> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.podigee.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.podigee.com/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/episode-publishing-fails-or-is-stuck.md). # Episode publishing fails or is stuck Find out why an episode does not go live or the publish button is disabled, and recover. Use this article when the publish buttons are disabled, the episode stays at **Publishing in progress**, the page shows **Ooops!**, or the status label does not change to **Published**. ## Protect your work * Do not delete the episode. You cannot undo a deletion. * Do not start a second publication or audio update while **Preparing audio files for publication** is running. A new preparation cancels the running one. * If you must stop, use **Cancel encoding**. The episode returns to its previous state: published with the old audio, or not published. {% tabs %} {% tab title="Classic view" %} ### Find the cause 1. Check the publish buttons in the episode header. A disabled button shows a tooltip with the reason. 2. Check the **Media Files** tab. A progress bar means that the preparation is still running. **Ooops!** means that the preparation failed. 3. Check the status label: **Not published**, **Scheduled for publication**, or **Published**. The sidebar **Episode details** shows **Published at** or **Will publish at**. 4. Check your mailbox. When a publication fails, the person who started the publication receives an email with the subject **"\[episode title]" was not published**. 5. Check whether a limit dialog replaced the publish buttons. ### Recover #### If the tooltip reads "In order to publish your episode, you first need to upload an audio file." The episode has no media file. 1. Open the **Media Files** tab and upload the file. 2. Wait for **You can now schedule the publication of this episode.**, then publish. ![Episode page in the classic view with the disabled Schedule publication button and the tooltip In order to publish your episode, you first need to upload an audio file](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-d53d462a484a93c4a55d8a632732cee536acc05a%2Fdoc-troubleshooting-003-classic-upload-tooltip.png?alt=media) The disabled publish button shows the reason in a tooltip; the Media Files tab below holds the upload area. #### If the tooltip says that a permission is missing To publish, you need the publish permission on this podcast and an active subscription of the podcast owner. 1. As an organization member, ask an organization admin for the publish permission on the podcast. See [Set organization roles and permissions](/documentation/connect-and-administer/account-and-team/set-organization-roles-and-permissions.md). 2. As a podcast editor, ask the podcast owner to publish the episode or to check the subscription. #### If the page shows "Publishing in progress" for a long time Podigee prepares the audio in the background. The page says **Depending on the duration of the audio file(s), this process might take a while.** 1. Keep the page open or return later. The progress bar updates by itself. 2. If the episode is scheduled, the publication happens when the preparation finishes. 3. If the preparation does not progress at all, select **Cancel encoding** and publish again. #### If the page shows "Ooops!" The full text reads **There was an error publishing the episode. Please check whether the audio file is valid and not too short. If the error persists, please contact us.** 1. Play the file on your computer to confirm that it is complete and not empty. 2. If you are not sure, export the file again and replace the media. See [Replace or remove episode media](/documentation/create-and-publish/production/episodes/replace-or-remove-episode-media.md). 3. Publish again. 4. If the error repeats with a valid file, contact Podigee Support. #### If you canceled the publication After you cancel a running publication, the page reads **The encoding is finishing, but the episode won't get published automatically.** The audio is prepared and stored. 1. Wait until the preparation finishes. 2. Select **Publish now\...** or **Schedule publication...** again. #### If the publish buttons are disabled during a Dropbox transfer Wait until **Dropbox file transfer in progress** disappears, then publish. #### If a dialog says that you reached a limit * **You've reached the episode publish limit (...) for your current billing period (...). Upgrade to publish more.**: the Launch plan allows a fixed number of publications per billing period. * **This episode already counts toward your billing period ...**: you moved a published episode into another billing period. Keep the publication date within the current period. * **Your plan includes ... podcast(s); you currently have .... This podcast is over your plan limit. Delete a podcast or upgrade to publish episodes here.**: the podcast is above the podcast limit of the plan. See [You reached a plan limit](/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/you-reached-a-plan-limit.md) for the recovery options. #### If the banner reads "You have exceeded your monthly minute quota." On an older plan with a minute quota, the preparation stops with **Minutes left are no longer sufficient for the encoding.** Select **Click to upgrade now.** or wait for the next quota period. #### If the episode is published but not in the feed of a directory The episode is live on Podigee. Directories read the feed at their own pace. See [Directory submission is pending or rejected](/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/directory-submission-is-pending-or-rejected.md). ### Expected result The status label reads **Published** or **Scheduled for publication**, and the sidebar shows **Published at** or **Will publish at**. If you selected email notification in the publish dialog, the person who started the publication receives the email **"\[episode title]" from "\[podcast title]" is live**. {% endtab %} {% tab title="Podigee workspace" %} ### Find the cause 1. Select **Episodes** and open the episode. The header shows the status badge **Draft**, **Scheduled**, or **Published**. The **Publishing** card repeats the status under **Status** and shows **Available after publishing** under **Public page** until the episode is live. 2. Read the **Visibility check** list on the episode page. **Recording processed**, **Title added**, and **Description filled in** must be met before you publish. 