{"id":117,"date":"2026-05-27T10:43:34","date_gmt":"2026-05-27T10:43:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/how-to-attach-files-and-share-resources-in-a-tutorac-chat\/"},"modified":"2026-05-27T10:43:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-27T10:43:34","slug":"how-to-attach-files-and-share-resources-in-a-tutorac-chat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/how-to-attach-files-and-share-resources-in-a-tutorac-chat\/","title":{"rendered":"How to attach files and share resources in a Tutorac chat"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#374151;font-style:italic;font-weight:400\">Sometimes a screenshot of an error, a syllabus PDF, or a sample of your existing work explains more than a paragraph of text. Tutorac Messages lets you attach files directly to any chat with a tutor. Here&rsquo;s how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"in-this-article\">In this article<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"#steps\">Attach a file step by step<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#supported\">Supported file types<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#size\">File size and limits<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#viewing\">Viewing and downloading shared files<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#tips\">Tips for sharing resources well<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#vs-drive\">When to use Drive instead<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#faqs\">FAQs<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"steps\">Attach a file step by step<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Open <strong>Messages<\/strong> from the top navigation, or go directly to <a href=\"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/messages\/profile\"><code>tutorac.com\/messages\/profile<\/code><\/a>.<\/li><li>Select the conversation with the tutor you want to send a file to.<\/li><li>Look at the message input bar at the bottom of the chat thread. Next to <strong>Type your message here&hellip;<\/strong> you&rsquo;ll see a <strong>paperclip icon<\/strong>.<\/li><li>Click the paperclip. Your file picker opens.<\/li><li>Select the file(s) you want to attach. The selected files appear above the input bar as small preview chips.<\/li><li>(Optional) Type a message describing what you&rsquo;re sending &mdash; &ldquo;Here&rsquo;s the error log from yesterday&rsquo;s session.&rdquo;<\/li><li>Press <strong>Enter<\/strong> (or click the send icon) to send.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/mr-messages-hub.png\" alt=\"The Tutorac chat message input bar with the paperclip attachment icon next to the message field.\" class=\"wp-image-109\"\/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The attached file appears in the chat thread as a downloadable card showing the filename, file type and size. The tutor can click it to view or download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"supported\">Supported file types<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can attach the file types you&rsquo;d typically share in a learning context:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Documents<\/strong> &mdash; PDF, DOC, DOCX, TXT, RTF<\/li><li><strong>Spreadsheets<\/strong> &mdash; XLS, XLSX, CSV<\/li><li><strong>Presentations<\/strong> &mdash; PPT, PPTX<\/li><li><strong>Images<\/strong> &mdash; PNG, JPG, JPEG, GIF, WEBP<\/li><li><strong>Code\/text<\/strong> &mdash; most plain-text-based formats<\/li><li><strong>Archives<\/strong> &mdash; ZIP<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Executable files and other risky formats are blocked for safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"size\">File size and limits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Per-file limit<\/strong>: Tutorac enforces a per-file size cap (typically up to 25 MB). If your file is larger, compress it into a ZIP or split it into smaller parts.<\/li><li><strong>Per-message<\/strong>: you can attach multiple files in a single message.<\/li><li><strong>Daily\/total<\/strong>: there is no hard cap on the total number of files you can share over time.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an upload fails, check the file size and try again. Very large videos are better hosted elsewhere and shared as a link.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"viewing\">Viewing and downloading shared files<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Files stay attached to their original chat message forever, so you can scroll back and find them later. To view or save one:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Images<\/strong> open in a viewer overlay when you click them.<\/li><li><strong>PDFs and documents<\/strong> open in a new tab.<\/li><li><strong>All file types<\/strong> can be downloaded to your device via the download icon on the file card.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"tips\">Tips for sharing resources well<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><strong>Add context<\/strong>: a one-line message explaining what the file is saves your tutor a guess. e.g., &ldquo;Selenium script that&rsquo;s failing on the click step.&rdquo;<\/li><li><strong>Name files clearly<\/strong>: rename <code>screenshot1.png<\/code> to <code>login-error-2026-05-27.png<\/code> before uploading.<\/li><li><strong>Don&rsquo;t share sensitive data<\/strong>: blur or redact any credentials, API keys, or personal IDs before screenshotting.<\/li><li><strong>Use Drive for batch-wide reference material<\/strong> &mdash; see the next section.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"vs-drive\">When to use Drive instead<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you&rsquo;re already inside an active Training Batch and the file is a reference you&rsquo;ll want to come back to throughout your training (slide decks, datasets, assignment templates), the <strong>Drive<\/strong> tab inside the batch is a better home for it than a chat message. Drive is organised by curriculum sections, so you and your tutor can both find files weeks later. See <a href=\"\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/how-to-use-the-drive-in-your-tutorac-training-batch\/\">How to use the Drive in your Training Batch<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Use chat attachments for ad-hoc questions and quick exchanges; use Drive for the canonical resources of the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"faqs\">FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I delete a file after I&rsquo;ve sent it?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Chat messages, including attachments, are part of the conversation record and aren&rsquo;t individually deletable from the learner side. If something was shared in error, message the tutor and ask them to disregard it &mdash; and reach out to Tutorac Support for sensitive cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can my tutor send me files too?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes &mdash; tutors have the same attachment capability. Their files appear in the same thread.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does an attached file count against my milestone payment?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No. Messaging and attachments are free and unmetered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where can I see all the files a tutor and I have exchanged?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They&rsquo;re inline in the chat thread &mdash; scroll back through Messages. Inside a Training Batch, the <strong>Drive<\/strong> tab also keeps curriculum-linked files in one place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is what I share private?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Files shared in a chat are visible only to you and the tutor in that conversation. Drive files in a Training Batch are visible to everyone in that batch (in 1-to-1 batches, just you and the tutor; in group batches, all enrolled learners and the tutor).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related articles<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/a-tour-of-tutorac-messages-your-chat-hub-explained\/\">A tour of Tutorac Messages: your chat hub explained<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/how-to-use-the-drive-in-your-tutorac-training-batch\/\">How to use the Drive in your Training Batch<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"\/help-center\/2026\/05\/27\/tutorac-chat-features-meet-now-hire-now-progress-tracker-safety-panel\/\">Understanding chat features: Meet Now, Hire Now, Progress Tracker, and safety panel<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-color wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"color:#9ca3af;font-size:13px\">Last updated: 27 May 2026<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How to attach files to a Tutorac chat message \u2014 step-by-step instructions, supported file types (PDF, DOC, XLS, images, ZIP), size limits, viewing\/downloading shared files, when to use Drive instead of chat attachments, and 5 FAQs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[32,46],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-117","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-for-learners","category-learners-messages-drive"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=117"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/117\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=117"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=117"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tutorac.com\/help-center\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=117"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}