Import a PDF
Upload a PDF to add its text and pages to an Atlas project. Atlas shows the file in the project first, then prepares its content for reading, search, chat, and citations.
Upload limits
A PDF can be up to 300 MB and 6,000 pages. Atlas rejects a file that is too large, has too many pages, or cannot be opened as a PDF.
Upload the PDF
- Open the project where you want the PDF.
- Select Add a source.
- Select Upload files.
- Choose the PDF from your computer.
The PDF appears in the project after Atlas accepts the upload. The processing panel then shows which stages remain.
Wait for the PDF to be ready
The processing panel can show these stages:
- Uploading PDF
- Reading content
- Preparing AI context
- Rendering pages
- Checking citations
- Analyzing layout
- Building search index
When the panel reports Ready or Fully indexed, open the PDF and check that its pages load. You can start reading as soon as the pages are available. Chat and semantic search may remain limited until their processing stages finish.
Recover from an upload or processing problem
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| File exceeds 300 MB limit | Choose a PDF at or below 300 MB. |
| A page-limit message | Choose a PDF with no more than 6,000 pages. |
| "Atlas could not read ... as a valid PDF" | Confirm that the file is a valid PDF and upload a new copy. |
| Your source capacity has been reached. | Remove a source you no longer need or check Plans, usage, and limits. |
| A processing stage remains active | Let the current upload continue instead of adding the same file again. |
| A stage reports Failed | Open the processing details, record the failed stage, and use Troubleshoot source processing. |
When the PDF opens, continue to Read and navigate PDFs.