Grok 4 File Upload Limits: supported formats, size caps, and processing behavior in late 2025

Grok 4 includes an expanded multimodal layer that allows the model to interpret documents, images, structured data, and compressed archives directly inside the chat interface or through the API. In late 2025, xAI defines clear boundaries for file types, size constraints, and the number of files that can be submitted in a single request. The platform supports practical workflows across business, analysis, research, and troubleshooting, but applies strict rules to ensure performance, security, and compliance. The results are consistent: Grok 4 is flexible enough for everyday document interpretation while still enforcing limits that align with its fast reasoning design.

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Grok 4 supports a wide range of file formats including PDFs, images, documents, structured text, and compressed archives.

The model accepts all major document and image types, allowing users to upload content for summary, extraction, comparison, and visual interpretation. Inputs such as PDF documents, DOCX files, images in standard formats, spreadsheets exported in CSV, and ZIP archives are processed normally. Unsupported formats—such as RAW images, TIFF files, encrypted archives, or executable binaries—are automatically rejected for security reasons. This makes the system suitable for structured workflows while ensuring no high-risk file types enter the processing pipeline.

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Supported File Formats — Grok 4 (late 2025)

Category	Formats Accepted	Notes
Documents	PDF, DOCX, TXT, MD	Standard reading and parsing
Images	JPG/JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP	Vision model supports these formats
Data files	CSV, JSON	Structured parsing supported
Archives	ZIP	Automatically scanned
Unsupported	TIFF, RAW, EXE, encrypted files	Rejected on upload

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Grok 4 enforces strict size limits per file and per request to maintain speed, accuracy, and memory efficiency.

File uploads in the chat interface support up to 25 MB per file, while the API increases the ceiling to 30 MB per file. Image handling through the dedicated vision endpoint follows a documented maximum of 20 MiB per image. Chat requests support up to three images at once, whereas the API accepts up to ten images per request. These limits keep processing predictable and ensure that large uploads do not degrade performance across the platform.

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File Size and Upload Limits — Grok 4

Limit Type	Chat Interface	API Usage	Notes
Maximum file size	25 MB	30 MB	Applies to all document formats
Maximum image size	20 MiB	20 MiB	Applies to vision model
Images per request	Up to 3	Up to 10	Multiple images processed
Document count	Standard: 1–3	Flexible	Depends on API structure

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Files are processed in-memory, scanned automatically for safety, and not retained unless the user opts into extended workflows.

Uploaded files pass through a secure processing layer that scans documents, images, and ZIP archives for potential security issues before the model interprets them. File processing occurs in-memory, meaning content is not stored long-term unless user settings or enterprise configurations explicitly allow it. The system automatically avoids retaining sensitive data, and enterprise environments benefit from region-bound processing for compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and similar regulations.

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Processing Behavior — Grok 4

Behavior Type	System Response	Purpose
In-memory processing	File is not stored	Privacy by design
Security scan	ZIPs and documents scanned	Prevent malicious input
Regional handling	Data stays in region	Compliance workflows
Session-based access	File removed after session	User control

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Cloud connectors in enterprise environments allow file imports from Google Drive and OneDrive while preserving Grok’s standard size and format limits.

Enterprise deployments support optional cloud connectors that allow users to pull files from Google Drive, OneDrive, and similar storage platforms. These imported files adhere to the same size, format, and security rules as direct uploads. The advantage for enterprise users lies in workflow consolidation—files move directly from corporate storage to Grok’s processing engine without requiring manual uploads.

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Enterprise Cloud Integration — Grok 4

Connector Type	Supported Files	Behavior
Google Drive	All standard formats	Applies same size limits
OneDrive	All standard formats	Enterprise beta
Shared corporate storage	Documents, images, ZIP	Uniform processing rules

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File interpretation in Grok 4 is optimized for structured extraction, visual reasoning, and document-level analysis across common business workflows.

Once uploaded, Grok 4 applies different processing layers depending on the file. Documents undergo structural extraction, allowing the model to detect sections, tables, and metadata. Images pass through Grok’s vision layer, enabling object detection, text extraction, and UI interpretation. ZIP files are decompressed, scanned, and analyzed file by file. This makes Grok 4 useful across corporate, analytical, educational, and technical environments where fast understanding of mixed-format content is needed.

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Processing Capabilities — Grok 4

File Type	Model Behavior	Workflow Use
Documents	Sectioning, summarization, extraction	Reports, briefs, contracts
Images	Object detection, OCR, UI reading	Screenshots, diagrams
Data files	Table interpretation, pattern detection	CSV, analytics
ZIP archives	Multi-file parsing	Technical bundles

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Grok 4’s file-upload system supports the practical workflows most users need while maintaining strict limits to guarantee performance and reliability.

With broad support for standard formats, predictable size caps, and secure processing, Grok 4’s file-upload functionality fits everyday requirements across consumer and enterprise contexts. The model’s behavior emphasizes speed and structural clarity, allowing users to move quickly from raw files to interpreted insights. Enterprise controls extend this functionality while preserving compliance, ensuring the same reliability across cloud connectors and managed environments.

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