---
title: Create a File | RunAPI
description: Stream one multipart user_data or batch File into persistent storage.
url: https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files/create.md
canonical: https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files/create
locale: en
---

> HTML version: https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files/create
> Site index for agents: https://runapi.ai/llms.txt

# Create a File

Stream one multipart user_data or batch File into persistent storage.

## Endpoint

POST /v1/files

Base URL: https://runapi.ai

API version: v1

Authentication: Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY

## Request

Send values only in the listed request location.

### multipart/form-data

```json
{
  "file": {
    "description": "File bytes to store.",
    "format": "binary",
    "required": true,
    "type": "string"
  },
  "purpose": {
    "default": "user_data",
    "description": "File purpose.",
    "enum": [
      "user_data",
      "batch"
    ],
    "required": true,
    "type": "string"
  }
}
```

## Success response

HTTP 200 - POST /v1/files

```json
{
  "bytes": 1048576,
  "created_at": 1785196800,
  "filename": "knowledge.pdf",
  "id": "file_abc123",
  "object": "file",
  "purpose": "user_data"
}
```

## Error response (401)

HTTP 401

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "authentication_error",
    "message": "Missing API key",
    "param": null,
    "type": "authentication_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (400)

HTTP 400

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_request_error",
    "message": "Malformed request",
    "param": null,
    "type": "invalid_request_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (404)

HTTP 404

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "not_found",
    "message": "File not found",
    "param": null,
    "type": "invalid_request_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (409)

HTTP 409

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "upload_state_conflict",
    "message": "Upload state conflict",
    "param": null,
    "type": "invalid_request_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (413)

HTTP 413

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "file_too_large",
    "message": "File size exceeds the maximum allowed size",
    "param": "file",
    "type": "invalid_request_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (422)

HTTP 422

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "invalid_upload",
    "message": "Upload request rejected",
    "param": null,
    "type": "invalid_request_error"
  }
}
```

## Error response (502)

HTTP 502

### Response schema

```json
{
  "additionalProperties": true,
  "properties": {
    "error": {
      "additionalProperties": true,
      "properties": {
        "code": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "message": {
          "type": "string"
        },
        "param": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "type": {
          "type": "string"
        }
      },
      "required": [
        "message",
        "type"
      ],
      "type": "object"
    }
  },
  "required": [
    "error"
  ],
  "type": "object"
}
```

### Response example

```json
{
  "error": {
    "code": "storage_write_failed",
    "message": "File storage failed",
    "param": null,
    "type": "server_error"
  }
}
```

## cURL example



### curl

```curl
curl -X POST https://runapi.ai/v1/files \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \
  -F 'file=@./knowledge.pdf' \
  -F 'purpose=user_data'
```

## Related reference

- [Persistent Files](https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files.md)
- [File object](https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files/object.md)

---

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## Structured data

```json
[
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    "inLanguage": "en",
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    }
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    "headline": "Create a File",
    "description": "Stream one multipart user_data or batch File into persistent storage.",
    "url": "https://runapi.ai/docs/api/protocol/files/create",
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```