Understanding Your Publlish Post Queue
Learn how the Publlish post queue works — how posts are ordered, what each queue status means, how to manage failed and pending posts, and how to keep your queue organised.
The queue is where all your scheduled content lives before it publishes. Understanding how the queue works — what the different post statuses mean, how posts are ordered, and how to manage it — makes the rest of Publlish click into place.
What Is the Queue?
The queue is a chronological list of all posts you've scheduled for a given channel. Posts sit in the queue from the moment you schedule them until the moment they publish — or until you delete or edit them.
Each channel has its own queue. Switch between channels using the channel filter in the Queue view.
Post Statuses in the Queue
Every post in your queue has a status that tells you where it is in the publishing lifecycle:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Scheduled | Post has a set date and time and is waiting to publish |
| Draft | Post is saved but not yet scheduled — needs a time before it will publish |
| Pending Approval | Post has been submitted for review and is waiting for an approver |
| Processing | Post is currently being sent to the social platform |
| Published | Post went live successfully — moves to published history |
| Failed | Post attempted to publish but encountered an error — needs attention |
| Notification Pending | A Stories post is waiting for you to complete it via notification publishing |
How Posts Are Ordered in the Queue
Posts are displayed in chronological order — the soonest-to-publish post is at the top.
If you're using time-slot scheduling (pre-set recurring times), posts in the queue fill those slots in order. The post at the top of the queue publishes in the next available slot; the post below it fills the one after that.
If you assign specific times to posts, they sit in the queue sorted by those times.
You can reorder posts in the queue by dragging and dropping. Reordering guide →
Managing Failed Posts
Failed posts appear in your queue flagged with a red error indicator. They won't automatically retry — you need to take action.
To handle a failed post:
- Click on the failed post to see the error message
- Diagnose the cause (connection error, media spec error, content issue)
- Fix the underlying problem — refresh the channel, fix the media, or edit the caption
- Reschedule the post for a new time
Failed posts don't disappear automatically — they stay in your queue until you reschedule or delete them. Bulk delete guide →
Managing Notification Pending Posts
Posts with "Notification Pending" status are Instagram Stories (or similar content) waiting for you to complete the final publishing step via the Publlish mobile app.
If you missed the notification at the scheduled time, open the Publlish mobile app and complete the post manually from the pending queue. Notification publishing guide →
Queue View vs. Calendar View
| Queue view | Calendar view | |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Chronological list | Calendar grid (day/week/month) |
| Best for | Managing individual posts, fixing errors, reordering | Strategic planning, gap spotting, campaign overview |
| Shows past posts | Can filter to show published history | Yes — navigate backwards in time |
| Multi-channel | Filter per channel | All channels visible simultaneously |
Use the queue for day-to-day post management. Use the calendar for content planning and strategy. Calendar guide →
Keeping Your Queue Clean
A cluttered queue with old drafts, failed posts, and outdated content makes it harder to manage your active schedule. Good habits:
- Clear failed posts weekly — either reschedule or delete them
- Review drafts regularly — move good ones to the queue, delete stale ones
- Use tags to distinguish evergreen posts from time-sensitive ones
- Bulk delete after campaigns end to remove queued content that's no longer relevant
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my post stuck in "Processing" status? Processing usually takes a few seconds. If a post stays in Processing for more than 5 minutes, it may have silently failed. Try refreshing the page — the status should update. If it remains stuck, contact support.
Can I see posts that have already been published? Yes — filter your queue to show published posts, or navigate backwards in the Calendar view. Published posts move to your history but remain accessible.
What's the difference between Draft and Pending Approval? A draft is a work-in-progress with no assigned reviewer. Pending Approval means the post has been formally submitted to an approver and is waiting for their decision. Approval workflows →
If I delete a post from the queue, does it delete it from the social platform too? No — deleting from the queue only removes it from Publlish. If the post has already been published, it remains live on the social platform. To remove a published post, delete it natively on the platform.
Can I see all channels' queues at once? Use the All Channels view in the Calendar for a multi-channel overview. The queue list is per-channel. All Channels view →