# Add support for secure uploads in chat
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782
**Category:** Feature
**Tags:** chat, secure-uploads
**Created:** [September 12, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782 "2022-09-12T13:50:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Alon1](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Alon1)
#### Post date: [September 12, 2022, 1:50pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/1 "2022-09-12T13:50:31Z")
Continuing the discussion from [2.9.0.beta9: Security fix, bug fixes and more](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2-9-0-beta9-security-fix-bug-fixes-and-more/235713/2):
> [@2.9.0.beta9: Security fix, bug fixes and more](https://meta.discourse.org/t/2-9-0-beta9-security-fix-bug-fixes-and-more/235713/2):
>
> Do not allow chat uploads if secure\_media is enabled
Why is this disallowed? In earlier versions it seemed to work fine with secure media.
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### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [September 24, 2022, 5:31am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/4 "2022-09-24T05:31:30Z")
Secure Uploads in Chat aren’t supported at the minute, so it made that setting a little misleading. There’s more detailed info in the commit itself, as well as a workaround if you have server access: 👍
[https://github.com/discourse/discourse-chat/commit/93ab81c725faeca23fbe0bb597a5038382a711e3](https://github.com/discourse/discourse-chat/commit/93ab81c725faeca23fbe0bb597a5038382a711e3)
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/5 "2022-09-25T23:18:00Z")
Thanks @JammyDodger . Just noting as well that I am queued up on making secure media work with more areas, including chat, later in the year.
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### Author:  [@Alon1](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Alon1)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/6 "2022-11-07T16:18:22Z")
Just a kind reminder that secure media is important and useful for some Discourse users 🙏
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### Author:  [@martin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/martin)
#### Post date: [November 7, 2022, 11:08pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/7 "2022-11-07T23:08:44Z")
This is definitely not forgotten, I am the one that will be working on this compatibility, I just have many other things on my plate. Will post updates here when they are ready 👍
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### Author:  [@Alon1](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Alon1)
#### Post date: [May 14, 2023, 3:12am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/8 "2023-05-14T03:12:03Z")
Sorry for being annoying about this, perhaps once every 6 month I can send a request to bump this into priority 😊
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### Author:  [@Alon1](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Alon1)
#### Post date: [January 9, 2024, 10:56pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/9 "2024-01-09T22:56:30Z")
6 months have passed and It’s me again 😋
Please allow uploads to chat when secure\_uploads is enabled 🙏
See you in 6 months ❤
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### Author:  [@Teafh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Teafh)
#### Post date: [March 27, 2024, 9:19am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/10 "2024-03-27T09:19:58Z")
In a recent Discourse update, thumbnail preview of images uploaded in #chat is broken when #secure-uploads is enabled.
I know “_This condition can be overridden with DISCOURSE\_ALLOW\_UNSECURE\_CHAT\_UPLOADS **at operator risk** _”, but I wonder if there’s any temporary solution for it? @martin
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### Author:  [@MarkoK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/MarkoK)
#### Post date: [June 30, 2026, 5:31am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/13 "2026-06-30T05:31:50Z")
Hi everyone! 👋
Just checking in on the status of this — has there been any progress on making chat uploads compatible with secure\_uploads?
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### Author:  [@mcwumbly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mcwumbly)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2026, 4:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/14 "2026-07-01T16:15:06Z")
No, no progress and it’s still not yet prioritized.
This is also still true (perhaps more true):
> [@martin](#):
>
> I just have many other things on my plate.
I do very much want to get to this, but I’m not sure when that’ll happen.
What are you doing currently? Using chat but getting by without uploads?
When was the last time that got in your way?
Hearing little anecdotes here about how the lack of this feature is impacting you and others is helpful any time you have them to share.
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### Author:  [@MarkoK](https://meta.discourse.org/u/MarkoK)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2026, 4:30pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/15 "2026-07-01T16:30:09Z")
Thanks for the update!
I am building an internal Discourse for my company use. Same time bringing our instructions, todos, other stuff and our chatting to Discourse.
Now I am getting uploads for chat using the `DISCOURSE_ALLOW_UNSECURE_CHAT_UPLOADS` env setting. And I instructed that nothing private files/images should be shared using chat. Since this is internal only and forced 2fa and only employees use this Discourse this is fine.
Chat usage is discussing projects/coding/personal stuff so mainly sharing images using chat (photos of issues, personal stuff etc.).
So it is not “business critical” but really nice to have since topics are using secure uploads and it would be great that chat messages used the same logic.
Still. Keep up the great work!
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### Author:  [@mcwumbly](https://meta.discourse.org/u/mcwumbly)
#### Post date: [July 1, 2026, 6:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/add-support-for-secure-uploads-in-chat/238782/16 "2026-07-01T18:17:09Z")
I appreciate the extra context. We are doing something similar ourselves.
I’m going to flip this over to #Contribute > Feature and change the title since it feels like it’s become the de-facto home for the feature request to support secure uploads in chat.