There are a number of different ways to upload a video to Vimeo. There are also quite a few steps a video has to undergo before it is successfully uploaded to and accessible on Vimeo. Due to the processes and connections required to upload, there are several areas to check if and when an upload fails. If you're having trouble uploading a video to Vimeo, following these steps may resolve your issue.
⚠️Note: If you are experiencing issues with uploading a higher resolution video, you may not see the high quality versions right away as they take longer to upload due to their size. While the higher resolution versions finish converting you may only see standard definition videos available for playback.
In this article:
Failed uploads
Most issues can be resolved by a simple do-over. If your video doesn't upload completely, try again. If it fails again during the second attempt, try the following:
- Use a different web browser, such as Chrome or Firefox.
- Check your original file for any playback, audio, or video issues. Some non-standard formatting may prevent a successful upload. Follow our compression guidelines whenever possible.
- Disable any browser extensions or ad-blocking software.
- Update your browser to the most recent version.
- End or pause any activities on your network that might be consuming a lot of bandwidth (i.e. streaming videos, online games, other uploads or downloads, etc.).
- If you're connected to a restricted network, such as in a workplace or education institution, contact your network administrator and confirm the following top level domains are whitelisted:
- *.vimeo.com
- *.vimeocdn.com
- *.akamaized.net
- *.appspot.com
- *.googleapis.com
- *.google-analytics.com
- *.hopx.cedexis.com
If none of these steps help resolve your issue, contact us with a detailed description of everything you've tried and what happens when you attempt to upload your video.
Slow uploads
In general, the amount of time it takes for a video to upload to Vimeo has to do with a few different factors, including the size of the file and the speed and reliability of your internet connection. As such, the amount of time it takes for an upload to complete is often outside of our control. We do not limit upload speeds — we take as much bandwidth as your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will allow. If your upload is slower than expected, it could be due to multiple factors, including:
- Lower overall upload speeds provided by your particular Internet plan
- Time of day / peak hours of usage with your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- Increased traffic on your local network
- Incorrect network, firewall, or router settings
To make sure you're getting the most out of your connection, there are a couple things you can try:
- Restart your modem and router
- To rule out any potential Wi-Fi connectivity issues, plug your computer directly into your modem using an ethernet connection and temporarily disable Wi-Fi
- End or pause any activities on your network that might be consuming or regulating bandwidth
If your upload is still slower than expected, try using this free internet speed test tool to get a sense of your current bandwidth.
Upload speeds are usually measured in thousands or millions of bits per second - Kbps or Mbps. It's important to note that bits (lower case "b") are not the same thing as bytes (upper case "B"). In other words, a 500 megabyte (MB) file will take more than 5 seconds to upload on a 100 Mbps connection.
For example:
Let's say your speed test result is 100 Mbps (100 megabits per second) and you're trying to upload a 500 MB (megabyte) file:
- First, convert your megabits per second (i.e. 100 Mbps) into megabytes per second (MB/s).
- Next, divide your file size (500 MB) by the result of your conversion (12.5 megabytes per second).
- The result of this equation (500 / 12.5 = 40) tells you how many seconds your upload should take if the bandwidth is consistent.
- In other words, a 500MB file should take about 40 seconds on a 100 Mbps internet connection.
You can always check the Vimeo status page for updated information on any current site-wide issues. Contact us if you've done the math and think that your uploads to Vimeo are still slower than they should be. Wherever possible, please share a link to the results of your speed test.