3. Select **Publish episode** in the **Publishing** card. The **Publish** page opens with the heading **Choose when this episode goes live.** 4. Read the **Publish readiness** list. Each item marked **Needed**, for example **Show cover art**, **Upload complete**, or **Processing finished**, blocks the publication. The **Publish episode** button stays locked until every item shows **Done**. 5. Read the note next to the buttons. **Publishing unlocks when the checklist is complete.** points to the list. **Processing is still running. The publish button unlocks when the file is ready.** means that Podigee still prepares the file. **This episode is already live.** means that the publication succeeded. 6. After a failed attempt, read the notice at the top of the **Publish** page. The notice reads **Add a title and description before publishing.**, **We could not publish this episode yet. Check the readiness items and try again.**, **Choose a future date and time before scheduling.**, or **Choose a scheduling time in the future.** The notice body repeats the reason from the check. 7. After a successful attempt, read the notice. **Publishing will finish after processing completes.** means that the publication waits for the audio preparation. ![Publish page in the Podigee workspace with the Publish readiness list that marks Show cover art, Upload complete, and Processing finished as Needed](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2e67a4409e2aa517b6b3d348bfc2f56af9815986%2Fdoc-production-007-publish-page.png?alt=media) The Publish readiness list names each item that blocks the publication. ![Episode page in the Podigee workspace with the Draft badge in the header and the Publishing card with the Publish episode button](https://2032417310-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FbqUKO6lljHGzkEAzliPI%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-2aca21c92675a14af456f138be6194bddac45907%2Fdoc-troubleshooting-003-draft-status.png?alt=media) The episode header and the Publishing card show the status of a draft episode. ### Recover #### If "Upload complete" shows "Needed" The episode has no media file. 1. On the **Overview** page, select **Add recording** on the **Current draft** card, and upload the file. See [Media upload fails](/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/media-upload-fails.md) if the upload does not complete. 2. Return to the **Publish** page and publish. #### If "Processing finished" shows "Needed" Podigee still prepares the file. The page reads **Processing is still running. The publish button unlocks when the file is ready.** 1. Keep the page open or return later. 2. When the item shows **Done**, publish. #### If "Show cover art" shows "Needed" 1. In the sidebar of the show, select **Settings**, then **Cover art**, and add a square cover image. 2. Return to the **Publish** page and publish. #### If the notice reads "Add a title and description before publishing." 1. Select **Edit details**. 2. Add the title and the description, then select **Save changes**. 3. Return to the **Publish** page and publish. #### If the notice reads "Choose a future date and time before scheduling." or "Choose a scheduling time in the future." 1. Under **Publishing time**, select **Scheduled**. 2. Enter a future date and time in **Schedule for**. 3. Select **Schedule episode**. #### If the notice reads "We could not publish this episode yet. Check the readiness items and try again." 1. Read the notice body. It names the reason, for example a plan limit or a failed audio preparation. 2. If the body names a plan limit, see [You reached a plan limit](/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/you-reached-a-plan-limit.md). 3. Correct the reason, then select **Publish episode** again. 4. If the error repeats, publish the episode in the classic view. The classic view shows the state of the audio preparation and offers **Cancel encoding**. #### If the notice reads "Publishing will finish after processing completes." The publication is accepted. Podigee prepares the audio first. 1. Keep the page open or return later. The status badge changes to **Published** or **Scheduled** when the preparation finishes. 2. If the badge does not change, publish the episode in the classic view. The classic view shows **Ooops!** when the preparation failed. #### If the episode is published but not in the feed of a directory The episode is live on Podigee. Directories read the feed at their own pace. See [Directory submission is pending or rejected](/documentation/connect-and-administer/troubleshooting/directory-submission-is-pending-or-rejected.md). ### Expected result Podigee confirms with **Episode published.** or **Episode scheduled.** The header shows the badge **Published** or **Scheduled**. The **Publishing** card offers **Open public page** for a published episode. On the **Publish** page, the note reads **This episode is already live.**, and the publish buttons are locked. What is different: * The **Publish readiness** list replaces the disabled buttons with tooltips. * The states are named **Draft**, **Scheduled**, and **Published**. * There is no **Cancel encoding**, no **Ooops!** state, and no Dropbox transfer state. A failed preparation appears as a notice on the **Publish** page. * Plan limits appear in the notice body, not as a dialog. {% endtab %} {% endtabs %} ## Contact Podigee Support Collect the episode ID from the **Episode details** sidebar, the exact error text, the time you pressed publish, and the email that reports the failure. Do not send the audio file, your password, or an API key. See [Find help and contact Podigee Support](/documentation/start-here/start-here/find-help-and-contact-support.md). ## Next step [Schedule or change an episode publication](/documentation/create-and-publish/production/episodes/schedule-or-change-an-episode-publication.md) describes every publication state. If you use an AI agent, see [Recover an interrupted publication](/documentation/start-here/ai-agents/transfer-media-encode-and-publish/recover-an-interrupted-publication.md). --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. 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