Reducing the Size of a Word Document
Word documents can become surprisingly large, especially when packed with images, fonts, and embedded objects. Sometimes, though, they grow in size for no obvious reason. If you’re dealing with an oversized Word file, here are some effective tips to shrink it down.
Start with Image Compression
Images often account for the bulk of a Word document’s size. Compressing them can make a huge difference. Many guides, including those from How-To Geek, explain how to do this step-by-step. If your document has images, start there.
But what if your file is still too large, or you don’t have images? Don’t worry—we’ve got plenty of tips to help reduce the size further.
Proven Methods to Shrink Word Documents
Some strategies are guaranteed to work, while others depend on specific circumstances. Here are the top tips:
1. Convert to DOCX Format
If your file is in the old .doc format, convert it to .docx. The newer format compresses the document’s contents, significantly reducing file size.
- How to Convert:
Go to File > Info > Convert, then save the new version. - Impact:
In our test, a 6 MB .doc file shrank to just 721 KB as a .docx file—an 88% reduction.
2. Insert Images Instead of Copying and Pasting
Copy-pasting images often saves them in large formats like BMP or PNG. Instead:
- Save the image as a smaller file type (e.g., JPG or GIF) using an image editor.
- Insert it via Insert > Picture.
This simple change can reduce image-related file sizes by 40–60%.
3. Edit Images Before Adding Them to the Document
Avoid making edits (like cropping or adding effects) directly in Word. When you edit in Word, the software retains the original image data, increasing file size. Instead, make edits in an image editor before inserting the image.
4. Compress All Images at Once
Compress all your document images in one step:
- Go to File > Save As > More Options.
- Click Tools > Compress Pictures, choose your settings, and save.
This applies the compression to all images in the document.
5. Turn Off Font Embedding
Word can embed fonts in your file, which adds unnecessary size.
- Go to File > Options > Save and uncheck Embed fonts in the file.
This change can save up to 2 MB.
6. Avoid Embedding Other Files
If you’ve embedded files (like Excel sheets or PowerPoint slides), consider linking to them instead. Linking keeps your document smaller, though it requires maintaining access to the linked files.
7. Disable Document Thumbnails
Thumbnails used to help File Explorer show previews, but they’re no longer necessary.
- Go to File > Info > Properties > Advanced Properties, uncheck Save thumbnails for all Word documents, and click OK.
Turning this off can dramatically reduce file size—our test file dropped from 3.2 MB to 721 KB.
8. Remove Hidden Data and Personal Information
Remove unnecessary metadata by going to File > Info > Check for Issues > Inspect Document. Select options like Document Properties and Personal Information, then click Remove All.
Tips That Might Work in Some Cases
Some techniques are situational, but they’re worth trying if nothing else works:
- Copy Content to a New Document: Select all content with Ctrl+A, then paste it into a new Word file. This removes leftover data like background saves and editing history.
- Convert to HTML or RTF and Back: Save the document as an HTML or RTF file, then convert it back to DOCX. This strips out unnecessary data, though it may affect formatting.
Common Misconceptions
Here are some tips that won’t make much difference:
- Changing Page Size: Altering the page size (e.g., from Letter to A4) doesn’t reduce file size.
- Removing Linguistic Data: In modern DOCX files, linguistic data doesn’t affect file size.
- Deleting Previous Versions: Word stores these outside the document, so removing them won’t help.