# Embed a large PDF in Confluence

To embed a large PDF in Confluence, attach the file to the page and set the **PDF embed (Capable)** macro to **Existing Page Attachment**, or use **New File Upload**. Public links are fetched through a proxy capped at 2.5 MB and show **This PDF is too large** above that. Attachments are read straight from Confluence, so the cap does not apply.

---

## Before you start

* You can edit the page and add attachments to it.
* You have the PDF on your computer. If it only exists on a website, download it first.
* The file is within your Confluence site's attachment size limit, which your Confluence administrator sets.

---

## Steps

1. Edit the page and open the PDF embed macro's configuration, or insert a new **PDF embed (Capable)** macro.
2. Set **Types of file** to **New File Upload**.
3. Under **Upload a PDF**, choose the file and wait for the upload to finish.
4. Check that **Types of file** now reads **Existing Page Attachment** with your file selected.
5. Close the configuration window and publish the page.

---

## What happens next

The viewer loads the attachment in the reader's browser, using their Confluence permissions. A very large file takes longer to appear on a slow connection, because the whole document is downloaded before the first page is drawn.

⚠️

On the Capable Suite, an administrator can approve the PDF's website in **Global settings** under **Egress domains** so the link is read directly. That only works if the website lets other sites read its files, and approving the wrong host can stop the embed working. Attaching the file is the dependable route. See [Adding the PDF's host to the Suite's approved domains made the embed stop working](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/adding-the-pdf-s-host-to-the-suite-s-approved-domains-made-the-embed-stop-working.html).

---

## If it does not work

* The upload fails: the file may be over your site's attachment limit. Ask your Confluence administrator, or split the document.
* Some readers see **You cannot view this PDF**: they do not have permission to view the page's attachments. See [this troubleshooting page](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/some-readers-see-you-cannot-view-this-pdf-you-do-not-have-permission-to-view-this-attachment.html).

---

## Related

### [Limits](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/limits.html)

Every size and count limit.

### ["This PDF is too large"](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/this-pdf-is-too-large.html)

The message and its causes.

### [Upload a PDF and show it on a Confluence page](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/upload-a-pdf-and-show-it-on-a-confluence-page.html)

Attach while you configure.

### [PDF embed](https://help.gocapable.com/pdf-embed/pdf-embed.html)

Every setting of the macro.

---

_Big documents belong on the page too._