---
title: Supported files and limits
description: Lexpoint accepts PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC and DOCX up to 10MB per file, and reads structural facts from each one the moment it arrives.
product: Lexpoint — Individuals
audience: People managing their own Canadian immigration
doc_type: reference
canonical_url: https://docs.lexpoint.io/individuals/documents/supported-files/
app_routes: https://my.lexpoint.io/app/documents
last_verified: 2026-08-27
keywords: supported file types, upload size limit, 10MB limit, PDF password protected, scan quality
license: Documentation © Lexpoint. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL.
---
# Supported files and limits

Every file you add to a case goes through the same constraints, whatever screen you add it from.

## Accepted formats

| Format | Extensions |
|---|---|
| PDF | `.pdf` |
| JPEG image | `.jpg`, `.jpeg` |
| PNG image | `.png` |
| Microsoft Word | `.doc`, `.docx` |

The file picker is filtered to these, and the upload area states the same list: *PDF, JPG, PNG, DOC,
DOCX (Max 10MB per file)*. Dragging a file in bypasses that filter, so check the extension yourself
when you drop rather than browse.

PDF is the safest choice. It survives being combined with other files, it keeps its page order, and
it is what an assembled application is built from.

## Size limit

**10MB per file.** The check runs in your browser before anything is sent, so an oversized file
fails immediately rather than after a long upload.

A file over the limit is listed with its size and the note *— exceeds 10MB limit*, and the upload
button stays disabled while it is in the list. Remove it, or replace it with a smaller version, and
the button comes back.

The limit is per file. Several files at a time is fine — they upload one after another, and one
failure does not abandon the rest.

:::tip[Getting a large scan under 10MB]
A scan is usually large because it was captured at a higher resolution than anyone needs. Rescanning
at 200–300 DPI in black and white, or exporting the PDF with your scanner's "reduce file size"
setting, typically cuts it by most of its size with no loss of legibility.
:::

## What makes a scan usable

Lexpoint's constraints are technical; legibility is judgement. A file that clears the limits can
still be sent back at review because a reader could not make it out.

- **Capture the whole page.** Edges cut off, or a corner outside the frame, means part of the
  document is missing.
- **One document per file, all its pages in order.** A multi-page document belongs in one PDF, not
  as loose photos.
- **Flat and in focus.** A photo taken at an angle, or with a shadow across the text, is harder to
  read than a scan.
- **Colour where colour carries meaning.** Stamps, seals, and signatures are easier to accept in
  colour.
- **No password.** See below.

## Password-protected and secured PDFs

A PDF with a password, or with permission restrictions applied, uploads without complaint — but it
cannot be merged with the other files for the same requirement. The failure surfaces as:

> We couldn't combine these PDFs. One or more may be password-protected or secured. Try exporting an
> unlocked PDF.

Banks and government portals often issue statements and letters this way. The fix is to open the
file, enter the password yourself, and re-export or print it to a new PDF without protection, then
upload that.

## What Lexpoint records about the file

The moment a file lands, and before anyone looks at it, Lexpoint takes deterministic structural
facts from the bytes:

| Recorded | What it is used for |
|---|---|
| SHA-256 checksum | A fingerprint of the exact bytes, so an identical file can be recognized as identical. |
| File type and size | Shown beside the file everywhere it is listed. |
| PDF or not | Decides how the file is handled when documents are combined. |
| Page count | Images count as one page. Page counts add up to the length of the assembled document. |
| Encrypted or permission-restricted | Predicts, at upload time, that the merge above will fail. |

This step never blocks an upload. If the probe cannot read the file, the file is still stored and
the unreadable result is recorded against it.

## File names

The name you uploaded is the name you see — in the vault, on the case, and in the file list. Behind
the scenes the stored copy has any character outside letters, digits, dots, underscores, and hyphens
replaced, which is why a downloaded file can come back with a slightly different name than the one
you gave it.

Name files for the person reading them: `passport-bio-page.pdf` beats `IMG_4471.jpg`.

## Related

- [Your document vault](/individuals/documents/vault/) — where every file you have added is listed
- [Review and verification](/individuals/documents/review/) — what happens once a file is stored
- [Cases](/individuals/cases/) — the requirements files are added against

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the maximum file size Lexpoint accepts?

10MB per file. The limit is per file, not per upload — you can add several files at once as long as each one is under 10MB. A file over the limit is flagged in the browser before anything is sent, and the upload button stays disabled until you remove it.

### Can I upload a password-protected PDF?

The upload itself will go through, but a secured PDF cannot be combined with the other files for the same requirement. If that happens the error reads "We couldn't combine these PDFs. One or more may be password-protected or secured. Try exporting an unlocked PDF." Remove the password before uploading.

### Does Lexpoint accept HEIC photos from an iPhone?

HEIC is not on the accepted list. Set your iPhone camera to "Most Compatible" (Settings, Camera, Formats) so photos save as JPG, or export the photo as JPG or PDF before uploading.