Save diploma or certificate as PDF — how to scan, compress and share safely

2 min read·25 July 2026

A diploma or certificate is a valuable document. Learn how to save it safely as a PDF, how to scan it properly, and how to share it professionally with employers or institutions without unnecessary risk.

Why save your diploma as a PDF?

Paper diplomas can be lost, fade or get damaged. A PDF copy is a digital backup you can store anywhere and share easily. Employers, educational institutions and government agencies increasingly accept digital PDF copies — especially when well-scanned.

How to scan a diploma correctly

Use a flatbed scanner at minimum 300 dpi for a sharp result. Keep the diploma straight — a crooked scan looks unprofessional. Scanning with your phone? Use a document scanning app (like Adobe Scan or Microsoft Lens) that automatically straightens the document. Always export as PDF, not as a loose JPEG.

Compress PDF

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Optimise PDF for email and upload

A scanned diploma can be large (5–20 MB). Use PDFrust Compress to reduce the file size. Choose a medium quality setting — the document stays readable but becomes smaller for email. Most employer portals accept a maximum of 5 MB per attachment.

How to share a diploma safely

Never send a diploma unsecured in a public email. Prefer to use email over a secure connection (HTTPS). For extra security, add a password via PDFrust Protect. Send the password via a separate channel (SMS, phone). For LinkedIn, you can upload the diploma as a certificate — no PDF required.

Long-term archiving

Keep multiple backups: locally, on a USB drive and in cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, OneDrive). PDF/A format is ideal for long-term archiving — it is an ISO standard specifically for preservation. Use PDFrust Archive to convert to PDF/A.