python/resources/uploads/methods/create/index.md 2026-07-10 23:02 UTC to 2026-07-12 06:58 UTC

Create upload

uploads.create(UploadCreateParams**kwargs) -> Upload

post /uploads

Creates an intermediate Upload object that you can add Parts to. Currently, an Upload can accept at most 8 GB in total and expires after an hour after you create it.

Once you complete the Upload, we will create a File object that contains all the parts you uploaded. This File is usable in the rest of our platform as a regular File object.

For certain purpose values, the correct mime_type must be specified. Please refer to documentation for the supported MIME types for your use case.

For guidance on the proper filename extensions for each purpose, please follow the documentation on creating a File.

Returns the Upload object with status pending.

Parameters

• bytes: int

  The number of bytes in the file you are uploading.

• filename: str

  The name of the file to upload.

• mime_type: str

  The MIME type of the file.

  This must fall within the supported MIME types for your file purpose. See the supported MIME types for assistants and vision.

• purpose: FilePurpose

  The intended purpose of the uploaded file.

  See the documentation on File purposes.

  • "assistants"

  • "batch"

  • "fine-tune"

  • "vision"

  • "user_data"

  • "evals"

• expires_after: Optional[ExpiresAfter]

  The expiration policy for a file. By default, files with purpose=batch expire after 30 days and all other files are persisted until they are manually deleted.

  • anchor: Literal["created_at"]

    Anchor timestamp after which the expiration policy applies. Supported anchors: created_at.

    • "created_at"

  • seconds: int

    The number of seconds after the anchor time that the file will expire. Must be between 3600 (1 hour) and 2592000 (30 days).

Returns

• class Upload: …

  The Upload object can accept byte chunks in the form of Parts.

  • id: str

    The Upload unique identifier, which can be referenced in API endpoints.

  • bytes: int

    The intended number of bytes to be uploaded.

  • created_at: int

    The Unix timestamp (in seconds) for when the Upload was created.

  • expires_at: int

    The Unix timestamp (in seconds) for when the Upload will expire.

  • filename: str

    The name of the file to be uploaded.

  • object: Literal["upload"]

    The object type, which is always "upload".

    • "upload"

  • purpose: str

    The intended purpose of the file. Please refer here for acceptable values.

  • status: Literal["pending", "completed", "cancelled", "expired"]

    The status of the Upload.

    • "pending"

    • "completed"

    • "cancelled"

    • "expired"

  • file: Optional[FileObject]

    The File object represents a document that has been uploaded to OpenAI.

    • id: str

      The file identifier, which can be referenced in the API endpoints.

    • bytes: int

      The size of the file, in bytes.

    • created_at: int

      The Unix timestamp (in seconds) for when the file was created.

    • filename: str

      The name of the file.

    • object: Literal["file"]

      The object type, which is always file.

      • "file"

    • purpose: Literal["assistants", "assistants_output", "batch", 5 more]

      The intended purpose of the file. Supported values are assistants, assistants_output, batch, batch_output, fine-tune, fine-tune-results, vision, and user_data.

      • "assistants"

      • "assistants_output"

      • "batch"

      • "batch_output"

      • "fine-tune"

      • "fine-tune-results"

      • "vision"

      • "user_data"

    • status: Literal["uploaded", "processed", "error"]

      Deprecated. The current status of the file, which can be either uploaded, processed, or error.

      • "uploaded"

      • "processed"

      • "error"

    • expires_at: Optional[int]

      The Unix timestamp (in seconds) for when the file will expire.

    • status_details: Optional[str]

      Deprecated. For details on why a fine-tuning training file failed validation, see the error field on fine_tuning.job.

Example

import os
from openai import OpenAI

client = OpenAI(
    api_key=os.environ.get("OPENAI_API_KEY"),  # This is the default and can be omitted
)
upload = client.uploads.create(
    bytes=0,
    filename="filename",
    mime_type="mime_type",
    purpose="assistants",
)
print(upload.id)

Response

{
  "id": "id",
  "bytes": 0,
  "created_at": 0,
  "expires_at": 0,
  "filename": "filename",
  "object": "upload",
  "purpose": "purpose",
  "status": "pending",
  "file": {
    "id": "id",
    "bytes": 0,
    "created_at": 0,
    "filename": "filename",
    "object": "file",
    "purpose": "assistants",
    "status": "uploaded",
    "expires_at": 0,
    "status_details": "status_details"
  }
}