Do stored files cost me anything?
Updated 1 September 2026
The Short Answer
Storing files does not spend credits. The Files screen shows how much space you are using against your allowance. A file in Trash still counts toward that total until you delete it forever, which is why emptying Trash is what actually frees space.
Storage and credits are separate things, and the one surprise is what Trash does.
Do I spend credits by uploading?
No. Uploading a file spends 0 credits, however many you add.
Credits are for work — drafting a message, asking a question, making a deck. Storing is not work.
Is there a storage limit?
Yes. At the foot of Workspace → Files you will see how much you are using against your allowance.
It is a running total, so you can watch it rather than find out at the wrong moment.
Does a file in Trash still count?
Yes. A file in Trash still counts toward your storage until it is deleted forever.
That is what makes Trash a safety net rather than a shredder — but it does mean deleting alone does not free space.
How do I actually free up space?
Open Show → Trash, then Delete Forever on what you no longer want.
Sort by Size first if you are trying to clear a lot quickly — a handful of videos usually accounts for most of it.
Does reading a file cost credits?
Not on its own. The credit goes to the work — the draft you wrote from it, the question you asked about it.
A draft costs 1 credit and a question costs 2, whether or not a file went into it.