---
title: Share a file in a channel
type: how-to
section: spaces
summary: Use the plus button in the composer to upload a file or pick one from Drive, or drag files onto the message pane.
applies_to:
  clients: [web]
sources:
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/composer/use-composer-attachment-intake.ts
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/composer/content-platform-picker-dialog.tsx
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/kernel/attachment-intake.ts
  - evolve-front-end/components/team-chat/kernel/constants.ts
  - evolve-front-end/app/i18n/locales/en/team-chat.json
verified:
  at: 2026-09-04
  env: code
  by: content-lane-spaces
ttl_days: 45
related: [spaces/the-files-tab, spaces/channels-and-sub-channels]
aliases: [team-chat/attachments, spaces/upload-a-file]
---

1. Choose the plus button at the left of the composer, **Add attachment and tools**.
2. Under **Attach**, choose **Upload photos & files** to pick from this device, **Upload from Drive** to reuse a file you already have, or **Attach video** for video.
3. Wait for the staged chip to finish uploading.
4. Add a message if you want one, and send.

You can also drag files onto the message pane. The overlay reads **Drop to upload to {{roomName}}**. Dragging works in a thread panel too. Pasting an image from the clipboard attaches it and announces **Image attached from clipboard**.

## Reuse a file from Drive

**Upload from Drive** opens a picker: **Choose an existing file to attach without uploading it again.** Search with **Search files**, then choose **Attach** on the row. Attached rows change to **Attached**. Folders are not offered.

## Limits

- At most 10 files per message, and at most 10 videos per message.
- At most 50 GB per file.
- Video is restricted to MP4, WebM, QuickTime, MPEG, and Matroska. Everything else is checked against the platform's file-type catalogue when the upload starts, so there is no fixed list to consult here.

## What happens after you send

The file is scanned before anybody else can open it. While that runs, your own copy reads **Scanning — visible to others shortly** and the card shows **Processing** with **Scan in progress**. When it finishes the card shows **Clean** and offers **Download**. If the scan blocks the file the card reads **Quarantined** with **Download blocked**, and the sender sees **Blocked — recipients cannot access this file**.

Images render inline. A message with several images becomes a tiled gallery; from five images the last tile reads **Show {{count}} more images**. Choosing an image opens it full size, where the left and right arrow keys move between images, plus and minus zoom, and zero resets.

Every file you send is also listed on the channel's **Files** tab. See [The Files tab](/help/spaces/the-files-tab).

## If it did not work

- **Attach up to {{count}} files per message.** or **Attach up to {{count}} videos per message.** means the message is full. Send it and start another.
- **Use Attach video for video files.** means a video went through the wrong picker. Use **Attach video**.
- **This file type is not available for this release phase.** means the file-type catalogue rejects it.
- **Choose a non-empty file.** means the file has no content.
- **Finish or remove file uploads before sending** means a chip is still uploading. Wait, or use the chip's cancel control.
- **Upload failed. Try again.** on a chip offers a retry control on the chip itself.