How do I upload a PDF to ChatGPT?

Click the + or paperclip icon at the left of the message box, choose the file, then type your question. Free accounts can upload PDFs with limits on size and number that change; check OpenAI's help page for the current figures.

Can Claude read a PDF?

Yes. Click + in the message box or drag the file onto the chat. Claude reads the text and, for image-based PDFs, the pages themselves. Paid plans let you keep files in a Project so multiple chats can use them.

Can I ask AI about a document without uploading it?

Yes — copy the text and paste it into the message with your question. For documents under a few pages this is the simplest method, works on every free plan, and is what this course's try-it boxes do.

Will the AI answer from the document or from memory?

Both, unless you tell it. Add "using only the document below" and ask for the section number. That keeps the answer on the page and gives you a pointer to check it.

Upload a document and ask it three questions — AI With PDFs

Asking questions of a document is the safest kind of AI work, because the facts are on the page and the model only has to find them. It is also the kind most people never try, because the upload button is easy to miss and it is not obvious what to ask. This lesson fixes both.

Getting a document in: the three major tools

1
ChatGPT
Click the + (or paperclip) at the left of the message box and choose a file from your device or a connected drive. PDFs, Word files, spreadsheets and images all work. Free accounts can upload; the number of files and their size are limited, and the limit changes — check the vendor page.
2
Claude
Click the + in the message box, or drag the file straight onto the chat. PDFs, text, code and images are accepted. On a paid plan you can also put files in a Project so every chat in it can see them without re-uploading.
3
Gemini
Click the + in the prompt box to add a file from your device or Google Drive. A document that already lives in Drive is the easiest case — Gemini can open it directly. Free accounts can upload; larger or more numerous files need Google AI Pro.
4
Any tool, no upload
For a document under a few pages, select all, copy, and paste the text straight into the message with your question underneath. This works on every free tier and is what the try-it boxes in this course do.

Ask three specific questions

Vague questions get vague answers. "What does this say?" produces a summary you did not ask for. Ask what you actually need to know, one thing at a time, and ask for the section number so you can check.

Try it

Three questions about a set of hire terms

Using only the document below, answer these three questions. For each answer, quote the figure and give the section number it came from.

1. How much is the deposit, and when is it returned?
2. If I cancel 10 days before my event, what refund do I get?
3. What time must a Saturday event finish?

Document:
Riverside Community Hall — Hire Terms (revised March 2026)

1. Bookings. The hall may be booked by residents and local groups for private and community events. A booking is confirmed only once the deposit has been received. A booking made fewer than 14 days before the event requires full payment at the time of booking.

2. Fees. The standard rate is $45 per hour for residents and $70 per hour for non-residents, with a minimum booking of three hours. Registered charities and school groups pay the resident rate. The kitchen may be hired for an additional flat fee of $60 per event.

3. Deposit. A refundable deposit of $200 is required for all bookings. The deposit is returned within ten working days after the event, provided the hall has been left clean, no damage has occurred and the keys have been returned.

4. Cancellation. Bookings cancelled more than 28 days before the event receive a full refund of any hire fees paid. Cancellations between 7 and 28 days before the event receive a 50 percent refund. Cancellations fewer than 7 days before the event receive no refund. The deposit is always returned in full on cancellation.

5. Hours and noise. Events must finish by 11 pm on Friday and Saturday and by 10 pm on other days. Amplified music must stop 30 minutes before the finish time. Hirers are responsible for the conduct of their guests.

6. Capacity. The main hall holds a maximum of 120 people standing or 80 seated. The committee room holds 20. These limits are set by the fire service and cannot be exceeded.

7. Cleaning and keys. Hirers must remove all rubbish, sweep the floors and wipe the kitchen surfaces. Keys are collected from the caretaker on the day of the event and must be returned by 10 am the following morning. A lost-key fee of $90 applies.

8. Contact. Booking enquiries: bookings@riversidehall.example. Caretaker: 0400 000 000, weekdays 9 am to 5 pm.

Three free runs a day on the site key. Add your own key for unlimited runs.

Did it work? Three answers, each with a section number. Now do the check: find section 4 in the document and read the cancellation line yourself. Ten days is between 7 and 28, so 50 percent. If the model said that, it read the document. If it said something else, it guessed.
The phrase that matters: *"using only the document below"*. Without it, a model may blend what the document says with what hall terms usually say — and you cannot tell which is which.

Knowledge check

You ask "what is the deposit?" and the model answers "$250, which is standard for community halls." The document says $200. What happened?

Upload a document and ask it three questions

Ask three specific questions

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