PDF & email attachment size limits (2026)
Upload limits for Gmail, Outlook, messaging apps, job portals, and government sites — with links to official documentation.
Last reviewed: June 2026 · Ethan Brooks
Email providers
| Service | Max attachment | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB | Per message; total message size includes encoding overhead (~33 MB raw file theoretical max before encoding) | Google Help |
| Outlook / Microsoft 365 | 20–34 MB | Default 20 MB; admins can raise to 34 MB (150 MB with OneDrive large attachment) | Microsoft Docs |
| Yahoo Mail | 25 MB | Per email attachment | Yahoo Help |
| Proton Mail (Free) | 25 MB (paid) / 1 MB free tier | Varies by plan | Proton Support |
Messaging & collaboration
| Platform | Max file | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 100 MB (documents) | Images/video limits differ; PDF sent as document | |
| Telegram | 2 GB (documents) | Hard cap is high; compress for mobile send speed and bot API limits (~50 MB) |
| Slack (Free/Pro) | 1 GB (paid) / 5 MB free | Plan-dependent |
| LinkedIn messaging | 20 MB (approx.) | Attachment limits not always published; compress for reliability |
| Microsoft Teams | 250 GB (SharePoint) / chat ~250 MB | Large files use SharePoint link |
Job portals & applications
| Portal | Typical PDF cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Many ATS / career pages | 2–5 MB | Resume PDFs; compress aggressively |
| Indeed (employer upload) | Varies by employer | Often 2–10 MB for applications |
| Government job portals (India) | 1–10 MB | UPSC, SSC, state portals often specify per notification |
LMS & education portals
| Platform | Typical PDF cap | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canvas | 100 MB (instance default) | Instructors may set lower per-assignment limits |
| Blackboard / Moodle | 50–250 MB (varies) | Institution admin sets upload ceiling |
| UCAS (UK) | Per document type | Reference and personal statement PDFs — verify current UCAS spec |
| Common App (US) | 10 MB (typical upload) | Supplements and counselor forms vary by college |
Government & tax portals (India focus)
| Portal | Typical limit | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GST Portal (supporting docs) | 5 MB (common) | Per document type; verify current GSTN circular |
| Income Tax e-filing | 2–5 MB | Form attachments vary by ITR type |
Always verify limits on the live portal — caps change with policy updates.
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Methodology
Limits sourced from official vendor documentation and portal help pages as of June 2026. Where vendors publish ranges, we show the conservative figure for PDF uploads. Report corrections via contact.