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How to upload a PDF to ChatGPT and ask questions about it

2 minutes 6 steps Updated

Quick answer

In ChatGPT, select the + in the prompt area, then Add photos & files, and pick your PDF. Type what you want, such as a summary, and send. A PDF can be up to 512 MB and 2 million tokens. You can upload up to 80 files every 3 hours. Free accounts get 3 uploads a day.

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How to upload a PDF to ChatGPT and ask questions about it
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Here's how to upload a PDF to ChatGPT and ask questions about it. Open a new chat, or the chat where you want the PDF. A project chat, or a chat with a GPT, works too.

In the prompt area, select the plus button, then Add photos and files, and pick your PDF. ChatGPT can read the text and the images, including charts. Type what you want before you send.

For example: Summarize this paper in plain language. Or: Find every date in this contract. Read the answer, then ask follow-up questions.

Check important facts against the PDF itself. Asking about one chart? Attach the PDF straight to the chat, not as project files or GPT knowledge.

Or select the plus button and upload the chart on its own, as a PNG or JPEG. A PDF can be up to 512 megabytes and 2 million tokens. You can upload up to 80 files every 3 hours, and OpenAI may lower that during peak hours.

Upload it, then ask. Full steps and fixes are on our tutorial page.

  1. Open a chat

    Open a new chat, or the chat where you want the PDF. You can also attach a PDF inside a chat with a GPT, or in a project chat.

  2. Select the plus button

    In the prompt area, select +, then Add photos & files. Pick the PDF from your computer. ChatGPT can read both the text and the images in a PDF, including charts and diagrams.

  3. Tell ChatGPT what to do with it

    Type your request before you send, such as: Summarize this paper in plain language, or Find every date in this contract. OpenAI lists summaries, comparisons, finding quotes and extracting sections or lists as common uses.

  4. Read the answer and ask follow-ups

    Review the reply, then ask follow-up questions or request changes. Check important facts against the PDF itself.

  5. Ask about one chart or image

    If you ask about a specific chart, attach the PDF straight to the chat. In files saved as GPT knowledge or project files, embedded images may not be included automatically. You can also upload the image on its own as PNG, JPEG or a non-animated GIF.

  6. Know the limits

    A document can be up to 512 MB per file, and text and document files are capped at 2 million tokens each. You can upload up to 80 files every 3 hours, and Free users are limited to 3 file uploads per day. OpenAI may lower these during peak hours.

If it doesn’t work

I see an upload limit reached message
Check you are signed in to the right account and plan. If the message shows a retry time, wait until then, because failed uploads can count toward the limit. Free users get 3 uploads per day. Also check OpenAI Status.
The file is a Google Doc
You cannot upload a .gdoc file directly. Export it from Google Docs as PDF or DOCX, then upload that file.
ChatGPT misses a chart in my PDF
Attach the PDF directly to the chat, not as project or GPT knowledge. If that still fails, upload the chart as a separate PNG or JPEG image with the + button.
I cannot add more files to my project
Project file limits depend on your plan: 5 on Free, 25 on Go and Plus, 40 on Edu, Pro, Business and Enterprise. Delete a file you do not need, then add the new one.

Questions people ask

Something we missed? Ask us.

How big can a PDF be in ChatGPT?

Documents and presentations can be up to 512 MB per file. Text and document files are also capped at 2 million tokens per file.

How many files can I upload to ChatGPT?

Up to 80 files every 3 hours. Free users are limited to 3 file uploads per day. OpenAI may lower these limits during peak hours.

Does ChatGPT read the images in a PDF?

Yes. It can analyze both text and images in PDFs, including charts and diagrams, when the PDF is attached directly in a chat.

How do I delete a file I uploaded?

Deleting a chat does not delete a file saved separately in Library or Space. Open the file there and select Delete, or the trash icon. If your account shows Space, find your saved files there.

Which other file types can I upload?

Examples include DOCX, TXT, Markdown, HTML, JSON, spreadsheets such as XLSX and CSV, and presentations such as PPTX.

Sources

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Chat Library Keep your AI chats on your computer and search them, next to your YouTube videos and notebooks. Kortex docs The full reference for this feature, with every option.

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