Troubleshooting: Upload, Processing & Download Issues
Quick answerMost issues have quick fixes: check your file type matches the tool, stay under the size limit, keep the tab open during processing, download within 1 hour, and hard-refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R) if a page looks broken.
The tools are built to "just work", but when something goes wrong it's almost always one of the issues below.
Upload problems
"File type not accepted"
Each tool accepts specific formats — Merge PDF only takes PDFs, HEIC to JPG only takes HEIC. Double-check you opened the right tool for your file type on the All Tools page.
Upload never finishes
- Check your internet connection — mobile data can silently drop large uploads.
- Very large files may exceed the free limit — the tool will say so; compress the file first or split it.
- Try a different browser or an incognito window (extensions sometimes block uploads).
Processing problems
The progress screen runs for a long time
Large PDFs and especially videos legitimately take time. The page waits and auto-starts your download — keep the tab open.
Processing fails with an error
- The file may be corrupted — try opening it locally first.
- Password-protected PDFs must be unlocked before other PDF tools can work on them.
- Try once more — transient server load can occasionally interrupt a job.
Download problems
⚠️ Download links are one-time and expire within 1 hour (that's the privacy design). If the link is gone, just run the tool again.
Page looks broken?
💡 Do a hard refresh — Ctrl+Shift+R (Windows) / Cmd+Shift+R (Mac). Your browser may be showing an old cached version of the page.
Still stuck? Reach us via the contact page with the tool name and what happened — we actually read these.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my download link stop working?
Links are one-time and expire within 1 hour for privacy. Run the tool again to get a fresh result.
My file is under the limit but upload still fails — why?
Usually a network hiccup or a browser extension. Try incognito mode, another browser, or a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Can I close the tab while a video converts?
No — keep the tab open. The page waits for the conversion and starts your download automatically when it finishes.