Reducing File Sizes for Written Assignment Submissions

Reducing File Sizes for Written Assignment Submissions

If you are attempting to submit a written assignment but are encountering an error indicating your file size is too large, you may need to modify your file before you can submit. Below are instructions on saving Word documents as PDFs, reducing the size of a PDF document, and compressing image files. Simply follow the steps outlined for each type of document (Word, PDF, or JPG/PNG) and try submitting your assignment again. If you continue to have trouble, please feel free to contact our Support Team at [e-mail]. 

Word Documents

If you are attempting to submit a Word document and are encountering an error indicating your file size is too large, we recommend saving a copy of your document in PDF format AND compressing any images within your document using the steps below: 

1. In Word, select the 'File' tab (top-left corner).
2. Choose 'Save As.'
3. To the right, you will see the file name and a dropdown menu indicating the file type. Click the 'More options' link beneath the dropdown menu.
4. On the 'Save As' pop-up window, select 'PDF' from the 'Save as type' dropdown menu. If desired, you can also choose to rename your file or save it in a different location. 
5. Click 'Tools' on the bottom right of the pop-up window, and select 'Compress Pictures.'
6. Click the desired compression option. We recommend selecting the 'Web' radial for web-quality compression of images. 
7. Click 'Ok.'
8. Click 'Save.'

PDF Files

If you are attempting to submit a PDF and are encountering an error indicating your file size is too large, we recommend reducing the size of your PDF document:

1. Visit Adobe's free online PDF-compression tool: https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html. 
2. Click the 'Select a file' button to locate and select a locally saved file on your computer and click 'Open.' Alternately, you can also simply drag and drop your PDF file to the dotted box.
3. Select your preferred compression level from the following options:
• Low compression: Offers best image quality but a higher file size.
• Medium compression: Offers good image quality and a medium file size.
• High compression: Offers lowest image quality and smallest file size. 
  Note: We recommend using the 'medium compression' option to preserve image quality while also reducing your file size (unless you need a much smaller file, in which case, high compression may be the best option for you).
4. Once you have selected your preferred compression option, click 'Compress' to begin the compression process.
5. Once your file is complete, a message will indicate your file is ready. Click 'Download' to save your newly-compressed file to your computer.

Image Files (JPG, PNG)

If you are attempting to submit an image file and are encountering an error indicating your file size is too large, we recommend compressing your image file:

1. Visit the tinypng site: https://tinypng.com/.
2. Drag and drop your image file to the dotted box. Alternately, you may click inside the dotted box to locate and select a locally saved file on your computer and click 'Open.' 
3. Once your image has been compressed, you will see a green 'Finished' message. Click 'Download All' to save your newly-compressed file to your computer.