Create a Quartz Filter with ColorSync

Most Mac users are aware that they can open a PDF in Mac OS X Preview and use Save As → Reduce File Size to compress the file – but the default settings often result in poor quality for JPEG images inside the PDF. Here’s how to create a new Quartz Filter for increased quality.

Go to Applications → Utilities and open the ColorSync Utility. Then click the Filters icon button and then the little Add (+) Button on the bottom bar. This prompts you to type in a name for a new Quartz Filter – do so and press Return.

I named my filter “Reduce File Size but not so much” to keep the original “Reduce File Size” filter. Now click the downward pointing arrow located at the right of your new Filter name to open the menu settings.

Select Add Image Effects Component → Image Compression. Now change the Image Compression Mode to JPEG and adjust the slider control for better quality.

Now, the next time you use Save As in Mac OS X Preview, you can select your shiny new filter from the Quartz Filter menu.