Common Transcription Errors and How to Fix Them
Complete table of transcription error messages: what each one means, whether the system retries automatically, and what you should do.
Every transcription failure is automatically classified into a category. Temporary ones trigger new attempts on their own; permanent ones require action from you. Use the table below to understand the message that appeared and what to do.
Temporary errors — the system resolves them on its own
In these cases, you don't need to do anything: the automatic attempts take care of the issue (see Automatic retries).
| Message displayed | What it means | Retry |
|---|---|---|
| "We identified a temporary problem with processing. We are trying again automatically." | Momentary service instability | In ~5 min |
| "Temporary usage limit reached. We will try again in 30 minutes." | Engine demand spike | In ~30 min |
| "Too many simultaneous requests. Trying again in a few minutes." | Request limit reached | In ~2 min |
| "The transcription service is temporarily unavailable. We will try again soon." | Engine server error | In ~5 min |
| "Could not connect to the service. Trying again automatically." | Network failure | In ~3 min |
| "Processing exceeded the time limit. Trying again." | Processing timeout | In ~5 min |
| "An unexpected error occurred. Our team has been notified and we will try to process again." | Unclassified error | In ~10 min |
Permanent errors — they require action from you
Here the system does not try again, because retrying would not fix it.
| Message displayed | Probable cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| "The file could not be processed. Check that the format is valid and try again." | Corrupted file or no valid audio | Open the file on your computer to confirm it plays; re-export and send it again |
| "File too large for processing. Try splitting it into smaller parts." | File above the limit | Split the audio or check your plan limits in Long files |
| "File not found. Please upload again." | The original file is no longer available | Re-upload the file |
| "Insufficient credits. Please top up your account." | Cycle balance does not cover the audio duration | Buy cycles or use a cheaper engine — the Standard one costs 1 cycle/min |
| "Authentication error with the transcription service. Our team has been notified." | Internal configuration problem | Nothing — our team has already been alerted; if it persists, open a ticket |
Low on credits? The same audio costs 4 times less on the Standard engine (1 cycle/min) than on Premium (4 cycles/min). And the Nano engine, in the browser, doesn't spend any cycles. See Choosing the engine.
If the error came already at upload (for example, "saved web page" when sending e-SAJ/PJe recordings, or blocked format), the cause is in the file, not in the transcription. See the upload issues article in the File Upload category.
Still getting an error?
If the same message repeats for hours, or if the message is not in this list, open a ticket and provide:
- The file name and the time of submission;
- The exact message that appeared;
- The chosen engine (Premium, Standard, Ultra, or Nano).
Frequently Asked Questions
Was I charged for a transcription with an error?
No. Cycles are only debited when the transcription is completed successfully.
How many times does the system retry?
Up to 8 times: 3 immediate and 5 scheduled at intervals from 5 minutes to 24 hours.
The error says the file is invalid, but it plays normally on my computer — what now?
Re-export the file to MP3 or WAV using any converter and send it again. Some files play locally but have damaged headers that prevent processing.
How do I know if the system is still trying?
The transcription appears with a processing/retry status in your library, and from the 3rd attempt onward you receive a progress email.
Related Articles
- Automatic retries
- Long files and automatic splitting
- Choosing the transcription engine
- How credits work
Didn't fix it? Open a ticket and our team will help you.