Reference
PDF file size limits
"File too large." Every service sets its own ceiling, and almost none shows it before rejecting your upload. Below are the limits we could confirm in an official source, with a link to that source and the date we checked.
Checked on 2026-10-17.
Email and messaging
| Service or procedure | Maximum size | Source | Compress |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail (personal account) Applies to the whole message, attachments included. | 25 MB | — | |
| Outlook (internet account (POP/IMAP)) Default value. An employer can raise or lower it. | 20 MB | Microsoft | — |
| Microsoft 365 / Exchange (work account) Default value. An employer can raise or lower it. | 10 MB | Microsoft | Compress to 10 MB |
Canada — immigration
| Service or procedure | Maximum size | Source | Compress |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRCC (secure account) | 4 MB | IRCC | Compress to 4 MB |
| IRCC (Portal) | 5 MB | IRCC | Compress to 5 MB |
| IRCC (permanent residence) | 4 MB | IRCC | Compress to 4 MB |
| IRCC (citizenship) | 4 MB | IRCC | Compress to 4 MB |
| IRCC (asylum) | 4 MB | IRCC | Compress to 4 MB |
France — public services
| Service or procedure | Maximum size | Source | Compress |
|---|---|---|---|
| DossierFacile (per file) | 10 MB | logement.gouv.fr | Compress to 10 MB |
| DossierFacile (per document) | 50 MB | logement.gouv.fr | — |
| Services de l'État (document upload) Figure published in 2018. Worth confirming with the service. | 1 MB | ecologie.gouv.fr | Compress to 1 MB |
India — exams
| Service or procedure | Maximum size | Source | Compress |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICAI (photo) | 50 KB | ICAI | Compress to 50 KB |
| ICAI (signature) | 50 KB | ICAI | Compress to 50 KB |
How this table is built
A limit goes in this table only if we read it on the official site of the service itself, and the link to that page sits on every row. Nothing is copied from another site, a forum or an article.
Limits change without notice. The date shown is when we last checked, not a guarantee. When in doubt the official page decides, and its link is right there.
A limit missing or out of date?
Send us the link to the official page that states it and we will add it. That is the whole process, and it is what keeps this table worth reading.
FAQ
My file is exactly at the limit and still gets rejected. Why?
Because services do not all count the same way. Some treat a kilobyte as 1,000 bytes, others as 1,024. A "100 KB" file can therefore fail on a site expecting 102,400 bytes. Aim slightly under the limit: PDFRoll uses the strict count (1 KB = 1,000 bytes), the one that passes everywhere.
How do I find the limit of a site that does not show one?
Search its help pages for "maximum size" or "accepted formats", or read the error message, which often states the number. If you find it, send it to us and we will add it here.
Does shrinking a PDF damage it?
Not necessarily. PDFRoll tries lossless compression first, which leaves text and layout untouched. Only to reach a very small size do pages have to become images, and the text is then no longer selectable. Always check that numbers, signatures and stamps stay readable before you send.