your computer where you want to save the final file, the name you want to assign it and click the button Save.
PDFelement (Windows / macOS)
Another program I want to invite you to consider is PDFelement: it is a software available for both Windows and macOS that allows you to view and edit PDF files thanks to the many tools and features it offers. It's free, but it applies a watermark to saved documents and imposes various other limitations that can be circumvented by purchasing its full version (at a base cost of $ 99,95).
To follow the download of the program on your computer, connected to its official website, click on the button Try Free and then on the link Skip and Download.
When the download is complete, if you are using Windows, april il .exe file just obtained and, in the window you see appear on the desktop, click on the buttons Si, install e Start Now.
Se, invece, stai using MacOS, april il package .dmg obtained, press the button Accept in the window that appears on the desktop and drag theprogram icon in the folder Applications of your Mac. Then right click on it and select the option apri for two consecutive times, in order to go and open the program bypassing Apple's limitations to applications from non-certified developers (an operation that must be carried out only at the first start).
Now that you see the software window on the desktop, press the button Open file and select the PDF document you want to resize. Then click on the menu Pages located at the top, select the page of the PDF to resize (if it is a document consisting of several pages) and click on the button Page bounding boxes at the top left.
Using the new window that appears, use the various menus and items available to adjust the margini and page sizeDopodiché by clicking on the button OK.
Finally, presses on the menu Fillet (top left) and choose the option Save, to overwrite the existing file, or that Save eat, to create a new document by storing it in any location on your computer.
Resize a PDF file online
Let's now turn to resources online, that is to say those that you can use to resize a PDF file by acting directly and comfortably from your browser window, without having to download absolutely anything on your PC. You will find those that I believe are the best in the category listed below.
PDF Candy
PDF Candy is an online service that allows you to change the size of PDF files based on various sheet models (eg A3, A4, etc.) or even customized values that can be freely set. It is free, very easy to use and protects the privacy of users by deleting the files uploaded to its servers within a few hours.
To use it, the first step you need to take is to connect to the PDF Candy website and drag the PDF you intend to resize into the browser window. If you prefer, you can "manually" select the document by clicking the button Add files placed in the center of the page. And if the document is online, on your account Google Drive o dropbox, fai clic sull 'icon relating to the reference service, log in to the latter and "fetch" the document from there.
Once uploaded, select, using the drop-down menu next to the wording Page size, the format you want your PDF to assume and click on the button Resize. Wait for the file to be processed, then click on the button Download file to download the edited PDF to your computer.
DocuPUB
If the online service I have already told you about did not convince you in a particular way because you are looking for a tool that includes several options, I strongly recommend that you contact DocuPUB: it is an online application that allows you to resize PDF files by adapting their content to various sheet formats without affecting the original aspect ratio. It allows you to upload files with a maximum weight of 20 MB and it is free. Furthermore, documents uploaded to the service are deleted from the servers of the same within a few hours.
To use DocuPUB, connected to its website, click on the button Choose File / Browse and select the PDF you wish to act on.
Next, specify the format you want to resize the document in from the drop-down menu Page size. Alternatively, select the option Custom page size to indicate a custom dimension, using the appropriate fields.
Then put the check mark next to the items stairs e Constrain proportions when scaling, so that the PDF content is resized and not cut. Then choose the option Center give menu to tendin Place the original content in, to make the content of the document be centered. This is the configuration that I recommend but, of course, if you have different needs select (or deselect) the options you prefer as well.
Infine, click your button Upload & Resize: through the new page that will be shown to you at this point, you can preview your resized document by clicking on its title. To download it, however, you will have to press the button in the shape of arrow on the page that appears after opening the file.
How to resize a PDF file
