diff --git a/examples/files_example/public/components/file_picker.tsx b/examples/files_example/public/components/file_picker.tsx
index 72a2057755742..220ca917b78b6 100644
--- a/examples/files_example/public/components/file_picker.tsx
+++ b/examples/files_example/public/components/file_picker.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export const MyFilePicker: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUplo
       onDone={onDone}
       onUpload={(n) => onUpload(n.map(({ id }) => id))}
       pageSize={50}
+      multiple
     />
   );
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/upload_files.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/empty_prompt.tsx
similarity index 80%
rename from src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/upload_files.tsx
rename to src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/empty_prompt.tsx
index a33f458bdf9d2..84b52281805ad 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/upload_files.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/empty_prompt.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 import React from 'react';
-import { EuiEmptyPrompt, EuiText } from '@elastic/eui';
+import { EuiEmptyPrompt } from '@elastic/eui';
 import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
 import { UploadFile } from '../../upload_file';
 import { useFilePickerContext } from '../context';
@@ -15,25 +15,22 @@ import { i18nTexts } from '../i18n_texts';
 
 interface Props {
   kind: string;
+  multiple: boolean;
 }
 
-export const UploadFilesPrompt: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ kind }) => {
+export const EmptyPrompt: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ kind, multiple }) => {
   const { state } = useFilePickerContext();
   return (
     <EuiEmptyPrompt
       data-test-subj="emptyPrompt"
       title={<h3>{i18nTexts.emptyStatePrompt}</h3>}
-      body={
-        <EuiText color="subdued" size="s">
-          <p>{i18nTexts.emptyStatePromptSubtitle}</p>
-        </EuiText>
-      }
       titleSize="s"
       actions={[
         // TODO: We can remove this once the entire modal is an upload area
         <UploadFile
           kind={kind}
           immediate
+          multiple={multiple}
           onDone={(file) => {
             state.selectFile(file.map(({ id }) => id));
             state.retry();
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/modal_footer.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/modal_footer.tsx
index 0a9ad3b3dcafa..d5d60fbd7cc8b 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/modal_footer.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/modal_footer.tsx
@@ -22,9 +22,10 @@ interface Props {
   kind: string;
   onDone: SelectButtonProps['onClick'];
   onUpload?: FilePickerProps['onUpload'];
+  multiple: boolean;
 }
 
-export const ModalFooter: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ kind, onDone, onUpload }) => {
+export const ModalFooter: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ kind, onDone, onUpload, multiple }) => {
   const { state } = useFilePickerContext();
   const onUploadStart = useCallback(() => state.setIsUploading(true), [state]);
   const onUploadEnd = useCallback(() => state.setIsUploading(false), [state]);
@@ -53,7 +54,7 @@ export const ModalFooter: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ kind, onDone, onUpload }
             onUploadEnd={onUploadEnd}
             kind={kind}
             initialPromptText={i18nTexts.uploadFilePlaceholderText}
-            multiple
+            multiple={multiple}
             compressed
           />
         </div>
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/title.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/title.tsx
index 2d4de8881fa76..98ce9b0bc93d1 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/title.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/components/title.tsx
@@ -11,8 +11,12 @@ import type { FunctionComponent } from 'react';
 import { EuiTitle } from '@elastic/eui';
 import { i18nTexts } from '../i18n_texts';
 
-export const Title: FunctionComponent = () => (
+interface Props {
+  multiple: boolean;
+}
+
+export const Title: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ multiple }) => (
   <EuiTitle>
-    <h2>{i18nTexts.title}</h2>
+    <h2>{multiple ? i18nTexts.titleMultiple : i18nTexts.title}</h2>
   </EuiTitle>
 );
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/context.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/context.tsx
index 48d0ea3986253..c17fe601e487a 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/context.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/context.tsx
@@ -23,17 +23,19 @@ const FilePickerCtx = createContext<FilePickerContextValue>(
 interface FilePickerContextProps {
   kind: string;
   pageSize: number;
+  multiple: boolean;
 }
 export const FilePickerContext: FunctionComponent<FilePickerContextProps> = ({
   kind,
   pageSize,
+  multiple,
   children,
 }) => {
   const filesContext = useFilesContext();
   const { client } = filesContext;
   const state = useMemo(
-    () => createFilePickerState({ pageSize, client, kind }),
-    [pageSize, client, kind]
+    () => createFilePickerState({ pageSize, client, kind, selectMultiple: multiple }),
+    [pageSize, client, kind, multiple]
   );
   useEffect(() => state.dispose, [state]);
   return (
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.stories.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.stories.tsx
index 517663ebbbbbe..1d38a9893ed57 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.stories.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.stories.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ const defaultProps: FilePickerProps = {
   kind,
   onDone: action('done!'),
   onClose: action('close!'),
+  multiple: true,
 };
 
