How it works
When you upload a PDF, its text is extracted page by page and kept for 60 minutes. For each question, the tool finds the passages of the document most relevant to it — even in a 300-page PDF — and asks the AI to answer only from those passages, citing the page each fact comes from. If the passages don't contain the answer, the AI is instructed to say so rather than guess.
That is the difference with pasting a document into a general chatbot: answers are tied to pages you can verify, and the model is not encouraged to fill gaps with outside knowledge.
How to chat with a PDF
- Upload your PDFThe Ask questions tab is preselected on this page.
- Read the overviewYou get a 3-4 sentence description of the document and suggested questions.
- Ask your questionBe specific: “What penalties apply if delivery is late?” beats “Tell me about penalties”.
- Check the cited pageEvery key fact has a page reference.
- Follow upAsk “And for the second year?” or “Explain that more simply” — the conversation keeps its context.
Questions that work well
| Document | Example questions |
|---|---|
| Contract | What is the notice period? Who is liable for data breaches? |
| Research paper | What dataset was used? What are the main limitations? |
| Annual report | What drove revenue growth? What is the net debt? |
| Manual | How do I reset to factory settings? What does error E4 mean? |
| Policy | Is flood damage covered? What is the claim deadline? |
| Course | Explain the second law of thermodynamics as presented here. |
Tips for precise answers
- Name what you're looking for — section names, terms the document uses, dates.
- Ask one thing at a time for the most precise citations.
- Ask for quotes: “Quote the exact sentence about renewal.”
- Switch tabs — the same document can give you a summary or key points without re-uploading.
Frequently asked questions
Is “chat with PDF” free?
Yes. The web tool is free and needs no account. Fair-use limits apply per network (around 60 AI answers per hour).
How long can I keep chatting?
The extracted text stays available for 60 minutes after your last action. After that it is deleted and you need to upload the PDF again.
Can it answer from very long PDFs?
Yes. For long documents, the most relevant passages are selected for each question, so even page 250 can be cited.
What if the answer isn't in the document?
The assistant says it can't find it in the document and suggests what the document does cover. It is instructed not to use outside knowledge.
Can I ask in a different language from the document?
Yes. Ask in your language; the answer is written in the language of your question unless you choose an output language.