Re: Google docs to pdf suddenly 10 times bigger

Levin1533 · 02-22-2024 01:00 AM

I need google docs to create documents automatically. I download them as pdf files and then send them.

This has always worked until today. Now I can't download any of my previous documents as PDFs via the API. I always get the error that the file size is too big. [403] This file is too large to be exported.

These files were exported a few days earlier in the same way and were never larger than 3MB.

If I now download the same files manually, they are suddenly 20MB and larger

Any idea why this is the case?

(In the Doc are some pictures, but they are downsized and it worked with the same pictures a day befor.)

cgl

We are having exactly the same issue. Files were never more than 3mb and now are more than 20mb. Cant email these files and causing big issues in our workflows

Rintsje

Same problem here.

icrew

This seems like the sort of thing that would be more likely to get a fix via Workspace Support--see https://support.google.com/a/answer/1047213 for how to contact them. And if you do contact them, post the ticket numbers here, so others can reference them as the same issue. Typically, the more support tickets Google sees about an issue, the higher priority it gets.

Levin1533

I have a open support Ticket with them(Case #49750040). They actually told me to open a post here as well.

cgl

Everyone, another 5 people with the issue here: https://support.google.com/files/thread/260057530?authuser=1&hl=en&msgid=260245793&sjid=681507702737...

Another post here: https://support.google.com/docs/thread/260247409?hl=en&sjid=11373732838783498897-EU&authuser=1

icrew

No one from Google is likely to see your post here—a support ticket is the way to go.

This is a community site for folks who maintain, or develop code that works with, Google Workspace. Google’s developers don’t hang out here.

oskhar1099

Same exact problem here. Glad to know is not just me

dalinski

if I download my February newsletter today it now downloads as 27mb when the same file downloaded as pdf in February as 4.4 mb. A 200k photo added makes the pdf go up by 2mb! Crazy stuff.

amsixel

I'm having the same issue. Usually my files are around 8MB when I download as a PDF, and now they're around 80MB! I hope this issue gets fixed soon. For now, I was able to download as a Word doc, then convert to PDF.

dalinski

I went to adobe -they have a page to freely reduce your pdf. My 23mb PDF went down to just under 1mb. Why cant all software that does pdf come near that.

cgl

Here is a file that recreates this bug: we need to share this widely so that support actually realises there is a bu

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1skBnsL7N-rN94pfilgkr76Ln-9cgoyx3oxGMpR2X6V0/edit

Tom_Opus

Getting same reporting from my team. One provided example is a report with 3 photos on it - PDF export is 34MB.

icrew

All:

Be sure to contact Workspace Support directly, not just post here. See https://support.google.com/a/answer/1047213 for how to contact them. And if you do contact them, post the ticket numbers here, so others can reference them as the same issue. Typically, the more support tickets Google sees about an issue, the higher priority it gets. (And Support does not follow this community forum.)

Cheers,

Ian

Tom_Opus

Logged with Google support (case #49833601 )- sent them this summary:

Within the past 7 -14 days something has changed in regards to Google Doc PDF downloads when the document contains multiple photos. The change is that an excessively large PDF file is created.
I have had this reported to me independently by three of my employees.
Example 1
[link redacted - contains client info]
When downloaded as a PDF results in a 145 MB file.
Example 2
[link redacted - contains client info]
When downloaded as PDF results in a 38MB file.
Just as a comparison when downloaded as a docx file these are 16 MB and 5.2 MB respectively.
This is a new change - we send Google Docs to clients and upload them to our SAAS system on a daily basis.
From a quick search there are other Google users who are experiencing the same issue in the past week or so.

TarunBatra

Any update on this from Google side as we are still facing the issue

mikefraser

Try print to PDF.. PDF much smaller 🙂 GL

dalinski

Problem still not fixed - my february newsletter that has not been changed. Downloads in PDF at 23MB today. In February it downloaded as 4.4MB. Your PDF saving is useless as it saved 6 to ten times larger than it should. Why hasn't it been fixed. I pity the people who make PDF's to email with Gmail as what used to be small is now HUGE. For my business I could not risk that.

jpp

WORKAROUND: For whom use linux and are not using programmatically generated downloads (using GAS).

Save as OpenDocument Format (.odt)
File >> Download >> OpenDocument Format (.odt)

Open the downloaded .odt on LibreOffice and export as PDF
File >> Export As >> Export Directly as PDF

< Our Google Workspace Support Ticket #49987163 >

pavlikovskyi

We are experiencing the same issue. Since we utilize Google Docs through the API, we are currently unable to download PDF files due to them surpassing the 10 MB limit. This serves as a clear demonstration of how Google can disrupt your business unexpectedly.

jpp

Pavlikovskyi, please add your finding to the IssueTracker

jpp

For those affected, adding a +1 to the Issue Tracker on this matter might be helpful.

Andy_UDU8

I also have this problem. Any idea when Google will fix it?

oskhar1099

Hi, I think that they have already solved it. Because today, my PDFs are back to their normal size.

jpp

Not in here (yet)

dalinski

No change - 6mb in February -25mb today. (19th March)

vasilshko

Today, I received a message from Google Support stating that the problem has been resolved. I ran a test and can confirm it.

jpp

Same here! Hurrah!

Tom_Opus

excellent - not had a response to my ticket yet but that is great news, thanks for letting us know 👍