Google Introduces Free File Upload and Analysis Features for Gemini Users

Following the launch of file upload functionality for paid Advanced subscribers last year, free users of Gemini are now beginning to access the ability to upload and analyze files.

Once this feature is available to you, a prompt will appear saying “Upload files to receive quick summaries and actionable insights.” Accessing the ‘plus’ menu will show options for Files and Drive, adding to the already available Camera and Gallery. This update is being introduced in the Android app and on gemini.google.com.

Users can either browse their Google Drive or upload files directly from their mobile or web apps. With Gemini, you can upload documents to ask questions about them, effectively performing advanced searches and obtaining summaries of their content. Additionally, spreadsheets can be shared for analytical insights, and you can request Gemini to generate charts.

Supported file formats include:

Plain Text Files: TXT
Code Files: C, CPP, PY, JAVA, PHP, SQL, HTML
Document Files: DOC, DOCX, PDF, RTF, DOT, DOTX, HWP, HWPX
Documents Created in Google Docs
Tabular Data Files: CSV, TSV
Spreadsheet Files: XLS, XLSX
Spreadsheets Created in Google Sheets

Currently, Google has not updated its support documents regarding this new feature, leaving the context window details unclear. As it stands, the context window for Gemini Advanced allows for 1 million tokens, equivalent to about 1,500 pages of text or 30,000 lines of code.

For Android, document uploads also enable the “Ask about this PDF” feature within Files by Google, along with “Talk Like this” on Pixel, Galaxy S24, and S25 devices.

The file upload feature is being rolled out to free Gemini accounts starting this evening, but it’s still not widely accessible. This functionality is exclusive to Gemini 2.0 Flash, as the older 1.5 Flash model will soon be phased out. Initially introduced for Gemini Advanced subscribers in May 2024, the file upload was part of the 1.5 Pro launch.

Additional features that remain exclusive to Advanced subscribers include Deep Research, creating custom Gems, Saved Info, and Recall.