From contracts to research papers, many critical documents arrive in lengthy PDF formats — encounters you’re bound to have in your lifetime, often filled with verbose language. AI can enhance your comprehension and save time in handling such content.

ChatGPT acts as your assistant, capable of parsing through PDFs and available to assist with any queries you might have. It can answer questions, provide summaries, and generate content like outlines or emails from the text. The best part? These features are entirely free.

In May 2024, OpenAI upgraded the free version of ChatGPT with advanced GPT-4o capabilities, typically reserved for paying customers. These include uploading screenshots, photos, and documents. Getting started with this tool is straightforward and promises long-term time and effort savings.

Here’s how to begin:

1. Log into ChatGPT While you can access ChatGPT without logging in, signing into your account is necessary for utilizing GPT-4o and its advanced functionalities, such as Browse, Vision, data analysis, file uploads, and GPTs.

If you haven’t created a ChatGPT account, you can easily do so from the sign-in page or log in using your existing Google or Microsoft account to avoid managing additional credentials.

2. Upload your PDF After signing in, you’ll land on the ChatGPT interface. Next to the text input box for chatting, you’ll find a paper clip icon. Clicking on it presents options: Connect to Google Drive, Connect to Microsoft OneDrive, or Upload from your computer.

Choose the option that suits where your document is stored. If you’ve just downloaded a document, opt for “Upload from my computer.” Select the PDF you need assistance with. For instance, you might choose a PDF of your latest article.

3. Pose your question Once you upload the PDF, accompany it with a query indicating what you need ChatGPT to do. You can keep the prompts simple or get more creative. For example, asking for a summary like “Can you summarize what this article is about?” yields an accurate response, as seen in the example above.

For more complex tasks, you might ask ChatGPT to “Extract action items, list them in bullet points, and format them into an email addressed to my boss.”

Using ChatGPT to navigate dense PDFs can save you time and help sift through lengthy paragraphs. Always verify ChatGPT’s output for accuracy. Keep an eye out for similar document-summarizing tools coming to Apple OS later this year if you’re interested in exploring more options.