> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.tella.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Why is my video taking so long to upload?

> Slow uploads, uploads stuck at a fixed percentage (0%, 50%, 90%...), and how to recover a recording that won't finish uploading.

Tella uploads your video **while you record it**. Two rules cover most upload problems:

1. **Keep the recorder open.** Uploads only make progress while the web tab, Chrome extension, Mac app, or Windows app that recorded the video stays open. If you closed it before the upload finished, reopen the same recorder to let it pick back up — and if it still doesn't finish, don't delete the recording; contact us and we can usually recover it.
2. **Never delete a stuck recording.** A recording that looks stuck can almost always be recovered — deleting it is the one thing that makes it unrecoverable.

## Before you contact us

A few things to know before you escalate a slow or stuck upload:

* **The upload percentage is not a reliable progress or recovery signal.** Whether it's stuck at **0%, 31%, or 98%**, the number doesn't tell you whether the upload failed or how much data is at risk. A "stuck" percentage almost always means the upload has **stalled, not lost** — the recorded data is usually still safe on your device, and the recording can typically be recovered.
* **Don't delete the recording** or clear app/browser data while you wait. That's the one action that can make a recoverable recording unrecoverable.
* **Gather this before reaching out**, so we can investigate without back-and-forth:
  * A **link to the stuck video** (open it from your library and copy the URL)
  * Which **recorder** you used: web app, Chrome extension, Mac app, or Windows app
  * Your **connection speed** (run a quick test at [speedtest.net](https://speedtest.net/) and note your upload Mbps)
  * The **video's rough length**
  * The **percentage it's stuck at**

## Slow but moving

If the percentage is climbing, it's your upload bandwidth:

* Test your connection at [speedtest.net](https://speedtest.net/) — Tella needs roughly **2.5–5 Mbps upload** to keep pace with recording.
* Weak or fluctuating Wi-Fi/4G makes uploads stop and start. If you go fully offline, Tella waits and resumes when you're back online.
* Very long recordings simply take a while to finish after you hit stop.

In this case, leave the recorder open and let it finish — the steps below are for uploads that have genuinely stopped.

## Stuck at a fixed percentage

If the number hasn't moved for a long time — whether it's **0%, 31%, 50%, 90%, 95%, or 100%** — the upload has stalled rather than failed. The specific percentage doesn't indicate what went wrong, and the recorded data is usually still safe on your device.

### Web app & Chrome extension

1. Reopen the same browser tab or extension you recorded in, open the recording, and give it a minute to see whether the upload resumes.
2. Record a \~1-minute test video. Does the test upload? Does the stuck one move?
3. If neither helps, run a speed test, note your upload speed, and contact us (see below).

### Mac app

1. **Quit and restart the Mac app**, then leave it open until the upload completes.
2. Check your connection is stable — the app resumes uploads automatically after drops.
3. Still stuck? Contact us with a link to the recording and a screenshot of your video folder (**menu bar → Help → Open Video Folder**).

### Windows app

1. **Quit and restart the Windows app**, then leave it running until the upload completes.
2. Check your connection is stable — the app resumes uploads automatically after drops.
3. Still stuck? Contact us with a link to the recording and the approximate time you recorded it.

## When to contact support

If a restart and a test recording didn't get things moving, reach out via the in-app chat or [support@tella.com](mailto:support@tella.com) with:

* A **link to the stuck video** (open it from your library and copy the URL)
* Which **recorder** you used and your upload speed
* The video's rough length and the percentage it's stuck at

<Warning>
  Don't delete the recording, clear browser site data, or uninstall the app before contacting support — stuck recordings can usually be recovered as long as the original data still exists.
</Warning>
