ruby/resources/files/methods/retrieve/index.md 2026-07-10 23:02 UTC to 2026-07-12 06:58 UTC

Retrieve file

files.retrieve(file_id) -> FileObject

get /files/{file_id}

Returns information about a specific file.

Parameters

• file_id: String

Returns

• class FileObject

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

  • id: String

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

  • bytes: Integer

    The size of the file, in bytes.

  • created_at: Integer

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

  • filename: String

    The name of the file.

  • object: :file

    The object type, which is always file.

    • :file

  • purpose: :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: :uploaded | :processed | :error

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

    • :uploaded

    • :processed

    • :error

  • expires_at: Integer

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

  • status_details: String

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

Example

require "openai"

openai = OpenAI::Client.new(api_key: "My API Key")

file_object = openai.files.retrieve("file_id")

puts(file_object)

Response

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