Summarize a document

Turn a long document into a clear summary and a short list of key points — then copy or export the result wherever you need it. This works for a single file you attach to a message or for text you paste straight into the chat.

What you’ll get

• A plain-language summary at the length you ask for.
• A bulleted list of the key points, decisions, or action items.
• A result you can copy, save as a note, or export as PDF, Markdown, or text.

Before you start

• You’re signed in and looking at a conversation.
• You have the document on hand — either as a file or as text you can paste.
• Supported file types include PDF, Word (DOC/DOCX), Excel (XLS/XLSX), PowerPoint (PPT/PPTX), CSV, TXT, Markdown, HTML, and common data formats. Files can be up to 100 MB each.

Summarize an attached file

1. In the message box at the bottom of the conversation, select the + menu and choose Attach file — or simply drag the file onto the message box.

2. Wait for the attachment chip to move from uploading to scanning to ready. (Every file is scanned before it’s used.)

3. Type your request, for example:

   Summarize this document in about five sentences, then list the key points as bullets.

4. Press Enter to send. Chat reads the document and replies with your summary.

Ask for exactly what you need

Tell Chat the format and length up front: “one paragraph,” “a five-bullet executive summary,” “list every action item with its owner,” or “summarize for a non-technical reader.” The more specific your request, the better the result.

Summarize text you paste in

If your content lives in an email, a webpage, or a spreadsheet cell, you don’t need a file at all.

1. Copy the text.

2. Paste it into the message box. (You can also paste a screenshot or image directly.)

3. Add an instruction above or below the pasted text, for example:

   Here are the meeting notes below. Give me a three-sentence summary and a list of decisions made.

4. Press Enter to send.

Pull out just the key points

Once you have a reply, you can keep refining without re-uploading. Type a follow-up, or use the action buttons beneath the assistant’s response:

• Explain more — ask for a deeper version of the summary.
• Refine this — tighten or reshape what you just got.
• Try different approach — get the same content framed a different way.

Useful follow-up prompts:

• “Now give me just the action items, each with an owner.”
• “List the three biggest risks mentioned.”
• “Pull out every date and deadline.”
• “Summarize this for an executive audience in under 100 words.”

Worked example

You have a 40-page vendor contract (a PDF) and you need the gist before a meeting.

1. Drag the PDF onto the message box and wait for ready.

2. Send:

   Summarize this contract in plain English. Then list the key terms: pricing, contract length, renewal, and termination. Flag anything unusual.

3. Chat replies with a short summary plus a labelled list of terms and a “watch out for” note.

4. Send a follow-up: “What’s the notice period to cancel?” — Chat answers from the same document.

5. When you’re happy, copy the reply or export it (see below).

Save or export your summary

When the summary is ready:

• Copy — select the Copy icon beneath the response to drop it into another app.
• Save as a note — select the text you want to keep and save it as a note to find again later.
• Export — export the whole conversation, including your summary, as PDF, Markdown, or plain text from the conversation menu.

For step-by-step export instructions, see Export.

Troubleshooting

What you see	What to do
The attachment is stuck on scanning or shows error / timed out	Remove the file and re-attach it. Very large or password-protected files may not process — try a smaller or unlocked copy.
The summary feels too shallow or too long	Reply with the exact length you want (“expand to one page” or “cut this to five bullets”), or use Refine this.
The reply misses a section you care about	Ask directly: “You skipped the pricing section — summarize that part too.”
You pasted text but Chat summarized the wrong thing	Make sure your instruction is clearly separated from the pasted content, e.g. start with “Summarize the text below:”.

Related guides

• Upload a file — all the ways to get a document into Chat.
• Analyze data — go beyond a summary to ask questions about spreadsheets and datasets.
• Export — save your summary as PDF, Markdown, or text.
• Executive reports & briefings — turn summaries into polished briefings.