Troubleshooting Video Uploads in Publlish

Learn how to fix video upload failures in Publlish. Covers common causes of video upload errors across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, X, and LinkedIn — with step-by-step solutions for each.

Bhanu Prasad

— 3 min read
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Video uploads fail for a handful of predictable reasons — almost all of them fixable. This guide walks through every common cause of video upload failures in Publlish and how to resolve each one.

Step 1 — Identify Where the Failure Is Happening

Video failures in Publlish fall into two categories:

Upload failure — the video fails to upload to Publlish at all. You'll see an error in the composer before the post is scheduled.

Publishing failure — the video uploaded to Publlish successfully, but when Publlish tried to publish it to the social platform, the platform rejected it. You'll see an error in your queue after the scheduled time passes.

The fix differs depending on which type of failure you're experiencing.

Common Causes of Upload Failures (Before Scheduling)

Wrong file format

Symptom: Error immediately on upload — "unsupported file type" or similar. Fix: Convert your video to MP4 (H.264 video codec, AAC audio). This is the universally supported format across all platforms. Avoid MKV, AVI, WMV, or FLV formats.

File too large

Symptom: Upload starts but times out or shows a file size error. Fix: Compress your video. For most social media content, you don't need 4K — export at 1080p (1920 x 1080 or 1080 x 1920) with a bitrate of 8–15 Mbps. This dramatically reduces file size while maintaining good quality. Use HandBrake (free) or export settings in your editing software.

Platform file size limits for reference:

  • TikTok: 1GB
  • Instagram: 1GB
  • Facebook: 10GB
  • YouTube: 256GB
  • X: 512MB
  • LinkedIn: 5GB

Slow or unstable internet connection

Symptom: Upload starts but stalls or fails partway through, especially for larger files. Fix: Try uploading on a stable wired connection rather than WiFi. If the file is large, compress it first. Publlish may allow resuming an interrupted upload — try refreshing the page and reuploading.

Corrupted video file

Symptom: Upload fails with no clear error, or the video preview looks wrong in the composer. Fix: Re-export the video from your editing software. A fresh export from the source project is more reliable than re-encoding an already-exported file.

Common Causes of Publishing Failures (After Scheduling)

Wrong aspect ratio for the platform

Symptom: Post fails at scheduled time with an "aspect ratio" or "media format" error. Fix:

  • TikTok and Instagram Reels: must be 9:16 (1080 x 1920px)
  • Instagram feed video: must be between 4:5 and 1.91:1
  • YouTube Shorts: must be 9:16 and under 60 seconds

Re-export the video at the correct ratio and reschedule. Instagram aspect ratio guide →

Video duration outside platform limits

Symptom: Post fails with a duration error. Fix:

  • TikTok: 3 seconds to 10 minutes
  • Instagram Reels: 3 seconds to 90 seconds
  • Instagram feed video: 3 seconds to 60 minutes
  • YouTube Shorts: under 60 seconds (for Shorts classification)
  • X: under 2 minutes 20 seconds
  • LinkedIn: 3 seconds to 10 minutes

Trim your video to fit the platform's accepted duration range.

Video codec not supported

Symptom: Post fails with a "codec" or "encoding" error, even though the file is MP4. Fix: Re-export with H.264 video codec and AAC audio specifically. Some MP4 files use H.265 (HEVC) or other codecs that aren't accepted by all platforms. Most social media platforms require H.264. In your export settings, specify:

  • Video codec: H.264
  • Audio codec: AAC
  • Container: MP4

Music licensing error (TikTok)

Symptom: TikTok post fails with a music licensing error. Fix: The audio track selected from TikTok's library isn't available for Business Accounts. Switch to a track from the Commercial Music Library. If the video has original audio only, the original audio is always permitted. TikTok error library →

Platform-side processing error

Symptom: Post fails with a vague error not related to file specs. Fix: Wait 15 minutes and try resubmitting. Platform-side processing errors (where the platform's servers have a temporary issue) usually resolve on their own. If the error persists after a second attempt, check the platform's status page and contact Publlish support.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Run through this before contacting support:

  • [ ] File format is MP4 (H.264 + AAC)
  • [ ] File size is within the platform's limit
  • [ ] Aspect ratio matches the platform's requirements
  • [ ] Video duration is within the platform's accepted range
  • [ ] Internet connection is stable during upload
  • [ ] The video file plays correctly on your device before uploading
  • [ ] Channel connection is active (not expired) — refresh if needed →

Frequently Asked Questions

What video format works on all platforms in Publlish? MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio. Export at 1080p resolution for the best balance of quality and file size.

My video is MP4 but still failing — why? Not all MP4 files use H.264. Check your video's codec in a tool like MediaInfo (free) or VLC (File → Media Information). Re-export with H.264 specifically if it's using a different codec.

How do I compress a video without losing quality? Use HandBrake (free) with the H.264 preset at CRF 23–28. This produces a significantly smaller file with minimal visible quality loss. Alternatively, export at 1080p instead of 4K if you're not already.

My video uploaded fine but the published version looks low quality — why? All platforms compress video after upload. To minimise quality loss, export at a high bitrate (8–15 Mbps for 1080p) before uploading. The higher quality file you give the platform, the better the compressed output looks.

What should I do if my video upload is stuck? Refresh the page and try uploading again. If the upload keeps stalling at the same point, compress the video to reduce file size and try again.

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