Import a photo or PDF
Upload one or more images or PDFs of recipes and let AI turn them into structured recipes, step by step.
This is the main Import recipes flow: you upload files and AI extracts the recipe. It lives on the Upload new tab at https://app.areacacao.com/import-recipe.
Before you start: credits
Importing uses credits. At the top of the tab you'll see your balance (for example, "120 of 300 available (Pro plan)") and the screen shows the estimated cost per image (on the order of 15 credits). That number comes from the screen itself and can vary with the configuration; treat 15 as a reference, not a fixed figure. A multi-page PDF and scans count the same as a single image.
If your balance is less than the estimated cost per image, the "Get more credits" button appears next to the estimate, opening the flow to buy a credit pack or upgrade your plan. The same prompt can show up if a file in the batch fails because you ran out of credits during processing.
If the importer is down, you'll see the notice "The AI importer isn't available right now. Please try again later." and uploads will be blocked until it's back.
Step by step
- Open Import recipes. Sidebar → FORMULATION → Import recipes, Upload new tab.
- (Optional) Verify the document type. If you're unsure what the file is, use the Verify type banner first—it tells you whether it's a recipe before you spend credits processing it. See Verify the document type.
- Upload the files. Drag one or more onto the zone that says "Drag one or more images/PDFs here", or click to select them. You can drop several at once.
- Wait for processing. Each file appears as a card that moves through its states: Compressing → Uploading → Queued → AI processing → Ready. Once queued, you'll see how many credits were reserved (for example, "15 credits reserved").
- Open the recipe. When the card reaches Ready, click Open recipe. It opens in the recipe editor, where you review and save it.
Final saving doesn't happen on this screen. Import recipes creates the draft; you review and save it from the recipe editor. That's why there's no "Save recipe" button here.
File formats and limits
- Accepted formats: JPG, PNG, WebP, and PDF.
- Maximum size: 20 MB per file.
- Several at once: yes, you can drag or select multiple files in a single batch.
Images are compressed in your browser before uploading, so if your file is too large, the card may show "→ compressed to [size]". This is normal and doesn't affect how the recipe is read.
Status of each import
| Status | What's happening |
|---|---|
| Waiting | The file is in the local queue and hasn't started processing yet. |
| Compressing | The image is being reduced in size in your browser. |
| Uploading | The file is being sent to the server. |
| Queued | Uploaded and waiting for AI to read it. |
| AI processing | AI is extracting the recipe. |
| Ready | Extraction finished; you can now click Open recipe. |
| Failed | Something went wrong; check the card's error message. |
| Cancelled | You cancelled it; the credits are refunded. |
While imports are queued or processing, the screen checks their status automatically every few seconds, so you don't need to reload.
Cancel an import
While a card is Queued or AI processing, the Cancel button appears. When you cancel, the reserved credits are refunded automatically. The Remove button (the X on the card) only takes it off the on-screen list; it doesn't cancel or refund anything on its own.
Tips for a good extraction
- A sharp, well-lit photo with no glare: AI reads legible text best.
- Frame the complete recipe—name, ingredients with quantities, and steps—in the same file or a multi-page PDF.
- Avoid backgrounds with text that isn't the recipe: they can confuse the extraction.
- If the document might not be a recipe (an invoice, a delivery note, a shopping list), run it through Verify type first so you don't waste credits.
Common errors
- "Unsupported format. Use JPG, PNG, WebP, or PDF." — The file isn't an accepted type. Convert it or take a photo.
- "Couldn't upload the image (HTTP [code])" — A network failure during upload. Retry.
- "The AI importer isn't available right now. Please try again later." — The service is temporarily down; wait and try again.