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Get a too-big PDF under an email attachment limit

3 steps A few minutes

Work down in order: compress first, split only if you must, lock it if it is sensitive.

Compress Split Protect

Most email providers cap attachments around 20 to 25MB, and a scanned PDF blows past that fast. Rather than fighting it with one tool, work down in order: compress first, split only if you still have to, and add a password if the contents are sensitive. Stopping at the first step that gets you under the limit keeps the file as simple as possible for whoever opens it.

  1. 1

    Compress it first

    Start here. A scan-heavy PDF often drops by more than half, which is enough on its own most of the time.

    Open Compress
  2. 2

    Split it if it is still too big

    Still over the limit after compressing? Split it into two or three smaller files and send them across separate emails.

    Open Split
  3. 3

    Lock it if it is sensitive

    Before sending anything with personal or financial details, set a password so only your recipient can open the file.

    Open Protect

Frequently asked questions

What is the usual email attachment limit?
Gmail and Outlook both sit around 20 to 25MB per message. Larger files bounce, or get converted to a cloud link, which you may not want for a private document.
Does splitting a PDF lose quality?
No. Splitting copies the existing pages into new files without re-rendering them, so the content is identical, just divided across files.

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