Upload failed

Source uploads fail for a small number of predictable reasons. Match the error message to the row below.

Common errors

"File too large"

Your file is over 20 MB, the per-file cap on every plan.

Workarounds:

• For PDFs: re-export at lower quality (most PDF tools have "compress" or "reduce file size")
• Split the file into chapters and upload the part you're studying

"Unsupported format"

Your file extension isn't in the supported formats list.

Workarounds:

• Convert to PDF (most apps have an export-to-PDF option)
• Paste content as text using Paste text instead of file upload
• For obscure ebook formats, use Calibre or another converter

"OCR failed"

We tried to OCR a scanned PDF and gave up. Usually means the PDF has unusual fonts, low scan quality, or is heavily watermarked.

Workarounds:

• Try a higher-quality scan if available
• Run OCR yourself with Acrobat / Tesseract / a service like Adobe's online OCR, then re-upload as a searchable PDF
• For unscannable content, paste the text directly

"Encrypted PDF"

We can't process password-protected PDFs.

Workaround: open the PDF, enter the password, save an unlocked copy, upload that.

"Video unavailable"

For YouTube imports — the video is age-restricted, region-locked, private, or removed.

Workarounds:

• Confirm the URL works in an incognito window (logged out)
• For region-locked content, you'd need a different source — we don't proxy
• For private videos, get the creator to make it unlisted (still works) or paste the transcript text

"Too many upload requests"

You started many uploads within a minute. There's no daily limit — wait a minute and try again.

Your plan's limit for this source

The source is longer than your plan allows per source: 40 pages or 30 minutes of video on Free, 100 pages or 2 hours on Plus, 200 pages or 6 hours on Pro, 500 pages or 12 hours on Ultra.

Workarounds:

• Upload the chapter or section you're studying, or split the file
• Upgrade — the current limits are on the pricing page

"Storage quota exceeded"

Your library has reached 10 GB, the storage limit on every plan.

Workaround: delete sources you've finished — see Delete a source. Saved decks survive.

Generic "Upload failed"

If the error message is just "Upload failed" with no specifics:

1. Refresh and try again — most are transient.
2. Try a smaller file (a 1-page PDF) — confirms whether it's the file or the connection.
3. Try a different browser — confirms whether it's a browser-specific issue.
4. Check https://status.ritsu.ai for incidents.

Still failing?

Email support@ritsu.ai with:

• File name + size + format
• Error message exactly
• Browser + OS

Attach the file if it's not sensitive — speeds up debugging.