 export default {
@@ -198,3 +199,25 @@ TryFilter.decorators = [
     );
   },
 ];
+
+export const SingleSelect = Template.bind({});
+SingleSelect.decorators = [
+  (Story) => (
+    <FilesContext
+      client={
+        {
+          getDownloadHref: () => `data:image/png;base64,${base64dLogo}`,
+          list: async (): Promise<FilesClientResponses['list']> => ({
+            files: [createFileJSON(), createFileJSON(), createFileJSON()],
+            total: 1,
+          }),
+        } as unknown as FilesClient
+      }
+    >
+      <Story />
+    </FilesContext>
+  ),
+];
+SingleSelect.args = {
+  multiple: undefined,
+};
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.test.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.test.tsx
index 58c86739755a8..055eea0f4d5ab 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.test.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.test.tsx
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ describe('FilePicker', () => {
   async function initTestBed(props?: Partial<Props>) {
     const createTestBed = registerTestBed((p: Props) => (
       <FilesContext client={client}>
-        <FilePicker {...p} />
+        <FilePicker multiple {...p} />
       </FilesContext>
     ));
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.tsx b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.tsx
index 9472f87f7b912..94616a67a85cb 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.tsx
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import { useFilePickerContext, FilePickerContext } from './context';
 
 import { Title } from './components/title';
 import { ErrorContent } from './components/error_content';
-import { UploadFilesPrompt } from './components/upload_files';
+import { EmptyPrompt } from './components/empty_prompt';
 import { FileGrid } from './components/file_grid';
 import { SearchField } from './components/search_field';
 import { ModalFooter } from './components/modal_footer';
@@ -53,9 +53,17 @@ export interface Props<Kind extends string = string> {
    * The number of results to show per page.
    */
   pageSize?: number;
+  /**
+   * Whether you can select one or more files
+   *
+   * @default false
+   */
+  multiple?: boolean;
 }
 
-const Component: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload }) => {
+type InnerProps = Required<Pick<Props, 'onClose' | 'onDone' | 'onUpload' | 'multiple'>>;
+
+const Component: FunctionComponent<InnerProps> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload, multiple }) => {
   const { state, kind } = useFilePickerContext();
 
   const hasFiles = useBehaviorSubject(state.hasFiles$);
@@ -65,7 +73,9 @@ const Component: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload }) => {
 
   useObservable(state.files$);
 
-  const renderFooter = () => <ModalFooter kind={kind} onDone={onDone} onUpload={onUpload} />;
+  const renderFooter = () => (
+    <ModalFooter kind={kind} onDone={onDone} onUpload={onUpload} multiple={multiple} />
+  );
 
   return (
     <EuiModal
@@ -75,7 +85,7 @@ const Component: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload }) => {
       onClose={onClose}
     >
       <EuiModalHeader>
-        <Title />
+        <Title multiple={multiple} />
         <SearchField />
       </EuiModalHeader>
       {isLoading ? (
@@ -93,7 +103,7 @@ const Component: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload }) => {
         </EuiModalBody>
       ) : !hasFiles && !hasQuery ? (
         <EuiModalBody>
-          <UploadFilesPrompt kind={kind} />
+          <EmptyPrompt multiple={multiple} kind={kind} />
         </EuiModalBody>
       ) : (
         <>
@@ -109,9 +119,15 @@ const Component: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({ onClose, onDone, onUpload }) => {
   );
 };
 
-export const FilePicker: FunctionComponent<Props> = (props) => (
-  <FilePickerContext pageSize={props.pageSize ?? 20} kind={props.kind}>
-    <Component {...props} />
+export const FilePicker: FunctionComponent<Props> = ({
+  pageSize = 20,
+  kind,
+  multiple = false,
+  onUpload = () => {},
+  ...rest
+}) => (
+  <FilePickerContext pageSize={pageSize} kind={kind} multiple={multiple}>
+    <Component {...rest} {...{ pageSize, kind, multiple, onUpload }} />
   </FilePickerContext>
 );
 
