How to Save a PDF in an Older Version of Adobe (12 Steps)

By Jen Miller

i Siri Stafford/Digital Vision/Getty Images

You can save a PDF file so that it is compatible with older versions of Adobe Acrobat to ensure that users with older versions of the program can view and print the PDF. Note that earlier versions of the program don't support some features. You can set the PDF compatibility in three ways; you can use the Acrobat Distiller, optimize the PDF in Adobe Acrobat or reduce the file size of the PDF in Adobe Acrobat.

Optimize the PDF

Step 1

Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat. Click "Advanced" and choose "Optimizer."

Step 2

From the "Make Compatible with" drop-down box, select the version of Adobe Acrobat with which you want to make the PDF compatible.

Step 3

Click "OK." Provide a file name, choose where you want to save the file, and click "Save."

Reduce the File Size

Step 1

Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat, click "Document" and choose "Reduce File Size."

Step 2

From the "Make compatible with" drop-down box, select the version of Adobe Acrobat with which to make the PDF compatible.

Step 3

Click "OK." You can set the compatibility for multiple PDF files by clicking the "Apply to Multiple" button and adding the appropriate PDF files. Click "OK."

Step 4

Save the file by either overwriting the file with the "Save" command or by using the "Save as" command to save another version in a specified location.

Configure Acrobat Distiller

Step 1

Start Acrobat Distiller and select the settings you want to use from the "Default Settings" dialog box.

Step 2

Cick "Settings" and choose "Edit Adobe PDF Settings."

Step 3

Select the version of Adobe Acrobat with which to make the PDF compatible from the "Compatibility" drop-down box. Click "OK."

Step 4

Print the PDF to the Adobe PDF printer by selecting "File" and then choosing "Print."

Step 5

Select "Adobe PDF" as your printer and choose "Properties." Select the PDF settings that contain the Distiller properties you want to use from the "Default Settings" drop-down box. Click "OK," click "OK" again and select "Print."

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