# Attachments
URL: https://usememos.com/docs/usage/attachments

Attachments let you keep files close to the notes they belong to. This is useful for screenshots, design references, PDFs, exported data, and other supporting material.

## Typical attachment flow [#typical-attachment-flow]

* drag a file into the editor
* use the upload control in the toolbar
* paste screenshots directly from the clipboard when supported

## Common attachment types [#common-attachment-types]

* images and screenshots
* PDFs and documents
* audio or video files when your storage policy allows them
* exported artifacts such as logs or data files

## Transcribing audio [#transcribing-audio]

If an admin has configured an AI provider with transcription (Admin → Instance Settings → AI), audio attachments can be transcribed into text.

* transcription is off until a provider is configured, so the option only appears on instances that have AI enabled
* run it on an audio attachment to convert speech into text you can keep with the memo
* providers are bring-your-own-key (OpenAI or Gemini), so transcription uses the instance's own AI account

This is useful for voice notes and recorded snippets you want to search later as plain text.

## The attachment library [#the-attachment-library]

The Attachments page is a library of every file you've uploaded, separate from the memos they live in. Open it to browse, preview, and manage your files in one place.

* files are grouped into **Media**, **Audio**, and **Documents** tabs, each with a live count
* media is shown as a grid grouped by month; images, videos, and motion photos open in a full-screen lightbox
* audio files play inline, and documents are listed as rows you can open in a new tab
* every attachment links back to the memo it belongs to, or is flagged when it isn't linked to any memo
* long lists load in pages with a **Load more** button

There is no upload control here — attachments are added from the memo editor. The library is for browsing, previewing, and cleanup.

## Cleaning up unused attachments [#cleaning-up-unused-attachments]

An attachment becomes **unused** when it isn't linked to any memo — for example, if you uploaded a file but deleted the memo, or removed the file from a memo's body.

When you have unused attachments, the library shows an expandable **Unused** panel listing them. From there you can **Delete all unused** in one action (with a confirmation step) to reclaim storage.

Deleting unused attachments is permanent, so review the list before confirming. Attachments that are still linked to a memo are never touched.

## Storage implications [#storage-implications]

Attachments depend on the storage backend chosen for the instance:

* database storage keeps everything together
* local filesystem storage keeps files on the host or volume
* S3-compatible storage separates files from the app host

## Operational guidance [#operational-guidance]

* match your backup plan to your attachment storage backend
* use sensible upload limits
* review public memo visibility carefully when attachments are involved
* remember that media-heavy instances need stronger storage planning than text-only instances