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.test.ts b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.test.ts
index 0e7971e60bdcc..62881fa042a84 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.test.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.test.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ describe('FilePickerState', () => {
       client: filesClient,
       pageSize: 20,
       kind: 'test',
+      selectMultiple: true,
     });
   });
   it('starts off empty', () => {
@@ -181,4 +182,20 @@ describe('FilePickerState', () => {
       expectObservable(filePickerState.files$).toBe('a------', { a: [] });
     });
   });
+  describe('single selection', () => {
+    beforeEach(() => {
+      filePickerState = createFilePickerState({
+        client: filesClient,
+        pageSize: 20,
+        kind: 'test',
+        selectMultiple: false,
+      });
+    });
+    it('allows only one file to be selected', () => {
+      filePickerState.selectFile('a');
+      expect(filePickerState.getSelectedFileIds()).toEqual(['a']);
+      filePickerState.selectFile(['b', 'a', 'c']);
+      expect(filePickerState.getSelectedFileIds()).toEqual(['b']);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.ts b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.ts
index 42214f77c9cf2..a47268585a420 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/file_picker_state.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ export class FilePickerState {
   constructor(
     private readonly client: FilesClient,
     private readonly kind: string,
-    public readonly pageSize: number
+    public readonly pageSize: number,
+    private selectMultiple: boolean
   ) {
     this.subscriptions = [
       this.query$
@@ -105,8 +106,18 @@ export class FilePickerState {
     this.internalIsLoading$.next(value);
   }
 
+  /**
+   * If multiple selection is not configured, this will take the first file id
+   * if an array of file ids was provided.
+   */
   public selectFile = (fileId: string | string[]): void => {
-    (Array.isArray(fileId) ? fileId : [fileId]).forEach((id) => this.fileSet.add(id));
+    const fileIds = Array.isArray(fileId) ? fileId : [fileId];
+    if (!this.selectMultiple) {
+      this.fileSet.clear();
+      this.fileSet.add(fileIds[0]);
+    } else {
+      for (const id of fileIds) this.fileSet.add(id);
+    }
     this.sendNextSelectedFiles();
   };
 
@@ -216,11 +227,13 @@ interface CreateFilePickerArgs {
   client: FilesClient;
   kind: string;
   pageSize: number;
+  selectMultiple: boolean;
 }
 export const createFilePickerState = ({
   pageSize,
   client,
   kind,
+  selectMultiple,
 }: CreateFilePickerArgs): FilePickerState => {
-  return new FilePickerState(client, kind, pageSize);
+  return new FilePickerState(client, kind, pageSize, selectMultiple);
 };
diff --git a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/i18n_texts.ts b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/i18n_texts.ts
index 0958e99cdffe1..9bc4b4642cd68 100644
--- a/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/i18n_texts.ts
+++ b/src/plugins/files/public/components/file_picker/i18n_texts.ts
@@ -12,17 +12,17 @@ export const i18nTexts = {
   title: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.title', {
     defaultMessage: 'Select a file',
   }),
+  titleMultiple: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.titleMultiple', {
+    defaultMessage: 'Select files',
+  }),
   loadingFilesErrorTitle: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.error.loadingTitle', {
     defaultMessage: 'Could not load files',
   }),
   retryButtonLabel: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.error.retryButtonLabel', {
     defaultMessage: 'Retry',
   }),
-  emptyStatePrompt: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.emptyStatePrompt', {
-    defaultMessage: 'No files found',
-  }),
-  emptyStatePromptSubtitle: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.emptyStatePromptSubtitle', {
-    defaultMessage: 'Upload your first file.',
+  emptyStatePrompt: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.emptyStatePromptTitle', {
+    defaultMessage: 'Upload your first file',
   }),
   selectFileLabel: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.selectFileButtonLable', {
     defaultMessage: 'Select file',
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ export const i18nTexts = {
     defaultMessage: 'my-file-*',
   }),
   emptyFileGridPrompt: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.emptyGridPrompt', {
-    defaultMessage: 'No files matched filter',
+    defaultMessage: 'No files match your filter',
   }),
   loadMoreButtonLabel: i18n.translate('files.filePicker.loadMoreButtonLabel', {
     defaultMessage: 'Load more',