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Supported file formats
What can you upload to basebox?
basebox can analyze various file types – from documents and spreadsheets to images and audio files. The AI recognizes the content and makes it searchable and analyzable for you.
Maximum file size – differs by context:
- In the chat: 10 MB per file
- In an app's knowledge base: considerably more files and considerably larger ones – the exact ceiling is set by your organization
The values that apply to you are stated in the app's upload area itself, for example „Legen Sie hier bis zu 5000 Dateien mit einer maximalen Größe von 1,000 MB ab" (drop up to 5000 files of at most 1,000 MB here). Administrators can adjust these limits per organization.
Entire folders and knowledge base
You can add entire folders to a knowledge base by drag & drop or from the file dialog. All files in a knowledge base are searched, not only the first ten.
All supported file formats at a glance
Documents
Text-based files for analysis and summarization:
- PDF – Reports, contracts, presentations
- DOCX / DOC – Word documents (newer and older format)
- TXT – Plain text files
- PPT / PPTX – PowerPoint presentations
- EML – E-mail messages
Images
Read via text recognition (OCR):
- JPG – Photos and scans
- PNG – Screenshots and graphics
- TIFF – Scans from document scanners
- HEIC – Photos from Apple devices
- GIF – Graphics and simple images
You can upload images directly as a standalone file – there's no need to embed them in a PDF or Word document first.
Graphics
- SVG – Vector graphics
- EMF – Windows metafiles
Spreadsheets
Data analysis and calculations:
- XLSX – Excel files (recommended format)
- XLS – Older Excel files
Audio
Transcribed when you ask for it:
- MP3 – Compressed audio files
- WAV – Uncompressed audio files
- M4A – Apple audio format
- FLAC – Lossless compression
- OGG – Open-source audio format
What happens after uploading?
Processing by file type:
Documents (PDF, DOCX, DOC, TXT, PPT, EML):
- Text is extracted and made analyzable
- You can ask questions about the content
- Summaries and analyses are possible
Spreadsheets (XLSX, XLS):
- Data is captured in a structured way
- Calculations and data analysis are possible
- Charts and trends can be identified
Images (JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, GIF):
- Any text they contain is read via text recognition (OCR)
- Afterward, it can be analyzed like a text document
Audio (MP3, WAV, M4A, FLAC, OGG):
- Transcribed when you ask for it (e.g. "Transcribe this recording")
- Afterward, it can be analyzed like a text document
- Details under Using speech-to-text
Scanned documents and photos (text recognition/OCR)
Scans, photos, standalone image files, and image-only Word files are read via text recognition (OCR). Where a GPU is available, recognition runs GPU-accelerated; otherwise it automatically falls back to the CPU.
Text recognition works the same way in both cases – whether you upload a file directly to the chat or store it in an app's knowledge base.
If an upload fails
Error messages, password-protected files, problems with PDFs, Excel and audio files: causes and solutions are collected under Solving upload problems.
Unsupported formats
These file types currently do not work:
- Videos (e.g. MP4, AVI) – can neither be uploaded nor read; extract the audio track if you need it
- Archives (ZIP, RAR) – must be unpacked
- Special formats (CAD, design files)
A note on images
Images are read via text recognition. An image without text (for example, a purely graphical illustration) therefore yields no text content for basebox to work with.
Workaround: Convert files to a supported format or extract the text manually.
Tips
Before uploading, check:
- File size – under 10 MB in the chat; for an app's knowledge base, the value stated in its upload area applies
- Supported format
- No password protection
For more help with failed uploads: Solving upload problems
Frequently asked questions
Can I upload multiple files at once? Yes, you can use multiple files in one chat.
What happens to my uploaded files? Files you attach in the chat are processed temporarily and automatically deleted after the chat. Files in an app's knowledge base remain on your organization's server until they are removed. See Where is my data?
Why isn't my file being recognized? Format, size or corruption – the error message usually states the reason. Step by step: Solving upload problems.
Can I upload images directly? Yes. Upload JPG, PNG, TIFF, HEIC, and GIF files straight into the chat; any text they contain is read via text recognition.
Can I split very large files? Yes, split large documents into smaller sections for better processing.
Tip
When in doubt, you can upload the file and check whether it's processed – after the upload, basebox shows a confirmation or an error message.
Next step: Working with PDFs
Having trouble with a specific file format? Contact support