ImmiAccount file too large? Getting photos and PDFs under 5 MB

The short version

Home Affairs allows attachments of up to 5 MB each.
Home Affairs doesn't say whether 5 MB means 5,000,000 bytes or 5,242,880. A file under 5,000,000 bytes is under the limit either way.
On a Mac, Preview can shrink both photos and PDFs. On Windows, Microsoft's PowerToys Image Resizer can shrink photos.
Making a file smaller isn't the same as zipping it. Home Affairs says compressed (zip) files aren't accepted.
Home Affairs notes low-quality scans may delay processing, so it's worth checking a smaller file is still readable.

The 5 MB limit

Home Affairs' help text for the Attach documents screen says each attachment can be up to 5 MB, in an accepted file type. The same rules apply to sponsorship applications, so they cover files the Australian partner attaches too.

The help text also says a document with several pages goes in a single PDF, which is often why a file ends up large. There's more on file types, including iPhone photos, in ImmiAccount upload rules.

What counts as 5 MB

"MB" is counted two ways. Apple explains that some systems count in decimal (1 GB is 1 billion bytes) and some in binary (1 GB is 1,073,741,824 bytes). The same applies to megabytes: 1,000,000 bytes in decimal, 1,048,576 in binary. Home Affairs' help text doesn't say which it uses.

A worked example. A file shown as 4.9 MB by a system counting in binary is 4.9 × 1,048,576 = 5,138,022 bytes. That's under 5 MB in binary but over 5,000,000 bytes. A file shown as 4.7 MB by either system is at most 4.7 × 1,048,576 = 4,928,307 bytes, which is under the limit whichever way it's counted.

Photos on a Mac (Preview)

Apple's steps for reducing an image's file size in Preview:

Open the image in Preview.
Choose Tools → Adjust Size, then select Resample image.
Enter a smaller width and height, or choose a percentage. The new file size is shown at the bottom before you save.

Apple says several images can be done at once: open them in the same window, select them in the sidebar, then choose Tools → Adjust Size.

PDFs on a Mac (Preview)

Apple's steps for compressing a PDF in Preview:

Open the PDF in Preview.
Choose File → Export.
In the Quartz Filter pop-up menu, choose Reduce File Size.
Save. To keep the original, enter a new filename instead of replacing it.

Apple notes a compressed PDF may be of lower quality than the original, and that the result depends on the options chosen. The same Export screen also offers "Optimize images for screen" and "Save images as JPEG".

Photos on Windows (PowerToys Image Resizer)

Image Resizer is part of Microsoft PowerToys, which is installed separately from Windows. Microsoft's documentation describes it like this:

Install PowerToys and make sure Image Resizer is turned on.
In File Explorer, right-click one or more images and select Resize with Image Resizer.
Pick a size and resize. Several images can be done at once.

Microsoft's "Fit" setting scales the image proportionally without cropping it.

Check it's still readable

Home Affairs notes that low-quality scanned documents may delay processing. Shrinking a file too far can make small print hard to read, so opening the smaller copy and zooming in on the text before attaching it is a simple check.

Compressing isn't zipping

"Compress" can mean two different things. Reducing a photo or PDF's size (as above) gives you a normal JPG or PDF. Putting files into a zip archive gives you a compressed file, and Home Affairs says compressed files can't be accepted. It also says encrypted PDFs can't be accepted, so a smaller copy shouldn't be saved with a password.

If it still won't attach

The Australian Embassy in China publishes a workaround for ImmiAccount upload trouble: save the file as PNG, or clear the browser's cache and history and try again in a new browser session.

Home Affairs also has an online form, Attach additional documents to visa applications in ImmiAccount. It says to use it if you've reached the ImmiAccount document limit for all applicants, or if you or an accompanying family member are otherwise prevented from attaching documents in ImmiAccount.

Keeping the originals

This part is about record-keeping only. Home Affairs says you won't be able to access your documents in ImmiAccount after uploading, so keep your own copies.

Keep the full-size original. Save the smaller file as a new copy, so the original is still there if a clearer version is ever needed.
Name the copy clearly. For example, Joint_lease_2025_small.pdf next to Joint_lease_2025.pdf. A 2017 Department tip sheet says to use only letters, numbers, dashes and underscores in filenames.
Keep the copy you attached. That's the exact file Home Affairs has, so it's worth keeping alongside the original.

Glossary

MB (megabyte). 1,000,000 bytes counted in decimal, or 1,048,576 bytes counted in binary.
Resample. Preview's option to change the number of pixels in an image, which changes its file size.
Quartz Filter. The menu in Preview's Export screen that includes Reduce File Size.
Compressed file. An archive such as a zip. Not accepted by ImmiAccount.
Encrypted PDF. A password-protected PDF. Not accepted by ImmiAccount.

Skip the resizing.

In Almost Home, photos are made smaller in your browser when you add them, on your phone or computer. Each category exports as PDFs measured against the 5 MB limit, and split into parts if a file would go over.

Start your record

This guide passes on what Home Affairs says about the attachment size limit, and the steps Apple and Microsoft publish for their apps. It isn't migration advice and doesn't cover what or how much evidence to submit, or how it's assessed. For advice about your situation, talk to a registered migration agent or lawyer. The instructions in your own ImmiAccount application are authoritative. See the Home Affairs Attach documents help page.