Home / Problems / PDF too large to email?
PDF too large to email?
Most email services cap attachments at around 20 to 25 MB. A few common causes push PDFs past that limit.
Why PDFs get so big
Heavy images
High-resolution photos and screenshots are the most common cause of oversized PDFs.
Scanned pages
Every scanned page is a full image, so a long scan adds up quickly.
Embedded fonts and extras
Fonts, layers and old revisions can bloat a file that looks simple.
Ways to shrink it
Reduce image quality
Lower image resolution to a level that still reads clearly on screen.
Split the file
Send a long document in two or more smaller parts.
Share a link instead
Upload the file and send a download link when it cannot be shrunk.
Try it in your browser
Frequently asked questions
Why is my PDF so large?
Usually because of high-resolution images, scanned pages or embedded fonts.
What is the email attachment limit?
Many providers cap attachments at roughly 20 to 25 MB, but limits vary by service.
Have a problem worth solving?
Tell us what slows you down. It might become our next product.