RapidPDF Size Limits for Job Applications — Resume & Cover Letter
Checked upload limits for major job sites in the US and Canada, why a resume PDF gets too big, and how to get it under the limit.
⚠️ Always use a copy of your document, never the original. Keep your original file safe.
PDF size limits for job applications are usually between 2 MB and 5 MB on the job sites we could check, and some allow much more. Keep your resume or cover letter PDF under 2 MB and it fits every limit in the table below. That is easy for most people: a plain two-page resume saved as a PDF is usually around 100 KB. If yours is bigger, it almost always has photos, scanned pages or a heavy design template, and you can fix it by exporting again as a PDF, removing large images or using the free Compress PDF tool.
Resume PDF Size Limits by Job Site
Last reviewed: October 2026
| Job site | Upload limit and file types |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn Easy Apply | Under 2 MB recommended. PDF or Word. |
| Greenhouse | Up to 100 MB, but resumes over 2.5 MB are not read automatically. PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), RTF or TXT. |
| Lever | Up to 10 MB for your resume. |
| Workable | Up to 5 MB for your resume. PDF, Word (.doc, .docx), RTF, HTML or ODT. |
| Workday | Set by each employer. |
| USAJOBS (US) | Under 5 MB. PDF, Word, RTF, TXT and some image types. |
| Job Bank (Canada) | 5 MB or less for your own resume. |
Always check the upload page itself. Employers can set their own limits, and job sites change them over time, so the limit shown when you apply is the one that counts. We could not confirm Indeed’s limit from its own help pages, so it is not listed.
USAJOBS is the US federal government job site. Greenhouse, Lever, Workable and Workday are application systems that employers use on their own careers pages, so you may meet them on many different company websites. On Greenhouse, a resume over 2.5 MB still uploads, but the system does not read it into your application automatically, which is another reason to stay under 2 MB.
How Big Is a Normal Resume PDF?
Much smaller than any of these limits. These are typical sizes per page, the same figures used in how many pages is 1MB PDF and the PDF File Size Calculator:
| Kind of page | Typical size per page | Two-page resume |
|---|---|---|
| Plain text | About 50 KB | About 100 KB |
| Text with a photo, logo or chart | About 200 KB | About 400 KB |
| Image-heavy design | About 500 KB | About 1 MB |
| Scanned page (300 DPI, color) | About 500 KB | About 1 MB |
These are typical estimates at medium quality, and your file will be different. A plain resume and cover letter together are usually well under 1 MB. Scanned pages and image-heavy designs are the largest, at about 1 MB for two pages, so they come closest to a 2 MB limit.
Why a Resume PDF Gets Too Big — and How to Fix It
- Photos and large images. A headshot, logo or background picture straight from a phone or camera can be bigger than the rest of the resume put together. Fix: remove it, or insert a smaller copy before you save the PDF. Many employers in the US and Canada do not expect a photo on a resume anyway.
- Scanned pages. A scanned resume is a picture of each page, so every page is large, and application systems may not be able to read the text in it. Fix: save the PDF again from the original document instead of scanning a printed copy.
- Embedded fonts. A PDF stores its fonts inside the file so it looks the same everywhere. This usually adds only a little, but several decorative fonts can add more. Fix: use one or two common fonts.
- Design templates. Templates with background graphics, shapes and textures can save large images into the PDF, and some save the whole page as a picture. Fix: choose a simpler template, and check that you can select the text in the finished PDF.
How to Get Your Resume PDF Under the Limit
- Export as a PDF from Word or Google Docs. In Word, go to File → Save As and choose PDF; on Windows, choose Minimum size (publishing online) if the resume has pictures (see how to compress a PDF on Windows). In Google Docs, go to File → Download → PDF Document (.pdf). This keeps the text as real text, which application systems can read.
- Remove or shrink large images. If the file is still big, a photo or background image is the usual cause.
- Compress the PDF. Open Compress PDF, choose High quality first and compress. The tool only shrinks images, so the text stays sharp and readable. If the file is still over the limit, try Medium. For an exact limit, see how to compress a PDF to a specific size.
- Combine files only if the site asks for one file. If there is a single upload box, merge your cover letter and resume with this step-by-step guide, and make sure the combined file is still under the limit. If there are separate boxes, upload separate files.
- Check the size before you upload. On Windows, right-click the file and choose Properties; on a Mac, select it and press Command+I. Compare the size with the limit on the upload page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What file size should my resume PDF be?
Under 2 MB fits every limit we could confirm, including LinkedIn Easy Apply. Most resumes are far smaller: a plain two-page resume saved as a PDF is usually around 100 KB. Always check the upload page, because employers can set their own limits.
What is the file size limit for LinkedIn Easy Apply?
LinkedIn recommends a resume file under 2 MB for Easy Apply, saved as a PDF or a Word document.
Why is my resume PDF so big?
The usual causes are a photo or other large image, scanned pages, a design template that saves pages as pictures, or several decorative fonts. A plain text resume is usually around 50 KB per page.
How do I make my resume PDF smaller?
Save it again as a PDF from Word or Google Docs instead of scanning it, remove or shrink large images, and then compress it with a free tool such as Compress PDF, starting with High quality. Text stays sharp, because only images are shrunk.
Should I combine my resume and cover letter into one PDF?
Only if the job site asks for one file, for example when there is a single upload box. If there are separate boxes, upload separate files. If you do combine them, check that the combined file is still under the size limit.