How To Fix a TikTok Video That Is Stuck Uploading

Learn how to troubleshoot a video stuck in processing

Co-authored by Travis Boylls Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: March 23, 2026 Fact Checked

Have you posted a video to TikTok only to have it get stuck in the “Video is being processed” phase? This can be very frustrating. There are a number of reasons why a video might not upload. It could be a server issue, an internet connection issue, a problem with the community guidelines or terms of service, or a temporary bug. There are a few things you can do to try to resolve this problem. This wikiHow article teaches you how to troubleshoot and fix a video stuck in the “Video is being processed” loop.

1

Wait.

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The video may be taking longer than usual. There could be an internet connection issue or a server issue causing longer upload or processing times. Wait for several minutes to half an hour to see if the video uploads.
- If it’s a long or high-resolution video, it may take longer to process.

2

Check TikTok’s server status.

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TikTok’s servers may be down, or there may be a maintenance issue. While TikTok doesn’t have a dedicated server status page, you can use a website like Downdetector to see if other users are having problems with TikTok.
- As many users access TikTok on a daily basis, the server that keeps the app running may encounter issues from time to time. Unfortunately, the only solution to this is to wait until the servers recover.

3

Check your internet connection.

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You may have a slow or unstable internet connection. Uploading a video can be an intensive process. If your phone doesn’t have a strong internet connection, you may find that your video processing takes much longer than it does normally.
- You can test your internet connection using websites like speedtest.net, or fast.com. You can also type “Internet connection test” into Google and click Run Speed Test.
- If you’re not connected to Wi-Fi but a network is available, try connecting to it. If you get one or two bars of service, that should be sufficient.
- You can also try moving to an area that gets a better signal, especially if you’re indoors. For mobile data, being on a 3G network should be sufficient.

4

Check the video format.

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TikTok recommends videos be in MP4 format. Though TikTok does support other major formats, it may hit a snag if it is in an unconventional format. Additionally, videos can’t be larger than 30 GB or 60 minutes long. TikTok supports high-resolution videos up to 4K. If their video is higher than 4K (3840 x 2160p), it may be too large.^{[1]
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5

Reupload the video.

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There may be a snag in the upload process. Reuploading your video might help push it past the processing phase. If you’ve waited several minutes and the video is making no progress, it may be better to restart the process all over again.
- It’s a good idea to save a copy of your video before uploading it. You can record videos with the Camera app on your phone and edit them with external apps or software. Alternatively, you can now save videos inside the TikTok video editing screen. Tap the option to save your video in the menu to the left of the editing screen.

6

Restart the TikTok app.

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There may be a glitch in the app. Try restarting the TikTok app, especially if you’ve had the app open for a long time without closing it. Sometimes a refresh is all the app needs.
- Android: To restart TikTok on Android, swipe up from the bottom of the screen or tap the icon that resembles three lines. Then swipe up on the TikTok app to close it. Then tap the app icon again to relaunch it.
- iPhone/iPad: Swipe up from the dock at the bottom of the screen. Swipe up on the TikTok app to close it. Then tap the app icon again to relaunch it.

7

Restart your phone.

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There may be a glitch with your phone. If restarting the app doesn’t fix the problem, try restarting your entire phone. Again, if your phone has been on for a long time without a restart, it can start to act up.^{[2]
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- Android: To restart an Android phone, press and hold the Power button (or the Power and Volume Down button on some devices). Tap Restart when the power menu appears.
- iPhone/iPad: Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons at the same time. Drag the slider bar at the top of the screen to turn off your device. Then press and hold the power button to turn it back on.

8

Update the TikTok app.

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You may have an outdated version of TikTok. If your app hasn't been updated in a while, you could try updating it. Updates push important fixes to the app, so if you've gone a long time without updating TikTok, it could be missing some vital bug fixes.^{[3]
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- You can update the app using the Google Play Store on Android, or the App Store on iPhone or iPad.

9

Free up space on your phone.

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If your phone is running low on storage space, it may affect your ability to upload videos. Go through your phone and uninstall any apps, photos, or files you don’t use anymore to free up space on your device.

10

Delete some of your drafts.

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If you have too many drafts, it can take up a lot of space on your phone and affect the way the app works. Go through some of your drafts and delete any you don’t plan on using.

11

Make sure your video doesn’t violate Community Guidelines.

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Something may have been flagged as a community guidelines violation. If a video violates TikTok's Community Guidelines, it may not be able to be uploaded. If your video is still not uploading, double-check your video to see if there is anything in it that could violate Community Guidelines.^{[4]
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- Normally, you will receive a notification explaining which guideline was violated when a video gets flagged as a violation. However, sometimes it may just get stuck in the uploading process.
- One of the most common guideline violations is copyright infringement, so watch your video back to look for any overt logos, songs, or images belonging to another copyright holder.
- You also may want to check to see if your video includes any dangerous, sensitive, or mature themes. Just holding a weapon in a TikTok video may get flagged as a dangerous act.
- Sometimes the algorithm flags videos as a violation of a community guideline when no guidelines have been violated.

12

Check your account status.

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Check to see if your account has been blocked or banned. This would make you unable to finish processing your video post. To check if your account has been banned, select your inbox from the bottom menu bar and then select the ‘from TikTok’ option at the top. If you have been banned, there should be a message in your inbox from TikTok detailing the specifics of the ban.^{[5]
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13

Clear your TikTok cache.

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A cache is a set of temporary files stored by a website or application that it uses to run. It makes it so data can be retrieved faster, but if the cache gets too full, it can actually impact the application’s performance. If your video is uploading slowly, you can always try to clear out the TikTok cache.^{[6]
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- To clear your cache, open the TikTok app. Tap your profile icon in the lower-right corner. Tap the icon with three lines (☰) in the upper-right corner. Tap Settings and privacy > Free up space. Tap Clear next to “Cache.”

14

Contact TikTok support.

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If none of the above solutions have fixed your problem, you can try contacting TikTok support. TikTok support should be able to help you identify why your video is still being processed and help you with a solution.^{[7]
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- You can contact TikTok support here.