How to reduce a scan or photo to fit a visa upload limit
Updated 2026-09-30
File size mostly follows the number of pixels and how hard they are compressed. Scans are large because they are usually captured at a high resolution. The fixes below cut size in the order that hurts readability least.
- Scan at a lower resolution. IRCC suggests 96 to 150 DPI for its uploads. Text stays readable well above that.
- Save the scan as JPEG rather than PNG. JPEG is much smaller for photos and scans of pages.
- Use grayscale for black-and-white documents. Colour is only worth keeping when the colour itself matters.
- Compress to a target. For images, use Compress image to target size and pick a value about 10% under the limit. For a PDF you already have, use Compress PDF and enter a target.
- Put the pages back into one file. Use JPG/PNG to PDF, then Merge PDF if you need more than one document in a single upload.
Compress PDF can shrink an existing PDF by recompressing its JPEG images, but only when the size is in those images; it keeps your original and says so when nothing got smaller. The route above rebuilds the PDF from images you have already reduced.
Check before you upload
- Zoom in to 100% and read the smallest text on the page.
- Confirm the file type your portal accepts. Some accept PDF only, others JPG or PNG too.
- Leave headroom under the stated limit in case “MB” means 1,048,576 bytes on one side and 1,000,000 on the other.
Frequently asked questions
- What DPI should I scan a document at for upload?
- IRCC advises saving images at a lower resolution such as 96 or 150 DPI to reduce file size. Other portals do not state a resolution, so keep the text legible.
- Why is my scanned PDF so large?
- Each page is stored as an image. More pixels, colour and PNG storage all increase size.