Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

Encountered YouTube Video Not Processing issue? Don’t freak out. This post shows you the most effective ways to fix YouTube video stuck processing problem. Stay tuned!

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

YouTube Video Not Processing

Table of Contents

Why YouTube Needs to Process Video After Uploading?

There are two reasons why YouTube needs to process video after uploading. First of all, 300 hours of videos are uploading to YouTube every minute. YouTube has to store all videos on the data center. Secondly, generally speaking, it takes long to load a video on any devices. To make sure YouTube users watch the best quality videos and don’t take much time to load, YouTube makes several copies of the video in different resolutions and store them on servers. Then, it provides the best video file that loads fastest and has the best quality for users according to the Internet. Thirdly, YouTube has to check if you have used songs or videos that has copyright. Any content that is ineligible will not be processed.

Can't Miss: How to Add Intro to YouTube Videos >

How Long Does YouTube Processing Take?

Technically, the processing time depends on the video format, video size, and upload traffic. The longer the video is, it takes longer.

If you need an exact number, every minute of video is processed for at least one minute. That’s to say, if you are uploading a 5-minute video, it might take 5 minutes for YouTube to process the video.

When a YouTube video is uploaded but not processing, try the following methods to fix one by one.

Fix 1. Refresh the Page

Due to the Internet connection, the processing page might be stuck somewhere. Right click your mouse and refresh the page to see if your YouTube video is really not processing.

Fix 2. Open A New Tab on YouTube

This is a hack. We don’t know why this works, but it works like a miracle.

While your video is processing, go to YouTube My Channel > Video Manager. Now, you opened two processing page. Close the first processing page, you will see the video start to process faster.

Fix 3. Work on Browser

As for YouTube, Chrome is the best browser for you to upload videos. Switch to it and see if your video is stuck in processing.

Besides that, clearing caches of your browser might also helpful. The detailed steps might be different. Take Chrome as an example. You should click on the three vertical dots, then go to More Tools > Clearing Browsing Data.

Fix 4. Change Your Video to MP4

MP4 is the best format for YouTube to process. Try converting your video to MP4 with FlexClip’s video converter. All you need to do is uploading the video to the tool, then choose MP4 as desired format, you can get the converted video in minutes. Free, effective, and no quality loss.

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

Fix YouTube Video Not Processing - Convert to MP4

Fix 5. Send Feedback to YouTube

Sending a feedback to YouTube will help you know why your video is not processed.

Go to My Channel > Send Feedback. On the description box, describe the issue you are facing, and then add a screenshot. YouTube will process your video soon if your video doesn’t involve in any copyright issues, or send an information why your video is not processed.

Fix 6. Delete the Video and Upload Again

This is the last resolution. Only do this when your video is stuck for over 8 hours.

Log in your YouTube account, go to My Videos, find the video that is stuck in processing, hit the Delete button. Then upload again.

The Bottom Line

That all for the 6 fixes to YouTube video not processing issue. If you find this post helpful, please share it with others. By the way, FlexClip has many video editing tools to help you level up YouTube video, for instance, video filter editor, video transition editor, video watermark editor. Give them a try!

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

Member of PearlMountain Limited. Has a mania for video editing. Love to share photo/video shooting tips and ideas.

YouTube uploads usually take a long time to process, especially if you upload videos of higher quality. Don’t worry, though! We’re here with some tips to make the wait a little less stressful.

Long video processing lags can be because of your internet connection, the quality of your laptop, or even the size of the files due to excessive data usage. These quick fixes will hopefully help you to get your Youtube videos up faster! So let’s get into this issue step by step.

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Why Does YouTube Upload Take So Long?

Three main reasons that may result in a YouTube video taking a long time to upload are as follows.

  1. If the Video Has a Large File Size

A large file size taking a relatively long period to upload makes a lot of sense. After all, it isn’t logical that a small, large size takes the same time as its large counterpart to upload fully. Therefore, the simple explanation for why the YouTube video is taking a long time is its size being big and nothing much.

  • If Your Internet Connection Has a Slow Speed

It is no secret that you will need the internet to upload your YouTube video. It may seem obvious, but you never know who needs to hear this. Okay, far from that, the internet is essential, and its speed is equally important. If it is fast, uploading your video will be pretty fast, and vice versa.

  • Quality of your Laptop / Desktop /Smartphone :

YouTube upload times can be affected by the quality of your laptop or desktop computer. The processor and RAM in your device will affect how long it takes to process a video.

If you’re uploading from a phone, it’s unlikely that the device itself is to blame for slow uploads. Even if your phone doesn’t have high specs, if you’re using WiFi internet, it should handle pretty much any YouTube uploads without issue.

How Can I Make My Youtube Videos Upload Faster? 3 Quick Fixes

Why does YouTube upload take so long? That’s no longer an issue but are your hands tied? Fortunately, that’s not the case, and you have some ways of fixing such problems. Let’s take a look at some of the quick fixes.

