How to reduce file size before uploading

Hit POD’s per-file size limit? Most files can be shrunk significantly with one or two clicks — no software install needed, no visible quality loss for POD’s purposes. Pick your file type below.

Why POD has a per-file cap.The AI processing each file goes through is priced per MB. Bigger files take more compute. Holding a per-file cap keeps your subscription price predictable. If you regularly need to upload files beyond your plan’s cap, upgrading is usually the cleanest fix — but for occasional one-offs, compressing the file works just as well.

PDFs (drawings, contracts, scans)

Scanned PDFs are usually the biggest culprit — each page is stored as a high-resolution image. Text-only PDFs are typically already small.

1On Mac: open in Preview → File → Export → Quartz Filter → "Reduce File Size". A 50 MB scanned PDF often drops to 8–12 MB with no readable loss.
2On Windows: use the free Smallpdf or ILovePDF web tools — drag in, pick "Recommended quality", download. Both keep text searchable.
3For Adobe Acrobat Pro users: File → Save As Other → Reduced Size PDF.
4If the PDF has 100+ pages and you only need a subset, split it first and upload only the pages POD needs to read.

Typical: 60–80% smaller. A 50 MB scanned PDF usually lands at 8–15 MB.

Excel workbooks (cost reports, schedules)

Large Excel files almost always have embedded images, OLE objects, or saved formatting cache eating space — not the data itself.

1Open the workbook → File → Save As → click Tools (next to Save) → Compress Pictures → "Email (96 ppi)". This alone often halves the file.
2Remove embedded objects POD doesn't need (right-click → Cut on inserted images, charts that are decorative, embedded PDFs).
3Save As .xlsx instead of .xlsm if you don't need macros — .xlsm files keep the VBA payload even when empty.
4For workbooks with 50+ tabs: copy only the tabs POD needs into a new workbook.

Typical: 40–70% smaller. A 30 MB .xlsm often lands at 8–12 MB as .xlsx with images compressed.

Photos (site progress, conditions, finishes)

Modern phone cameras shoot at 12–24 MB per photo. POD only needs ~2 MB to read everything reliably — anything bigger is just slower upload, same result.

1On iPhone: Settings → Camera → Formats → "High Efficiency" (HEIC). Cuts photo size in half. Already enabled on iOS 13+.
2On Android: open the camera → quality settings → drop from 100% to 75% — visually identical, half the file size.
3Batch resize before upload: free web tool ILoveIMG → "Resize image" → pick 2000px max width. POD reads everything it needs at that size.
4For very large galleries: upload 10–20 of the most important photos first, then send the rest in a follow-up batch.

Typical: 70–85% smaller. A 24 MB photo lands at 2–4 MB with no visible quality loss for POD's purposes.

Videos (site walks, equipment demos)

Video is the biggest file type by far. POD only needs the audio + a sample of frames — full 4K is overkill.

1On iPhone: Settings → Camera → Record Video → drop from 4K to 1080p HD at 30 fps. Cuts file size by 75%.
2On Mac: drag into iMovie or QuickTime → File → Export → "720p" → done.
3Use HandBrake (free, all platforms) → "Web Optimized" preset → drops a 200 MB clip to 30–40 MB.
4If you only need a 30-second clip out of a 5-minute video: trim first, then upload only the segment that matters.

Typical: 70–90% smaller. A 200 MB 4K walk-through usually lands at 25–40 MB at 1080p.

Still need a bigger cap? Two options.

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