# Photoshop Elements Q: file size increases when saved

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-q-file-size-increases-when-saved/466360>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 3, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-q-file-size-increases-when-saved/466360 "2008-10-03T19:58:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\
**Post date:** [October 3, 2008, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/photoshop-elements-q-file-size-increases-when-saved/466360/1 "2008-10-03T19:58:45Z")

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Photoshop Elements 6.0, Windows XP.

I wanted to make a minor change to a PDF file I have received, just add some text. When I did, the saved file expanded from 10 MB to 14 MB, even though I flattened the layers and saved it at medium low picture quality. (With low quality, compression artifacts were very noticeable.) If I saved it with no compression, it expanded to 42 MB!!!

Why can’t I make a minor change and save the file in a size that is virtually identical in size to the original?