Quenched and partitioned (QP) steels are advanced high-strength steels offering an optimal combination of strength and ductility for automotive structure applications. This study investigates the influence of hydraulic pressing and machining as processing routes to tailor the microstructure and mechanical properties of a medium carbon low-alloyed QP steel. Five processing conditions were tested: as-received, hydraulically pressed, hydraulically pressed and machined, machined only and no pressing/machining. Tensile testing revealed a substantial increase in ultimate tensile strength (16%) and total elongation (35%) for the hydraulically pressed sample compared to the as-received condition. The enhanced properties are attributed to work hardening and increased dislocation density introduced during pressing, which refined the martensite microstructure. Reducing thickness by machining also showed moderate improvements in elongation with a marginal drop in strength. The highest strength of 1923 MPa and elongation of ~ 11% was attained by the combination of hydraulic pressing and machining. Microhardness tests further corroborated the tensile trends, with the hydraulically pressed sample exhibiting the maximum hardness. The study demonstrates that tailored selection of processing techniques can effectively optimize the microstructure and performance of medium carbon QP steels. The results provide critical insights into the microstructure-property relationships in these steels and guidance for achieving the desired strength-ductility balance for structural applications.