ChatGPT users can now store, browse and retrieve the files they upload and create with the AI tool, OpenAI announced this week.
All of the documents you upload inside the normal chat window are automatically saved to the library, as long as you're logged into your account. Now you can search for and pull up documents in one central place.
The feature is limited to Plus, Pro and Business users, so you have to pay at least $20 per month to store files using ChatGPT Library. You also have to be online to access your files.
(Disclosure: Ziff Davis, CNET's parent company, in 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.)
If you turn on ChatGPT's Memory feature, the chatbot can also reference the files you've saved to bring up in future chats.
OpenAI mentions documents, spreadsheets, presentations and images as supported file types. However, the images you generate using ChatGPT will remain in the Images tab.
Read more: OpenAI's Slop Machine Sora Is Dead. We're All Better Off Without It
Save your files in the chatbot
To use the Library feature, sign in to your account and click the plus sign on the left side of the window where you type commands. Select the "Add from Library" option to choose the file you want to bring up.
The library is visible in a left-hand sidebar that's searchable. You can filter results by file type and whether you uploaded or created the file.
There are some restrictions on file size. The maximum file size is 512MB, and all documents and chat conversations are limited to 2 million tokens (characters). Spreadsheets and CSV files must be 50MB or smaller, and images must be 20MB or smaller.
Deleting files is a little tricky. You can select a file in the library window and click "delete" or use the trash icon beside the file name. Then OpenAI will delete the file within 30 days, unless the company needs it for security or legal obligations, or if "the chat has already been de-identified and disassociated from you."
OpenAI's big recent changes
Lately, OpenAI has been refining its models and expanding services for coders and developers, with faster models that are suited for debugging code. OpenAI announced these improved models as the company is competing with rivals that offer coding-specific tools, like Anthropic's Claude Code.
OpenAI executives have also been talking about building a "superapp" desktop interface that consolidates its AI tools in one place. The three tools included in the app would be ChatGPT, the coding platform Codex and the internet browser Atlas, which uses AI as an assistant.
The company also announced this week it would shut down its AI video app Sora as it pivots away from video generation into more coding and productivity tools, like Codex.
