📚 Basics: Contents (3/4)
  1. Send your first request, then refine it
  2. Five ingredients of a good prompt
  3. Upload files and images to ChatGPT
  4. Check AI answers and results

💡 Things you can do at this level

🔁 Cuts repetitive work

New to AI? Start here → Start 1. ChatGPT vs. Codex: what's the difference?

Last checked: November 10, 2026

Upload files and images to ChatGPT

In one line

Share files and images, then review them together
Instead of retyping long explanations, share the material and what to check.

The big picture

Illustration (may look a little different from the real screen)

Attaching a file and checking the totals in the table
Click the picture to see it larger.

Follow along

Use practice material, not the real thing

When you attach documents, spreadsheets, or images, you can ask it to summarize or compare them. Features and limits can vary by plan, account, model, and setup.

What you need
A ChatGPT setup that supports file uploads, and practice material with no sensitive information. This site doesn’t upload or analyze files itself.

You can download the made-up sales CSV below to practice. It’s an example for spreadsheet analysis, not real sales data.

Download the sample sales CSV

Attach it, then say what you want done

  1. Use the attach option in ChatGPT’s message box to choose a file or image.
  2. Make sure it finished attaching.
  3. Ask for what to look at and what shape you want the result in.
  4. Compare the numbers and sentences in the answer against the original.

Menu names and locations vary by setup. If a file type isn’t supported, check the formats in the official help pages, and consider copying the part you need as text.

Illustration (may look a little different from the real screen)

Add up the monthly sales in the attached CSV and tell me which columns you used.

Sample replyColumns used: Month, Sales
2026-10 total: $300
2026-11 total: $400
Grand total: $700

Add up the monthly sales in the attached CSV and tell me which columns you used.

Sample replyColumns used: Month, Sales
2026-10 total: $300
2026-11 total: $400
Grand total: $700

ChatGPT · Attaching a file

In tables, check units and totals

In this example, October sales are $120 and $180, and November sales are $150 and $250. So the monthly totals are $300 and $400, and the grand total is $700.

In real data, blank cells, duplicate rows, date formats, and currency can all affect the result. Ask it to check the column layout and missing values first.

Make images easy to read

Zoom in on small text, and mark the area you need. The AI can misread blurry numbers or cut-off sentences. Ask it to flag anything it can’t read instead of guessing.

Always check the original
Compare the numbers in a table, the axes of a chart, and the conditions in a document yourself. Don’t assume it read everything correctly just because the file or image was attached.

Prompts you can copy

Change the parts in square brackets to fit your situation, then paste it into ChatGPT or Codex.

Analyze the practice CSV

Analyze the attached sample-sales.csv. 1. Check the column names and the number of rows. 2. Tell me if there are blank cells or duplicate rows. 3. Put the monthly sales totals and the grand total in a table, in dollars. 4. Explain which columns you used and how you calculated. If you couldn't read the file, don't say you did. Tell me why.

Check the text and numbers in an image

Read the text and numbers in [the area to check] of the attached image. Keep what you can see separate from your interpretation. Don't guess anything too small or blurry to read. Mark it as unreadable. Include the original units with any numbers.

Where people get stuck

Lots of people get stuck here. Find the one that matches your situation!

Quick check: How should I use numbers the AI read from a blurry image?

Answer: “Compare them with the original and recheck anything unclear”
Compare them with the original. Blurry or small text can be misread, so it’s best to check again with a clearer copy.

Official sources

Next tip

Check AI answers and results →

I'm stuck here

Stuck while following along? Tell me where. Only the site owner sees this. Leave your email only if you'd like a reply.