Bubble.io File Uploads: How to Handle Documents, Images, and Large Files
Bubble has built-in file storage backed by AWS S3. The four-step upload and display pattern, a scenario-based guide to when native storage is sufficient vs. when to use Uploadcare or Cloudinary, and the common problems with their solutions.
What Bubble Provides and Where It Falls Short
Bubble.io has built-in file storage: any file uploaded through a file uploader element is stored on Bubble’s AWS S3-backed infrastructure and referenced as a URL in your database. For most SaaS products — profile pictures, document attachments, user-uploaded PDFs — Bubble’s native file handling is more than adequate. For image-heavy applications, large video files, or products requiring image transformation, third-party services like Uploadcare or Cloudinary extend what is possible.
What Works Out of the Box
The File Uploader is a Bubble element found in the UI builder. Configure it with: accepted file types (image, document, all), maximum file size, whether multiple files are allowed, and the visual style (button, drop zone, or custom). The uploaded file becomes available as ‘File Uploader’s value’ after a successful upload.
Create thing: Document
file
= File Uploader’s value
filename
= File Uploader’s value’s filename
filesize
= File Uploader’s value’s filesize
filetype
= File Uploader’s value’s file extension
uploaded_by
= Current User
workspace
= Current User’s current_workspace
Reference the stored file URL in any element. For images: set an Image element’s data source to the record’s file field. For documents: use a Link element that opens the file URL in a new tab. For PDF display in the browser: use an HTML element with an iframe pointing to the file URL.
By default, files uploaded to Bubble are accessible via their URL without authentication. For sensitive documents, use Bubble’s private file storage option (enable in Settings → App) which requires authentication to access file URLs. Enable this before storing any confidential user documents.
Performance and Quality
| Scenario | Recommended Approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Profile photos | Accept JPG/PNG; store at original; display with Bubble’s image resizing | Low volume; native handling sufficient |
| Product listings with many images | Use Uploadcare for compression, CDN delivery, and transformation | Image-heavy pages need CDN performance; native Bubble URLs can be slow |
| Document attachments (PDF, Word, Excel) | Native Bubble file storage; enable private file option for sensitive docs | PDFs are small; no transformation needed; access control via private option |
| Large files (video, large datasets) | Direct-to-S3 upload via pre-signed URL; store only the S3 reference in Bubble | Bubble’s file size limit; large files should bypass Bubble’s servers entirely |
| User-generated images (social features) | Uploadcare or Cloudinary with CDN and auto-resize | Community apps with high image volume need CDN and lazy loading |
And Their Solutions
File too large error
Bubble has a default upload size limit. Increase it in Settings → App → File upload limit. For very large files, use a direct S3 upload pattern with pre-signed URLs to bypass Bubble’s upload proxy entirely.
File URL not accessible
If private file storage is enabled, file URLs require an authenticated session to access. URLs shared publicly will return 403 Forbidden. Design your sharing features accordingly — share a Bubble page link, not the raw S3 URL.
Slow image loading
Native Bubble file URLs are not CDN-delivered by default. For image-heavy pages, use Uploadcare or Cloudinary which deliver files from edge nodes close to the user.
Always Store Metadata Alongside the File
When a user uploads a file, store the filename, filesize, file extension, upload timestamp, and the uploading user’s ID alongside the file URL. Never store just the URL. Users will ask ‘what did I upload?’ and the metadata is what lets you answer. It also enables filtering by file type, sorting by upload date, and displaying human-readable file sizes.
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