Local File Read
Local File Read
Section titled “Local File Read”Read a local file the user picks through the browser’s file picker.
What it does
Section titled “What it does”Opens the operating system file picker at runtime and reads the chosen file into the workflow — as text, a data URL, or base64. It is the input counterpart to Download as file: the browser-legal answer to “read a file from disk”.
Safe by construction: the File System Access API requires a user gesture and a picker, so the user chooses the file — the workflow can never name one. That is exactly what makes this node safe without any special permission.
When to use it
Section titled “When to use it”- Feed a local CSV, JSON, text, or image file into a workflow.
- Let the user hand a file to an automation without uploading it anywhere first.
Inputs and settings
Section titled “Inputs and settings”| Setting | Notes |
|---|---|
| Read as | Text, Data URL, or Base64 — how to read the file’s content. |
| Allow multiple files | Let the picker select more than one file. |
| Accepted file types | Optional. Comma-separated extensions or MIME types to filter the picker, e.g. .csv,.txt. |
Outputs
Section titled “Outputs”- For a single file:
{ name, size, type, content }, wherecontentis the file read in the chosen format. - For multiple files: an array of those objects.
Dependencies and credentials
Section titled “Dependencies and credentials”- No credential is required.
- No permission is needed — the picker is user-gesture gated by design.
Example workflow
Section titled “Example workflow”Local File Read (Read as Text, Accepted file types .csv) → Edit Fields or an AI node to process the contents.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”- This node needs an interactive run: the file picker requires a user gesture, so run the workflow yourself rather than from a background trigger.
- The File System Access API is available in Chromium-based browsers; on other browsers the node reports that it cannot open a picker.
- If the picker is dismissed without choosing a file, the node reports that the selection was cancelled.