// how to
How to Upload Files to Gemini: PDFs, Spreadsheets, Video and Drive
On gemini.google.com, type your question, click Add files and choose Upload files (from your computer) or Add from Drive, then click Submit. You can add up to 10 files per prompt, most up to 100 MB and videos up to 2 GB. Free accounts can upload 5 minutes of video and 10 minutes of audio in total.
The short version
Upload the file, then ask a specific question about it. “Summarize this” works, but “What are the cancellation terms and the notice period?” works better. Gemini handles PDFs, spreadsheets, photos, audio and even video, which sets it apart from many chat tools.
Step by step
- Go to gemini.google.com and sign in (uploads need an account).
- Type your question in the box.
- Click Add files, then:
- Upload files for files on your computer,
- Add from Drive for Google Drive files,
- More uploads > Import code for a code folder or GitHub repository.
- Click Submit.
- Ask follow-up questions in the same chat; Gemini keeps the file in mind.
On your phone, tap the add button in the Gemini app to take a photo or pick a file.
Limits (from Google’s Help Center, October 29, 2026)
| Limit | Without a plan | Google AI Pro or Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Files per prompt | Up to 10 | Up to 10 |
| File size | 100 MB (video 2 GB) | 100 MB (video 2 GB) |
| Total video length | 5 minutes | 1 hour |
| Total audio length | 10 minutes | 3 hours |
| Context window | 32,000 tokens | 1 million tokens |
Google also applies rolling limits on chats with files that reset over time.
Prompts to copy
A contract or policy:
From this PDF, list: the length of the agreement, how to cancel, the notice period,
any automatic renewals and any fees. Quote the exact sentence for each.
A spreadsheet:
This is our sales export. Which 5 products earned the most last quarter?
Then make a bar chart of revenue by month.
A recording:
This is a recording of our team meeting. List the decisions, who owns each action,
and any deadlines mentioned.
A photo:
This is a photo of a utility bill. What's the amount due, the due date
and the account period? Is anything unusual compared to a normal bill?
Example
You upload: a 60-page lease and ask “Quote the exact clauses on rent increases and repairs.”
A good result: the clauses quoted word for word with section numbers. Open the PDF and check each one; quoting makes Gemini’s mistakes easy to spot.
Mistakes to avoid
- Uploading a huge file on a free plan. Past the context window, Google says Gemini may miss details. Split it, or upload only the relevant pages.
- Scanned pages with poor quality. Blurry photos give blurry answers. Rescan or retake the photo.
- Asking for “everything”. Ask for the specific facts you need.
- Uploading other people’s private data. Uploads are saved with your activity when Keep Activity is on.
Good to know
If you see “Delete data to upload file”, Google says you’ve hit the Gemini storage limit for past activity. Delete old activity under Settings & help > Activity. Spreadsheet uploads can produce charts you can tweak with Edit. For long-term projects, Gemini notebooks keep sources in one place.
Related: use Gemini Deep Research and keep your data private in Gemini.
Frequently asked questions
What file types can Gemini read?
Google says Gemini supports most file types, including documents, spreadsheets, photos, videos, audio and code. ZIP files can hold up to 10 files but no audio or video.
Why does Gemini miss things in my long PDF?
Each plan has a context window, the amount Gemini can read at once. Google lists 32,000 tokens without a plan, 128,000 on Plus and 1 million (about 1,500 pages) on Pro and Ultra. Upload smaller sections for better results.
Why can't I add files from Drive?
Google says Add from Drive needs Keep Activity on and the Google Workspace app connected. On work or school accounts, your administrator must allow it.
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