  1. Exporting a File in the Right Format

Yes, the issue of having a file size that’s too large often arises due to how you import a movie. Upon editing your video on video editing software such as iMovie, Cut X pro, or Adobe premium pro, which are pretty common among YouTubers, be keen on how you export them.

After all, how you export your video determines its final file size. If the format you use is wrong, you can expect a large file size followed by waiting forever for it to upload on YouTube.

Ensure that you change the upload encoding settings on your editor, and Youtube always recommends H.264 for the video. Additionally, changing the file from .mov to .mp4 can make all the difference when using Premiere pro.

Given how easy it is to make the shift, it would be wise to make that change. It is important to note that changing the settings is possible regardless of the software you use.

Another important exporting setting is matching the shooting frame rate to uploading it. For example, when uploading a video recorded at a frame rate of 60, don’t change that when uploading it.

The same case applies to the 24 and 30 and so on. Otherwise, you may end up have an exported file with a file size double that of the original one. What do you expect after exporting a video you recorded using a frame rate of 30 at a frame rate of 60? Again, be keen on that when exporting your files from your video editing software.

  1. Fast Internet Speed

Interestingly, there are many ways of achieving this solution which eliminates the inconvenience of a slow internet connection. If your service provider is the problem, look for a better one with better speeds.

If that’s not a problem, there are other ways of dealing with the issue. One of them is connecting your computer directly to the router using a cable. That has what it takes to make YouTube video upload quite fast.

If you have other devices connected to the internet connection, disconnect them to increase your internet speed. Last but not least, focus solely on uploading a video. That’s because doing other things that require an internet connection on the computer you are using to upload the video will lead to a slow internet connection.

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Once you sort out such issues, the internet speed will increase. Consequently, uploading your YouTube video won’t take so long.

  1. Uploading Two Videos Simultaneously

This approach doesn’t have an explanation. All you need to know is that uploading two similar videos simultaneously can reduce the upload time. In case you are worried about duplicates, that won’t happen if you set one as private.

You will upload the first file usually. After that, start uploading the second one just like you do it but set it as private. Once the upload is over, delete the private one. The bottom line is that the upload speed increases when uploading two videos at the same time.

Why Is My Youtube Upload Stuck?

Youtube videos upload get stuck due to few reasons. One of them is an issue with the YouTube servers, which co-occurs when too many uploads occur. The most likely cause of action is slowing the upload speed, but it can also stop.

The internet connection could also be the issue for being unstable or weak, not forgetting a low bandwidth. Violating Youtube Trademark Policy, Community Guidelines, and Term of Use could see your videos stuck at the processing stage.

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

In other cases, you will get a warning to know about your violation. Therefore, if your video upload stops, it could be your fault, or Youtube could be the culprit. Some issues may require you to change the content, whereas others only need you to wait.

Why Won’t My Video Upload To Youtube?

There can be many reasons why your Youtube video won’t upload. First, the video format may not be supported by Youtube, including WAV and MP3. It supports WebM, 3GPP, FLV, WMV, AVI, MP4, MPEG4, and MOV formats.

If you don’t own a verified account, it is also impossible to upload a video with a length above 15 minutes. As for the video size, it shouldn’t exceed 128 GB either. 

Sometimes it could be that your internet connection is slow or unavailable, to begin with. In other cases, heavy upload traffic can be a hindrance. Remember that YouTube also filters some stuff, including nudity.

Why is my YouTube video taking so long to process

Copyright violation is another thing that this platform doesn’t condone. One way of confirming that some part of the content of your video is being filtered out is if it stays pending for several hours. Fortunately, meeting the Youtube standards and regulations will fix that right away.

Final Words:

As you begin or continue your YouTube career, think about these quick fixes if you ever get stuck. Remember that you don’t have to take long to upload one either, and there is quite a lot to do to take the shortest time possible.

Fortunately, you now have several fixes to help you solve these issues right away. If it violates the terms, you have to change the content and ensure it meets them. 

How do I get my YouTube video to process faster?

If you want HD qualities to show faster after upload, try uploading your video with a lower quality or frame rate. Switching from 4K to 1080p quality, for instance, will mean fewer processing time before HD options are available to viewers.

How long does a 30 minute video take to process on YouTube?

So, how long does it take for YouTube to process a video? It typically takes 30 seconds to 1-minute per minute of footage uploaded to process a video.

Why does YouTube high processing take so long?

Higher quality videos, like videos in 4K or 1080p, take longer to both upload and process. The same is true for videos with higher frame rates, such as 60fps. For instance, 4K videos are four times larger than 1080p videos. It can take four times longer for 4K quality to be available after an upload finishes.

How long does it take to upload a 20 minute video on YouTube?

Generally speaking, 20 minutes of HD video can take around 10-15 minutes to process, while 20 minutes of 4K video can take anywhere from. 15-20 minutes to process, up to 80 minutes or more if it's exported in a higher frame or bit rate. It takes 30 minutes to 45 minutes to upload a 20 minute long video on YouTube.