My photos won't upload
·3 min read
On this page
Three causes cover most of it: the file is too large (12 MB per photo, 48 MB per video), too many at once (10 per drop), and iPhone HEIC photos. HEIC cannot be read yet — on an iPhone, set Settings → Camera → Formats to “Most Compatible”, or save the photo as JPEG before uploading. If it is none of those, trying another browser is the fastest way to find out what it is.
The limits
| Item | Limit |
|---|---|
| One photo | 12 MB |
| One video | 48 MB |
| Files in one drop | 10 |
| Source product photos per project | 6 |
Phone photos are usually 3–6 MB, so this rarely bites. Files over 12 MB are generally DSLR originals or scans.
HEIC photos (iPhone)
An iPhone on default settings saves as HEIC, which cannot be read yet, so the upload fails.
Two ways round it:
- Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible makes future photos JPEG.
- For photos you already have, Share → Save to Files converts to JPEG. Sending it to yourself in a messaging app does the same thing.
Formats
jpg, png, webp and gif are read. Video is mp4 and mov.
PDFs, HEIC, and design files like Illustrator documents are not.
If it still fails
- Refresh and try again. Your session may have expired.
- Try another browser. A current Chrome or Safari is best.
- Disable extensions. Ad blockers sometimes block uploads.
- Try off the corporate network. Office firewalls sometimes block file uploads.
- Rename the file. Occasionally a name full of special characters is the problem.
It uploads but doesn't appear
While uploading, the card is dimmed. If it stays that way for more than a few seconds, refresh — usually the file is up and only the screen has not caught up.
Still stuck
Email hello@gestel.studio. These three make it much faster:
- Your browser and device (e.g. iPhone Safari, Windows Chrome)
- The format and rough size of the file
- A screenshot of whatever the screen said