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ActionAnthropicUpdated June 2026

How do I upload a file (PDF, image, text) to Anthropic?

Short answer: You can upload file in Anthropic by hand from its own interface, but it won’t repeat itself. On TinyCommand, add the Anthropic Upload File action to a workflow, map its 2 inputs from any upstream app, and it runs automatically every time the trigger fires. No code, and a free tier to start.

Use this actionAll 21 Anthropic actions
Inputs

The fields this action accepts.

Every field can be mapped from an upstream trigger, AI step, table row, or hard-coded literal.

FieldTypeRequiredDescription
File URL
file_url
stringRequiredPublic HTTPS URL the executor will fetch and upload as the file body. Anthropic's Files API requires a real binary upload — pass a URL that returns the raw file bytes (PDF, image, text, etc.). Signed S3 / CDN URLs work; one redirect is followed.
Filename (optional)
filename
stringOptionalOverride the filename Anthropic stores. If empty, the executor derives it from the URL's path.
Sample request
{
  "file_url": "e.g. https://example.com/files/report.pdf",
  "filename": "e.g. report.pdf"
}
Returns
{
  "id": "file_abc",
  "filename": "report.pdf",
  "mime_type": "application/pdf",
  "created_at": "2026-05-10T10:00:00Z",
  "size_bytes": 12345
}

Use these fields in downstream nodes for routing, logging, or error handling.

Triggered by

Apps that pair well as the trigger for Upload File.

Any of these apps can fire this action as part of a workflow.

Gmail → Anthropic
1 Gmail triggers
Slack → Anthropic
13 Slack triggers
Google Sheets → Anthropic
2 Google Sheets triggers
HubSpot → Anthropic
18 HubSpot triggers
FAQ

Questions about Upload File.

What does the Upload File action do in Anthropic?
Uploads a file (PDF, image, text) to Anthropic for use in messages via document blocks. Returns a file_id you reference instead of re-sending the bytes on every call.
What inputs does Upload File require?
Required: File URL. Every input accepts a static value or a variable from any upstream node in your workflow.
Can I use dynamic inputs from earlier workflow nodes?
Yes. Any field on this action can pull values from upstream nodes, whether that's a form response, a trigger payload, an AI output, or a lookup result.
What happens if Anthropic returns an error?
The workflow pauses on the failed node, the error message is captured in the run log, and you can retry the run with one click. Auto-retry policies are configurable per workflow with exponential backoff up to 5 attempts.
Does Upload File support batch operations?
Yes. Run Upload File inside a Loop node to process arrays. TinyCommand handles Anthropic's rate limits automatically so you don't have to throttle manually.
More actions

Other Anthropic actions.

Action
Analyze Image
Sends an image to Claude for analysis (vision), via URL or base64 bytes alongside a text prompt. Use for OCR, chart extraction, accessibility alt-text, or visual QA flows.
Action
Cancel Message Batch
Cancels a message batch that is still processing. Already-completed entries in the batch keep their results; in-flight ones get cancelled with no charge.
Action
Computer Use
Sends a message with the computer-use tool, letting Claude take screenshots and click/type on a virtual desktop. Requires Opus 4.x or Sonnet 4.x; you provide the sandboxed desktop environment.
Action
Count Tokens
Counts the number of tokens a Messages API call would consume without actually sending the message. Useful for cost estimation and to stay under context-window limits.
Action
Create Message
Sends a message to a Claude model and gets a response. The core Anthropic action; supports system prompts, multi-turn conversation, temperature, and stop sequences.
Action
Create Message Batch
Creates a batch of messages for async processing on the Messages API, with a 50% cost reduction and up to 24-hour turnaround. Perfect for bulk classification, summarization, or labeling jobs.