My Local Recording is Stuck Uploading or Processing

Sometimes, your local recording might appear stuck during uploading or processing. This article helps you figure out what’s happening and how to fix it.

Important. Check This Before Troubleshooting

  • Don’t clear your browser’s cache or cookies while recordings are still uploading. This can erase your local data or cause the browser not to recognize and upload stored recordings.

  • Avoid using private/incognito mode during your broadcast—it doesn’t retain the data needed to finish the upload.

  • Make sure your browser is not set to clear cookies and site data automatically when closed:

    • Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Site Settings > On-Device Site Data and choose your preferred setting.

    • Firefox: Make sure the “Delete browsing data on quit” setting is turned off.

Troubleshooting a Stuck Upload

If your recording is stuck uploading (the progress bar doesn’t move or never finishes):

  1. Refresh the tab where the StreamYard studio is open.

  2. Close the studio and all StreamYard tabs. Then go to streamyard.com/upload in the same browser and device used for the broadcast. You can return to this page any time within 30 days to finish uploading.

  3. Restart your browser, reopen it, then visit streamyard.com/upload.

  4. Disable VPN or firewall, or allow StreamYard through. Details on how to do this can be found here. VPNs and firewall rules can interfere with your connection to our servers, blocking uploads. 

  5. Turn off browser extensions temporarily. Some extensions might interfere with your connection to our servers, or with the local storage StreamYard needs to save your recording. We recommend temporarily disabling extensions in your browser when recording until your local recordings have been processed successfully.

  6. Using a phone? Reopen the studio using the original invite link (e.g., from email). On iOS, we recommend the StreamYard Guest App for best results.

  7. Test your internet speed. Slow upload speeds can prevent your file from finishing the upload. You can use the online Internet Speed Test tool to check this.

  8. Restart your computer and retry at streamyard.com/upload in the same browser you used to stream.

Note about Private Browsing: If you used an incognito/private tab and didn’t finish uploading before closing it, StreamYard won’t be able to recover your recording. In private mode, browsing history, cookies, and site data are not saved after you close the tab. If you try to return to the studio or upload page from a different session, you may see an error: "We can't find your recordings".

iPhone or iPad Users (StreamYard iOS App)

If you used the StreamYard App, it will automatically upload your recordings while you have the app open. Uploads may also continue in the background if your phone is plugged in.

If you're having trouble getting your recordings uploaded from the app:

Do not delete or uninstall the app—you will lose your recordings.

Troubleshooting a Stuck Processing

Once the upload is complete, StreamYard automatically begins processing your local isolated recording.

On average, this takes about 30 minutes. But processing time depends on:

  • the length and quality of the recording,
  • and the current system load.

In some cases, it can take up to 12 hours, and in extreme cases, even longer. If your upload is complete but processing seems stuck, waiting is often the best option.

If it still hasn’t processed after 24 hours, contact StreamYard Support. We might be able to recover it.

Hosts: How to Make an Incomplete Recording Available for Download

If you're the host of the broadcast, you can generate a download of what has been uploaded by your guests so far.

  1. Go to the Library tab while logged into your host account.

  2. Locate and click on the recording.

  3. Click the three dots next to the guest’s incomplete recording.
    download single.png

  4. Select Download, then click Generate.
    generate incomplete.png

  5. Wait a few minutes for the system to prepare the file. Timing depends on recording length, we recommend checking back after a few minutes to download the file.

  6. Click the download arrow to save it to your device.
    download generated.png

Note: Guests can still return to streamyard.com/upload within 30 days of the broadcast to finish uploading their recordings—even if you already downloaded a partial file. Once uploaded, we’ll reprocess the full recording automatically.

 

 

Related to

Was this article helpful?

Have more questions? Submit a request