Transcription Failed? Automatic Retries
What happens when a transcription fails: up to 8 automatic retries, intervals from 5 minutes to 24 hours, follow-up emails, and 7-day file preservation.
If your transcription fails due to a temporary problem, you don't need to do anything: the system tries again on its own, first right away and then at increasing intervals — up to 8 attempts in total. No cycles are charged for attempts that fail.
How it works
Immediate attempts
Right after the failure, the system makes up to 3 consecutive attempts. Most temporary issues (network instability, traffic spikes) are resolved here without you noticing.
Scheduled attempts
If the immediate attempts aren't enough, up to 5 scheduled attempts kick in at increasing intervals: 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours, 6 hours, and 24 hours.
Final result
On the first successful attempt, the transcription appears in your library and you receive an email letting you know it's ready. If all attempts fail, you receive an email explaining the problem, with a link to support.
Good to know
- Retry engine: all automatic attempts use the Premium engine, the most reliable — even if the original upload used a different engine.
- Your file is kept: while there are pending attempts, the original file is preserved for up to 7 days. You don't need to re-upload anything.
- Constant checking: the system looks for jobs ready for a new attempt every 5 minutes. Jobs "stuck" in the middle of processing are also detected and converted into automatic retries.
- No double charging: cycles are only debited when a transcription is successfully completed — never for attempts that failed.
Emails you may receive
| Situation | |
|---|---|
| From the 3rd attempt | Progress notice ("we're trying again") |
| Successful attempt | "Done!" with the file name |
| All attempts exhausted | Error explanation + link to support |
Got the "we're trying again" email? No need to re-upload the file or open a ticket — the system is already handling it. Re-uploading the same audio just creates a duplicate job.
Not every failure triggers retries. Permanent errors — invalid or corrupted file, unsupported format, insufficient credits — are not retryable: you need to fix the cause and upload again. See the full list in Common errors and solutions.
Frequently asked questions
How many attempts are made in total?
Up to 8: 3 immediate attempts right after the failure and 5 scheduled ones (5 min, 30 min, 2 h, 6 h, and 24 h later).
Do I need to re-upload the file for the retry?
No. The file is preserved for up to 7 days while there are pending attempts.
Was I charged for the transcription that failed?
No. Cycle charges only happen when the transcription is completed and delivered.
All attempts failed — what now?
You'll receive an email with the reason. If the error is with the file, fix it and re-upload; if it doesn't make sense, open a ticket with the file name and upload time.
Related articles
Still stuck? Open a ticket and our team will help you.