When a customer emails you a photo of a damaged item, a screenshot of a checkout error, or a receipt as a PDF, Rep AI opens that file, reads it, and uses what it finds to write the reply.
A message like "here's the photo of the damage" gets an answer that actually reflects the photo. Attachments are part of what the AI understands about every ticket, alongside the customer's words, their order history, and your ticket custom fields.
There is nothing to switch on. This works automatically on all of your connected support channels.
Where this works
Attachment reading is active on email tickets and helpdesk conversations that come in through:
Rep Inbox
Gorgias
Zendesk
Freshdesk
Kustomer
Files that arrive as separate attachments and images embedded directly in the body of an email are both read. Invisible tracking pixels — the tiny 1x1 images that email marketing tools insert — are ignored, so they never clutter what the AI sees.
What the AI can read
Photos and images — JPG, PNG, GIF, WEBP, and BMP. The AI actually looks at the image. It can see a cracked mug, a stained shirt, a wrong-colored product, a screenshot of an error message, or a photo of a shipping label.
PDFs — receipts, order confirmations, return forms, invoices, warranty documents. The AI reads the text inside, covering the first 30 pages of the document.
Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files — .docx, .xlsx, and .pptx files are converted to text the AI can read. Useful for wholesale order sheets, complaint letters, and product spreadsheets.
Plain text and data files — .txt, .csv, .tsv, .json, .html, .md, and log files are read directly.
What the AI cannot read
Some files are beyond what the AI can interpret today:
Video files — not watched.
Voice notes and audio — not transcribed.
Password-protected, corrupted, or damaged files — cannot be opened.
Unrecognized file formats — anything that isn't one of the types listed above.
When the AI hits one of these, it does not stay silent and it does not pretend the file wasn't there. It names the file, tells the customer it couldn't open it, asks them to describe the problem in words or resend in a different format, and passes the conversation to your team with the file attached. Your agent picks up a ticket that already has the context and the file waiting.
What happens across a long thread
Support threads run for days. A customer sends a photo on Monday and asks "any update on that?" on Thursday.
The AI remembers what it saw. It keeps what it learned from earlier attachments in the conversation, so it won't reply "I don't have that receipt" about a file the customer already sent. It holds on to up to 10 attachments per conversation this way.
Limits worth knowing
Limit | Value |
|---|---|
Files read per customer message | Up to 5 |
Maximum file size | 25 MB |
PDF pages read | First 30 |
Attachments remembered per conversation | Up to 10 |
If a customer sends more than five files in one message, or a file larger than 25 MB, the extra or oversized files aren't read. During an unusual burst of attachment-heavy tickets arriving at once, some files may not be picked up.
How this affects your AI instructions
Because the AI can see attachments, your Email AI Instructions can tell it what to do with them. For example:
"When a customer sends a photo of a damaged item, confirm what you can see in the photo before offering a replacement."
"If a customer attaches a receipt, check the order number against it before answering."
"Never approve a return based on a photo alone — always escalate to a human."
Your Do Not Answer Rules still work the same way. If a ticket matches a rule you've set, the AI skips it entirely — attachments and all.
Privacy and file storage
Customer files are handled with care:
For Gorgias, Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Kustomer, the AI reads files directly from your helpdesk's own secure storage. Rep AI does not keep a copy.
For Rep Inbox, files are copied to secure Rep AI storage so the AI can read them, then automatically deleted after 24 hours.
The AI never pastes raw file links into a reply to your customer.
Common questions
Do I need to turn this on?
No. It works automatically on every connected support channel listed above, on every plan.
Does this cost extra?
Attachment reading isn't billed separately. Your existing Omnichannel AI ticket package and billing work exactly as before.
Does this work on Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp messages?
Not yet. Attachment reading currently covers email tickets and helpdesk conversations. Social message channels are being worked on separately.
Does this work with Help Scout or RichPanel?
Not yet. These helpdesks don't have AI email answering available yet, so attachment reading arrives together with that capability.
Why did the AI say it couldn't open a file that looks fine to me?
The most common causes are a file type outside the supported list, a file over 25 MB, a password-protected document, or more than five files in a single message. Check which of those applies. If none do, contact support with the ticket reference and we'll investigate.
Can the AI see files my agents attach, or only customer files?
This capability is about what customers send in. It reads incoming customer attachments so the AI can answer accurately.
Will the AI send files back to customers?
No. The AI reads what customers send but does not attach files to its own replies.