# Upload Files in Chat

**Upload Files in Chat** — Drag and drop or upload files directly into a chat space to query them instantly, without adding them to the broader knowledge base.

## Overview  
The **Upload Files in Chat** feature allows users to drag and drop or manually upload files directly into a chat space. Once uploaded, files are ingested by the agent and become queryable within that specific chat — without affecting the broader space context. This enables more contextual, document-specific interactions without the need to upload into the knowledge base.

Check the following page for the Supported File Types: [Supported File Types](https://docs.unique.ai/users/supported-file-types)

## Who is this for?  
This feature is designed for **anyone using the chat space** who wants to work with files in a lightweight, one-off way. It is especially helpful for users who do not want to upload documents to the broader knowledge base — for example, when dealing with **one-time use files, ad hoc requests, or confidential materials** that are best kept scoped to a single conversation.

## Benefits  
| Benefit | What it means for you |
| --- | --- |
| **Chat with documents instantly** | Work with files without leaving your chat space — all within a single, focused workspace. |
| **Faster setup** | Fewer clicks compared to uploading to the knowledge base or configuring context filters. |
| **Temporary by design** | Files can have a configurable expiration date set by your admin, shown on each document link. |
| **Simplifies scoping** | Automatically limits document context to the current chat — no cross-chat bleed. |
| **Avoids knowledge base clutter** | Keeps one-time or ephemeral files out of the central knowledge base. |

## Step-by-step guide  
**Step 1:** When "Upload files in chat" is enabled, you will see the following visual above the prompt bar.

**Step 2: Upload your file** — choose one of two methods:

- **Drag and drop** a file directly into the large area bordered by the dotted line.

- **Click "Upload Files"** — this opens your device's internal file navigation system.

**Step 3: Wait for processing** — once added, you will see the file processing at the top of your chat.

**Step 4: Confirm ingestion** — once successfully ingested, the file appears at the top of the chat showing the upload date and expiry date (if applicable).

**Step 5: Start chatting** — you can now chat against your document.

## File retention behaviour  
The UI for files uploaded in the chat differs based on whether the file retention period is set or not.

| Scenario | What you see |
| --- | --- |
| **Retention period defined — file active**<br> | File appears at the top of the chat showing the upload date and expiry date. |
| **Retention period defined — file expired**<br> | File is shown as expired and can no longer be queried. Re-upload to regain access. |
| **No retention period defined**<br> | No expiry information is shown. The file will not be automatically deleted. |

## Tips & tricks  
| Tip | Details |
| --- | --- |
| **Avoid protected files** | Password-protected or encrypted files cannot always be ingested properly. |
| **Reusable files → knowledge base** | If a file will be reused across chats or teams, upload it to the knowledge base instead. |
| **Document-only results** | Toggle on the "Check Documents" tool and ensure no folders or documents are selected from the knowledge base for precise, file-only results. |
| **Upload multiple files at once** | Highlight and drag multiple files into the chat, or select them together via the file picker. |
| **Plan for retention** | Be aware of the retention period to avoid losing important files. Re-upload at any time to regain access. |

## Limitations  
**Supported file types only:** Extremely large documents, files with heavy media content, or password-protected files may encounter ingestion issues.

**Files do not persist indefinitely:** Expiration dates may apply based on your workspace configuration.

**Scoped to the current chat only:** Files are queryable only within the chat they were uploaded to — not accessible across other chats or spaces.

**Not part of global context:** Uploaded files are not included in the knowledge base context filter or global search.

**Expired file edge case:** Issues may arise when summarizing documents if all files in a chat have expired.