While a file is processing

Once a file has uploaded, Shotz gets it ready to use. Its tile shimmers, with Getting ready under its name, until that’s done, and opening it says Getting this ready to edit. It’s in the Library now and plays in a minute or two.

What happens

• Videos get a lighter copy for smooth playback in the editor, and a thumbnail. Your original is kept as it is, and it’s what every export reads. When you open an edit, Shotz may quietly prepare a smoother copy of the videos in it; the copy you had keeps playing until the new one is ready.
• Images get a thumbnail.
• Speech in a video or audio file is transcribed, so you can make captions and clips from it and search for what was said.
• What’s in the shot is described: moments in a video, and what an image shows. That’s what lets you search for “someone laughing” and land on the right second. See Find files in your Library.

The transcript and description can arrive a little after the file is ready to play. You can start editing as soon as the shimmer and Getting ready go from the tile. The Library updates on its own, so you don’t need to reload the page to see a file become ready.

If a file doesn’t process

The tile shows a red alert icon and why, with Didn’t process under its name. Usually the file is damaged or in a form that can’t be converted. Delete it and upload it again, or export a fresh copy from wherever it came from (an MP4 is the safest) and upload that.

On a phone, press and hold the tile for Delete. On a desktop, open it, then choose ⋯ → Delete.

If the same file fails twice, write to us and say which one.