> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.sonto.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# File Attachments

> Keep files with your tasks, projects and areas, and access them across your devices

Attach files to a [task](/reference/tasks), [project or area](/reference/projects-areas) to keep the
material you need alongside your work — a PDF to review, a receipt to file, or a brief for a project.
Sonto stores a copy of each file, so attaching it doesn't move the original.

## Where it lives

Use the task, project or area's `…` menu to add your first attachment. Once you've attached a file,
a paperclip with a file count appears while editing the task, or in the project or area's header.
Open it to see the files and their controls.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Mac">
    Choose **Attach File…** and select one or more files. For a task, you can also use its right-click
    menu or the **Tasks** menu with exactly one task selected.

    You can drag files from Finder onto a task, a project or area's header, or its entry in the sidebar.
    Drop files on empty space in a task list to create a new task for each file, named after it,
    with the file attached.
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="iPhone & iPad">
    Choose **Attach…**, then pick a source:

    * **Attach from File** — choose one or more files.
    * **Attach from Photos** — choose up to 10 photos or videos from your library.
    * **Attach from Camera** — take a photo, on devices with a camera.

    On iPad, you can also drag files from other apps onto a task, a project or area's header, or its
    sidebar entry. Drop files on empty space in a task list to create a new task for each file.
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Files and controls

Each file can be up to **10 MB**. The limit also applies to photos and videos. If you select several
files and some are too large, Sonto attaches the ones that fit and tells you which ones it couldn't add.

### Open a file

Open the paperclip menu and choose a filename.

* **Mac** — the file opens in the default app for that file type.
* **iPhone & iPad** — the file opens in a preview. Use its share button to send it to another app or
  save a copy.

On Mac, **Save a Copy** in the attachment menu also lets you save a file outside Sonto.

### Edit a file on Mac

If you edit an attached file in another app, Sonto picks up the changes when you switch back and
syncs the updated file to your other devices.

### Find tasks with files

In [Search](/reference/search), turn on **Only Tasks with Attachments** in the filter options.
Leave the search empty to list all tasks with files.

### Sync and offline access

Attachments sync through your own iCloud account and count towards your iCloud storage. A file's
name can appear on another device before its contents have arrived:

* **Waiting for upload** — the file still needs to upload from the device where you added it.
* **Not downloaded** — the file is in iCloud but isn't on this device yet. Open it to download it.

Mac downloads files automatically. On iPhone and iPad, files download automatically on Wi-Fi;
on mobile data or in Low Data Mode, only files up to **2 MB** download automatically. Larger files
download when you open them.

Files already downloaded are available offline. Before going offline, open any files you'll need on
that device to make sure they're available.

### Remove a file

In the attachment menu, choose **Remove**, then the filename. This removes the attachment from Sonto
across your devices; it doesn't delete the original file you attached from Finder or Files.

You can [undo](/reference/tasks#undo-and-redo) an accidental removal during the current session.
Removed files are kept for seven days before automatic cleanup; this retention period doesn't extend
Sonto's undo history.

### Manage storage

Open **Settings → Attachments** on Mac, iPhone or iPad to see the file count, storage use, sync status
and largest attachments, including which task, project or area they belong to.

* **Empty Removed Files** — permanently clears files you've already removed, without waiting for the
  seven-day retention period.
* **Delete All Attachments…** — removes every attachment from Sonto, all your devices and iCloud.
  Your tasks remain.

<Warning>
  These storage cleanup actions can't be undone. Save a copy of any files you want to keep first.
</Warning>

### Backups

[Backups](/reference/manage-data) include your files. A backup you make yourself first downloads any
files that aren't on your Mac yet, so it's complete. Restoring a backup brings the files back and
uploads them to iCloud again.

### AI and the command line

On Mac, AI tools connected through [AI Access](/reference/ai-with-mcp) can list, read, add, update, rename and
remove attachments, and can search for tasks with files. The [Sonto CLI](/reference/sonto-cli) has the
same attachment controls through `sonto attachment`.

## Availability

Attachments work on **Mac**, **iPhone** and **iPad**. Drag and drop from other apps works on Mac and
iPad; on iPhone, use the **Attach…** menu. Opening a file in its default app, editing it there and
**Save a Copy** are Mac features; on iPhone and iPad, files open in a preview.

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Tasks" icon="square-check" href="/reference/tasks">
    Everything a task can hold.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Projects & Areas" icon="folder" href="/reference/projects-areas">
    Keep reference material with the work it supports.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sync" icon="arrows-rotate" href="/reference/sync">
    How your data travels between devices.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Settings" icon="gear" href="/reference/settings">
    Find attachment storage and other settings.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


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