upload a file

Meaning

This phrase means to send data (like a photo, video, document, or audio track) from a local device, such as a computer or phone, to a central network, server, or the internet.

Examples

• Please upload a file containing your homework to the portal.

  Please upload a file containing your homework to the portal.

• I need to upload a file to the cloud drive before I turn off my PC.

  I need to upload a file to the cloud drive before I turn off my PC.

• Can you upload a file with the song lyrics so everyone can see them?

  Can you upload a file with the song lyrics so everyone can see them?

• It took ten minutes to upload a file because my internet was slow.

  It took ten minutes to upload a file because my internet was slow.

• You can drag and drop to upload a file easily.

  You can drag and drop to upload a file easily.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I will download my homework to the teacher.

  ✓ I will upload my homework to the teacher's portal.

  'Download' means taking a file from the internet. Sending a file to the internet is 'upload'.

• ✗ Please upload a file in the website.

  ✓ Please upload a file to the website.

  Use the preposition 'to' or 'onto' with upload, not 'in'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Click this button to ___ from your computer.

  💡 Send a document from your device to the website.

  Show answer

  upload a file

• I need to ___ containing the video we recorded.

  💡 Put a video file onto the internet share drive.

  Show answer

  upload a file