How to Optimize File Size in Word 2007

Graphic Sizes
1. Reduce picture sizes by clicking 'Compress Pictures' in the Format menu, and then click 'Options.' By default, the compression settings are set for print. Click on either radio button for 'Screen' or 'Email' to have pictures compressed for the web or email. Click 'OK,' and then 'OK' again to close the dialog box.
2. Change the size of the picture by clicking with the right mouse button on the picture and clicking 'Size.' Click 'Close' when you are completed with reducing the size.
3. Crop pictures to remove vertical and horizontal areas which detract from the picture and can bloat a document. Click on a picture you want to crop, and then click on the 'Format' tab. Click on 'Crop' in the Size group. Solid picture handles appear on the picture (they look like heavy black lines). Crop the picture by clicking and dragging the handles. Remove the cropped areas from the document by clicking on the 'Format' tab. Click 'Compress Pictures' in the Adjust group. Click the checkbox for 'Apply to Selected Pictures Only,' and then click 'Options.' Check the 'Delete Cropped Areas of Pictures' and click 'OK.' Click 'OK' again to exit the dialog box and the size of your picture is reduced.
Other File Size Reduction Methods
4. Click on the 'Microsoft Office' button, and then click 'Save' in Word 2007. In the dialog box, click on the 'Save as Type' field, and then select 'Word Document (*.docx)' to save the file as an Open XML document. According to Microsoft, Open XML uses zip-compressed technology which compresses the document size. Click 'Save' to save the file in Open XML format.
5. Click on the 'Microsoft Office' button, and then click on the 'Word Options' button. Click 'Save' in the left task bar. Check the 'Embed Fonts' checkbox, and then check both the 'Embed Only the Characters Used in the Document' and the 'Do Not Embed Common System Fonts' check boxes. According to Microsoft, this embeds only the fonts used in your document and can reduce the file size.
6. Remove any hidden data in the document as another method to reduce file size. Click on 'Microsoft Office' button and point to 'Prepare.' Click 'Inspect Document' and then click on the checkboxes for the types of hidden data to inspect for such as watermarks, personal data or tracked changes. Click 'Inspect,' and then click 'Removal All' to delete any hidden data in the document. Click 'Close' to close out of the Data Inspector.