Power Query Problems

Fix Excel Out of Memory Error When Importing PDF Files

Adam Davis Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user encounters an out-of-memory error preventing the successful import of a PDF document into Excel.

How to Fix Excel Out of Memory Error When Importing PDF Files

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Attempting to import a complex or multi-page PDF document into an Excel spreadsheet using the Get Data (Power Query) feature.
Observed behavior: Excel Power Query runs out of memory and fails to process the import, even if the source PDF file size is relatively small, due to the high number of tables and objects.

Before you start

Before troubleshooting, save any open workbooks in Excel and check whether you are running the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Microsoft Office via File > Account > About Excel.

Solution 1Recommended

Split the PDF and Import Specific Page Ranges

Reducing the amount of data processed at one time is the most effective way to prevent memory overload in Power Query.

A PDF with thousands of pages contains complex formatting and objects that expand significantly in memory when parsed. Splitting the document into smaller sections drastically reduces the processing burden on Excel.

Extract specific pages

Open your preferred PDF editor or tool, select the option to split or extract pages, and save the required pages containing your tables as a new, smaller PDF file.

Start the Excel import

Open Excel, navigate to the Data tab on the ribbon, click Get Data, choose From File, and select From PDF.

Select the smaller file

Locate the newly created, smaller PDF file and click Import. Wait for the Navigator window to load.

Load only necessary tables

In the Navigator window, check 'Select multiple items' if needed, tick only the specific tables or pages you want to import, and click Load.

Split the PDF and Import Specific Page Ranges

Tip: You can repeat this process for different sections of the original PDF, combining the data directly within Excel once successfully imported.

Solution 2

Use 64-bit Excel and Close Background Applications

Upgrading to a 64-bit version of Excel removes the 2GB memory limit restricting 32-bit applications.

Solution 3

Use Dedicated PDF-to-Excel Software

Converting the PDF directly to an Excel file format bypasses the Power Query memory limitation entirely.

Seamless PDF to Excel Conversion

Easily Convert Complex PDFs to Excel with WPS Office

Skip the complicated Power Query import process and avoid out-of-memory errors entirely. WPS Office features a powerful built-in PDF toolkit that allows you to directly convert large, multi-page PDF documents into editable Excel spreadsheets with just a few clicks.

1. Launch WPS Office: Open WPS Office and navigate to the 'PDF' tab on the main dashboard.
2. Select PDF to Excel: Click on 'PDF to Excel' from the conversion tools menu to open the conversion dialog.
3. Add your file: Drag and drop your large or complex PDF document into the window.
4. Convert and save: Select the page range if necessary, click 'Convert', and immediately open your newly formatted spreadsheet.

Directly convert complex PDFs to editable Excel files without memory crashesSeamlessly compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formatsLightweight application requiring fewer system resources than traditional suitesIncludes a robust built-in PDF editor, reader, and converter

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does a small PDF cause an out-of-memory error in Excel?

A PDF file size can be deceiving. A heavily compressed 5MB PDF might contain thousands of pages, complex tables, and invisible vector objects. When Excel's Power Query expands and parses this compressed data into processing memory, it can quickly overwhelm the application's available RAM.

How much RAM do I need to import large PDFs into Excel?

For processing complex queries and importing large documents, it is highly recommended to use a 64-bit version of Excel paired with at least 8GB to 16GB of system RAM to prevent crashing and out-of-memory errors.

Does optimizing the PDF help with Excel import errors?

Yes. Using a PDF editor to compress or 'optimize' the document removes unnecessary background objects, metadata, embedded fonts, and complex formatting. This significantly reduces the processing load and memory required by Excel during the import.

Can I import only a specific table from a PDF instead of the whole file?

Yes. When you use the Get Data > From PDF feature in Excel, the Navigator window allows you to preview the document's structure. You can browse and select only the specific tables or individual pages you need, saving significant processing memory.

Excel & Data Problems