# Capture: Upload Images, PDFs, and Voice Memos

> Turn photos, PDFs, and voice memos into notes about people.

Source: https://groupthink.com/docs/capture_uploads/
Last updated: 2026-09-28

The Capture page takes more than typed notes. Drop in a photo of handwritten notes, a PDF, or a voice memo — Groupthink reads it, pulls out what matters, and lets you file it to a person with one tap.

## Opening Capture

Open the **+ New** menu at the top of the left sidebar and choose **Paste or attach a file…** There is no longer a **Capture** row in the sidebar, but the page is unchanged. It has a text box for typed notes, the upload card ("Drop a file or voice memo"), and a card for pasting a text conversation. This page covers uploads. For text threads, see [Capture a Text Conversation](/docs/capture_texts).

## Uploading a file

Drag a file onto the upload card, or click **browse** to pick one. One file at a time. Supported formats:

- **Images** — PNG, JPG, GIF, WebP (photos of whiteboards, business cards, handwritten notes)
- **PDF** — scanned documents, decks, one-pagers
- **Audio** — MP3, M4A, WAV, OGG (voice memos from your phone work great)

Whenever the file is audio, the card shows a reminder: **Let people know you're recording.** It appears on every audio file you pick or drop, not just the first one. It is a reminder only; nothing needs confirming, and the upload carries on. Images and PDFs do not show it.

You'll see an upload progress bar, then a "Reading your file…" state while Groupthink transcribes and extracts. When it finishes, the card turns green: "Captured — we've read your file."

## Filing it to a person

After extraction, pick who the capture is about. Search your contacts (or create a new one) and attach it. Groupthink then re-reads the capture for that person specifically, so what it learned lands in your relationship with them — and shows up the next time they're on your calendar.

Uploads don't guess who they're about: unlike [quick log](/docs/quick_log), which routes a typed sentence automatically, a file is always filed to the person you choose.

## If reading fails

The file is still saved. You can attach it to a person anyway and Groupthink will keep the original. If transcription isn't running for your account, check Settings for your API key configuration, or try again later.

## Tips

- Voice memos are the killer use: record a 30-second note in the car after a dinner, upload it when you sit down, file it to the person.
- A photo of a business card plus one typed line of context is a complete new-contact record.
- Long PDFs work, but the extraction focuses on what's relevant to people and relationships — it's a CRM, not a document store.