[FEATURE] Claude in Chrome file_upload: send files in chunks to lift the 10 MB cap
Preflight Checklist
- [x] I have searched existing requests and this feature hasn't been requested yet
- [x] This is a single feature request (not multiple features)
Problem Statement
The Claude in Chrome file_upload tool refuses any upload over 10 MB in total. The check is in the Claude Code client. Its error says:
Cannot upload "...": total upload size would exceed 10 MB. file_upload sends file contents over the browser bridge in a single message; use a smaller file.
The Chrome docs page lists the same limit. There is no setting to change it.
10 MB rules out most real media. An 18 second 1080x1920 video export is about 55 MB. I hit this limit regularly when I ask Claude to attach a video or a high-resolution image in a web app I am logged into (for example, scheduling a video post in Buffer). The only workarounds are to re-encode the file at lower quality, or to stop and upload it by hand.
Proposed Solution
Send the file over the bridge in chunks instead of one message, and raise the cap to something that fits normal media, for example 200 MB or more. If a cap has to stay, make it configurable in settings.
On the page side nothing limits this: a File in an <input type="file"> can be far larger than 10 MB.
Alternative Solutions
- Re-encoding to under 10 MB works, but it costs quality and an extra step every time.
- Uploading by hand defeats the point of the automation.
- Copying cookies into a separate Playwright profile is fragile and works against Chrome's cookie protection.
Priority
High - Significant impact on productivity
Feature Category
MCP server integration
Use Case Example
- I render a 55 MB portrait video locally.
- I ask Claude to schedule it as a LinkedIn post in Buffer, in my logged-in Chrome.
- Claude opens the composer and types the text, but
file_uploadrefuses the video. - With chunked transfer, Claude attaches the original file and the task finishes without me.
Additional Context
Claude Code 2.1.291 on Windows 11, Claude in Chrome extension connected through the native messaging host.