# Automatic PDF compression with Google Drive: n8n workflow

> Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Google Drive. 10 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automatic-pdf-compression-with-google-drive (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Documents and files](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Documents+and+files#library)

# Automatic PDF compression with Google Drive

Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Google Drive. 10 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fautomatic-pdf-compression-with-google-drive)

**10 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**1** Service it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 2 Logic 1 Service 7

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **When clicking ‘Test workflow’** Manual trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Upload your file to Google Drive** Google Drive trigger *Starts it*
- 3 **Send your iLoveAPI public key to their server** Http Request *Service*
- 4 **Download file** Google Drive *Service*
- 5 **Get task from iLoveAPI server** Http Request *Service*
- 6 **Group public key, task and downloaded file data** Merge *Logic*
- 7 **Upload PDF to iLoveAPI server** Http Request *Service*
- 8 **Compress your file** Http Request *Service*
- 9 **Download compressed file** Http Request *Service*
- 10 **Move compressed file to new Google Drive folder** Google Drive *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An event in a connected app
- **Steps:** 10
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Google Drive
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Google Drive account. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an event in a connected app.

Does it use AI?

No. Every step is fixed logic or a call to a service, so it does the same thing every time.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 10 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 10 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fautomatic-pdf-compression-with-google-drive)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)

## Workflows like it

Also documents and files, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Auto file organizer for Google Drive: sort PDFs, images** 10 steps · Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/auto-file-organizer-for-google-drive-sort-pdfs-images)
- [**Auto-generate and auto-fill business documents** 10 steps · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/auto-generate-and-auto-fill-business-documents)
- [**Back up workflow JSON files to Google Drive** 10 steps · Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/back-up-workflow-json-files-to-google-drive)
- [**Backup all n8n workflows to Google Drive every 4 hours** 10 steps · Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/backup-all-n8n-workflows-to-google-drive-every-4-hours)
- [**Convert web pages from Google Sheets to Drive markdown files** 10 steps · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/convert-web-pages-from-google-sheets-to-drive-markdown-files)
- [**Copy folder structure without files in Google Drive** 10 steps · Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/copy-folder-structure-without-files-in-google-drive)