Ever tried uploading a 50MB PDF to an AI service or automation tool, only to hit a file size error?
This guide shows you how to bypass those limits with a free, open-source workflow that chunks massive PDF files into smaller, manageable parts — perfect for feeding into AI models, parsing tools, or cloud storage.
Built on top of N8N and a self-hosted PDF chunking microservice, this workflow is fast, flexible, and fully customisable. Whether you’re prepping files for Gemini, Claude, ChatGPT, OCR, or even internal review — this tool makes it possible.
🔍 Why You Need PDF Chunking
Most automation tools and AI APIs choke on large PDFs due to:
- Max upload sizes (often 5MB–20MB)
- Page count restrictions
- Timeouts or memory constraints
This setup eliminates those limits by:
- 🧩 Breaking down PDFs into smaller chunks (by size or page count)
- 🔁 Returning download links for each chunk
- 🧠 Allowing each chunk to be processed independently in any workflow
🛠 What You’ll Get
- ✅ N8N workflow file (drag & drop ready)
- ✅ Custom PDF chunking microservice using
pdf-lib - ✅ Setup guide for Ubuntu (works with any VPS)
- ✅ Gemini prompt example (optional, not required)
- ✅ Support for large PDF files
💡 Real-World Use Cases
- Feed chunks into AI tools like Gemini, OpenAI or Anthropic
- Upload to cloud storage or backup systems without hitting file limits
- Pass through OCR or document extraction services in batches
- Split course materials or books into manageable parts
- Pre-process for searchable indexing or embeddings
🧠 Gemini-Compatible, but Not Locked In
The example workflow includes a Gemini Document Vision fo analysing each PDF chunk, but you can swap these nodes to do whatever you want your PDF chunks.
🚀 Get Started
- Download the workflow and install guide
- Set up the chunking service on your server (10 mins)
- Connect your PDF input source (Google Drive, upload, etc.)
- Use the chunked files however you want!
🔓 Free, Open, and Yours to Control
Unlike paid APIs that gate your usage, this solution runs on your own terms, with:
- No file size limits
- No rate caps
- No hidden costs
Just host it, and start processing.
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