What is Video Processing?
Once you upload a video to Uscreen, it will enter a processing state. This means your video is going through several important steps to prepare it for publishing.
During this time, your video is not yet publicly visible in your catalog. You’ll see a notice like this in your video settings:
What Happens During Processing?
Video processing includes multiple background tasks that ensure a smooth viewing experience for your members and compliance with Uscreen’s terms.
Key Steps Included in Processing
Transcoding – Your video is converted into multiple resolutions and formats so it plays well across devices and network conditions.
Auto-Caption Generation – Captions are automatically generated for your video and to provide accessibility to your members. (You can edit them later)
Thumbnail Creation – Default thumbnails are being generated from stills of your video.
Content Review – A compliance scan is run to ensure your content meets Uscreen’s Content Criteria. Learn More →
Why Processing Matters
Processing helps protect your business and your members by:
Improving playback quality and accessibility.
Helping maintain brand trust by reducing publishing errors.
This step gives you peace of mind that your video will work well and be available to your members across a wide variety of devices.
How Long Does Processing Take?
Video processing can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 72 business hours, but it is more likely to be on the shorter side rather than the longer side. Larger or longer videos may require additional time.
When uploading a video to Uscreen, if you find it's taking a while to upload, check your upload speed. You can test the speed here:
Slower internet speeds, particularly your upload speed, may mean longer upload times.
Transcoding Videos
After a video is successfully uploaded, it must go through a process called Transcoding. Transcoding is necessary for properly formatting and optimizing videos for streaming or playback. It involves converting the video to a compatible format.
Videos very rarely get stuck transcoding. More often, they just take longer than you're anticipating. Factors like file size, bit rate, and more determine how long it takes to transcode a video.
Below is an estimated timeline of how long it takes to transcode videos based on file sizes. These estimates are industry standard for all platforms including platforms like YouTube.
File Size | Estimated Transcoding Time |
100 MB | 5 minutes |
250 MB | 10 minutes |
500 MB | 20 minutes |
750 MB | 30 minutes |
1 GB | 40 minutes |
2 GB | 80 minutes |
3 GB | 120 minutes |
Please keep in mind that these are only rough estimates, and the actual transcoding time may vary due to several factors other than file size. Please be patient.
Here are recommendations to try to prevent video transcoding issues or delays:
Make sure your video files are compressed per our guidelines.
Make sure your internet connection is strong.
Once processing is complete, your video will be ready for publishing, unless it has been flagged for a manual review.
Tip: For timely releases, upload your content at least 24 hours in advance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I publish or schedule a video while it's still processing?
A: Yes, however, videos must finish processing before they will be visible in your catalog.
Q: Will I be notified when processing is complete?
A: Yes! You’ll receive a notification when your video is ready to be published.
Q: Does processing happen for livestreams, too?
A: Not while the stream is live. However, recorded livestreams undergo processing once the event ends.
Q: What happens if my video fails processing?
A: Videos that encounter an issue during the transcoding process will automatically be removed after 24 hours of unsuccessful retries.