Overview
Most large Word Documents are usually small enough to be submitted to the Learning Space, there are however some quick steps you can use to make the file smaller. Generally speaking, most issues with large documents come through the use of images.
Important:
- Before you proceed with any of these suggestions, be sure to keep a back up of your work as the quality of images could potentially be lost permanently.
- It can be tempting to use 3rd party software that compress files for you - but beware that many of these sites could infect your device with a virus.
1. Insert images (don't Copy & Paste them)
When adding an image into Word ensure that you use the built in add image functionality. This imports the image as a different type of file and can save on space significantly.
2. Compress images Within Word
You can compress images further using built-in Word features. You can select how much you want to compress the file but this will of course impact the quality of the image.
3. Remove Editing Information
Each time you make an edit to an image in a Word document, data about those changes are saved (this allows you to restore the image to previous versions of itself). In Word we can deactivate and delete this data. You achieve this by hitting file > options > advanced > Image Size & Quality. This feature is currently unavailable on a MAC.
4. Save using the latest version Of Word
You should ensure that you save your word documents in the most recent file type .docx unless specified otherwise. Not only will this ensure that the majority of devices will be able to open the file, but more importantly this file type is much more efficient at reducing the size of files.
Important: If adding as a resource to Learning Space, we recommend uploading the original Word .docx file. Although larger in size than a PDF, a .docx file ensures that the document is accessible to the widest range of users enabling them to avail of Word's built-in accessibility features, resulting in a better user experience.
Further Support
For further support on Learning Space, or to report any issues with this guide, please get in touch with the Digital Learning Team via dlsupport@falmouth.ac.uk. Alternatively, please refer to the numerous help guides found on our Knowledge Base.
View the Accessibility Statement for all of our support guides.