---
title: "Troubleshoot failed or delayed renders"
canonical_url: https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/troubleshooting-renders/
source: docs/dashboard/troubleshooting-renders.md
content_revision: 6338386a1dd87e4a
---

# Troubleshoot failed or delayed renders

Use the render status and the error shown at submission to choose the next action.

## When to use it

Use this guide if a job fails, stays in the queue, does not download, or differs from its browser preview.

## How to check a render

**Navigation: Dashboard → Renders.**

1. Open [Renders](https://app.zvid.io/videos).
2. Choose **All**, **Videos** or **Images** to match your output.
3. Enter the name or resolution in **Search by name or resolution…**. This searches the latest 50 loaded jobs for the selected type.
4. Read the job's badge. **Ready** means completed; **Rendering** means active processing; **Waiting**, **Pending** or **Stalled** have not produced a completed output; **Failed** means the job did not complete successfully.
5. If you submitted from the editor, also read its render dialog. It can show the error message and field-level details. A bulk render's detail page shows errors for failed items.

![Zvid Renders page with the Failed status filter selected and two failed render cards showing Preview unavailable.](https://docs.zvid.io/img/dashboard-guide/renders-failed-filter.png)

> **The standard Renders card does not expose a full error-detail panel or a retry button. For deeper diagnostics, developers can retrieve job status through the [API reference](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/endpoints/get-render-job/). Keep the original error message when it is displayed.**

## My render failed

**Cause:** A failed job can result from invalid project data or a media source that the cloud renderer cannot load or process. The specific error determines the cause.

**Solution:**

1. Read the error in the editor's render dialog or the relevant [bulk item](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/bulk-renders/).
2. Return to the saved draft under **Projects → Open in editor**, or the template you used.
3. Correct the field or asset identified in the error. Do not assume changing the render's display name changes the project.
4. Preview the project. For templates, run **Preview (free)** again; this checks the resolved project JSON, not the final media.
5. Deliberately submit a new render only after correcting the cause. A new submission may spend credits.

If the failure has no visible explanation, contact <a href="https://zvid.io/contact" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://zvid.io/contact</a> with the job ID when available, the approximate time, and the error text. Do not send API keys or webhook secrets.

## My render is taking longer than expected

**Cause:** The job may still be queued or processing. A network interruption may also leave the browser showing an older status.

**Solution:**

1. Check **Renders** and keep the status filter on **All** to include waiting jobs. The **Processing** filter does not include every queued state.
2. Reload the page to fetch the latest stored state. The editor also checks accepted jobs while its render dialog is open.
3. Check whether a completed job already exists before rendering again.
4. If the state remains unchanged and you need assistance, include the job information when contacting support.

No completion-time guarantee is implied by a progress percentage. Do not create repeated paid submissions to refresh progress.

## I do not have enough credits

**Cause:** The requested render requires more available credits than the account currently has, including reservations for other work.

**Solution:** Open **Credits**, select **Refresh**, and inspect your subscription and one-time balances. Wait for existing jobs to finish or review available options under **Subscription**. You can also reduce the project's dimensions or duration and validate the revised request. See [credits and usage](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/credits/).

## An image, video or audio asset could not be loaded

**Cause:** A source URL may require sign-in, expire, return an HTML page instead of media, or refer to an unsupported or corrupt file.

**Solution:**

1. Inspect the selected item's source in the editor.
2. Use a direct media URL that the cloud service can access. A page's share link is not necessarily a media-file URL.
3. Replace an expired or inaccessible URL, or use the editor's **Upload** workflow.
4. Check the revised project before submitting again. See [media asset requirements](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/concepts/media-assets/).

## My video is Ready but will not download

**Cause:** **Download** needs a usable output URL and a successful browser fetch. Connectivity or browser restrictions can interrupt the download.

**Solution:** Open the three-dot menu → **View** to check whether the output opens, then retry **Download**. If neither works, reload the list and contact support with the job information. A failed download does not itself mean the cloud render failed.

## The finished video differs from the preview

**Cause:** Browser preview and cloud rendering use different playback and rendering paths. Some effects cannot be reproduced exactly in the editor preview.

**Solution:** Compare the actual output with the intended layout, then check the element's timing, font, fit mode and source. See [preview limitations](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/preview/) and [canvas and positioning](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/canvas/). Change the project and submit a new render only when needed.

## What happens next

After correcting the cause, follow the new job until it reaches **Ready** and download the output. Keep the saved draft for future edits.

## Related documentation

- [Find and manage renders](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/videos/)
- [Template preview and rendering](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/templates/)
- [Bulk renders](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/bulk-renders/)
- [API errors, timeouts and retries](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/operations/errors-and-retries/)
- [Troubleshoot webhook deliveries](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/dashboard/webhooks-deliveries/)
