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 exceeds the per-file size cap.

Plan	Cap
Free	50 MB
Pro	200 MB

Workarounds:

• For PDFs: re-export at lower quality (most PDF tools have "compress" or "reduce file size")
• For audio: re-encode at lower bitrate (96kbps for speech is plenty)
• For video: extract audio only and upload as .m4a
• Last resort: upgrade to Pro or split the file

"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

"Daily upload limit reached"

Free plan limits at 10 uploads per UTC day. Resets at midnight UTC.

Workaround: wait, or upgrade. Pro is unlimited.

"Total storage exceeded"

Your library has hit your plan's storage cap (1 GB Free, 50 GB Pro).

Workarounds:

• Delete sources you've finished — see Delete a source. Saved decks survive.
• Upgrade.

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.