PDF too large to upload? Five fixes that work
Checked against official sources on 25 October 2026
When a portal rejects a PDF as too large, compress it to the exact limit with a target-size compressor, remove pages the portal does not need, rescan in greyscale at 150 to 200 dpi, convert photos to PDF on A4 instead of full phone resolution, and as a last resort split the document into numbered parts if the portal accepts several files.
1. Compress to the exact limit
Type the portal's limit into Compress PDF. This is the quickest fix and works for most scans.
2. Upload only the pages that are asked for
Statements and certificates often include blank or irrelevant pages. Use Split PDF to keep just the pages required.
3. Rescan in greyscale
Colour scans are around three times larger than greyscale. Unless a stamp's colour matters, greyscale at 150 to 200 dpi is ideal.
4. Convert photos properly
A phone photo of a page can be 4 MB on its own. JPG to PDF places photos on A4 pages; compress the result afterwards.
5. Split into numbered parts
If the portal allows several attachments, split the file and name the parts _1, _2 and so on, as the Income Tax portal suggests.
Sources
Portals change their limits from time to time. If the upload box shows a different size, follow the portal. Spotted a change? Tell us and we will update this page.