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Batch File Conversion and Compression

Convert documents to PDF, compress PDFs, and normalize image formats in one batch

★☆☆ Beginner 10-20 min January 20, 2026
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Scenario

I have a mixed folder with Word docs, PDFs, and images and want to batch convert and compress to save space.

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Prompt

In ~/Projects/Archive, do the following:
- Convert all .docx files to PDF
- Compress existing PDFs to reduce size
- Convert images to PNG
- Skip files over 10 MB
- Provide a report with counts and space saved

Expected Result

Claude converted 21 Word docs to PDFs, compressed 40 PDFs (saving ~25% space), and converted 35 images to PNGs, skipping files over 10MB.

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Tips

  • Test on a copy folder first to validate outputs
  • Keep originals for rollback
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Original Post

· 2026-01-20

In one session, Cowork converted 21 Word documents to PDFs, compressed 40 PDFs (saving about 25% space), and turned 35 images into PNGs. It also skipped files over 10 MB to avoid timeouts.