Claude file upload sizes across all plans: Complete Overview

Claude AI offers multiple ways to upload and analyze files, with limits varying across chat sessions, projects, and API integrations. Understanding these size constraints and supported formats is essential for maximizing productivity and selecting the right workflow based on the plan and context.

Claude chat interface allows up to 20 files per session.

The Claude chat interface supports up to 20 files per conversation, with a maximum size of 30 MB per file. All uploaded content counts toward the model’s context window, which can handle up to 200,000 tokens depending on the version used. For lengthy PDFs and data-heavy spreadsheets, splitting files into smaller parts improves performance and reliability.

Scope	Limit
Max files/chat	20
Max size/file	30 MB
Context window	~200K tokens

This setup is best suited for document summaries, code reviews, and lightweight research workflows within a single conversation.

Projects enable unlimited uploads with persistent knowledge bases.

Claude projects allow unlimited file uploads, but the content extracted must still fit within the active context window during analysis. This feature is designed for creating a persistent knowledge base that eliminates the need to re-upload documents. Each file must respect the 30 MB limit and follow the supported formats.

Scope	Limit
Files per project	Unlimited
File size limit	30 MB per file
Context usage	Limited by context window

Projects are ideal for storing recurring documents like policies, datasets, and reference materials, enabling Claude to retrieve insights without repeated setup.

Claude supports a wide range of file formats across plans.

Claude is designed to handle diverse document and media types, ensuring flexibility for professionals and developers.

File Type	Supported Formats	Notes
Documents	PDF, DOCX, TXT, RTF, ODT, HTML, EPUB, JSON, CSV, XLSX	XLSX enabled when analysis tools are active
Images	JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP	Up to 8,000 × 8,000 px and 30 MB
Audio	MP3, WAV	Transcription supported in projects only
Presentations & Markdown	PPTX, MD	Fully supported since August 2025

Visual elements within PDFs, such as tables and charts, are analyzed only when files are under 100 pages and the session uses models with vision capabilities like Claude 3.5 Sonnet or Claude 4.

API endpoints allow uploading files up to 10 GB for enterprise users.

Developers and enterprise users benefit from extended capabilities through the Claude Files API and inline uploads. The API supports uploads up to 5 GB per file by default and can be extended to 10 GB upon request. This enables scalable document processing, automated knowledge ingestion, and integration into enterprise systems.

API Feature	Limit	Usage
Files API	5 GB default, 10 GB enterprise	Bulk uploads and automation
Inline image upload	8 MB per image	Attach 1 image per request
Image via URL	30 MB per image	Up to 10 images per request

The Files API is designed for teams managing large datasets or requiring document-heavy automation, providing higher throughput and minimal manual intervention.

A summarized comparison of upload capabilities across workflows.

Workflow	Max File Size	Max Files	Key Constraints
Chat interface	30 MB	20 files	Counts toward context limit
Projects/Knowledge Base	30 MB	Unlimited	References limited by context size
API (Files API)	5 GB / 10 GB	Multiple files	Designed for bulk automation
API inline images	8 MB	1 image	Quick visual tasks
API image URLs	30 MB	10 per request	Ideal for large images hosted externally

By leveraging these workflows effectively, Claude users can handle structured and unstructured data across both individual and enterprise contexts while optimizing speed, reliability, and analytical depth.

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