> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://klarity.ai/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Corrupted or broken uploads

> What to do when Klarity can't process an uploaded file — likely causes and how to recover.

export const NeedHelp = () => <Note>
    <strong>Need help?</strong> Use the in-app chat — click the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner of Klarity Architect (staffed 24×5) — or email <a href="mailto:support@klarity.ai">support@klarity.ai</a>.
  </Note>;

## Symptom

You uploaded a file (a video or document) and Klarity couldn't process it — the run failed at the upload or ingestion stage, or reported the file as unreadable, damaged, or corrupt.

## Likely causes

A file usually fails to process for one of these reasons:

* **The file is genuinely corrupt** — it didn't finish downloading/exporting, was interrupted during transfer, or was damaged by the tool that created it.
* **It's not actually a supported type** — the extension says one thing but the contents are something else (a renamed file), or it's a format Klarity doesn't accept.
* **It's password-protected or encrypted** — Klarity can't open locked files or encrypted archives.
* **The upload was interrupted** — a network drop mid-upload can leave a partial, unreadable file on Klarity's side even if the original is fine.

## Fix

Work through these in order — most uploads recover by step 2 or 3:

1. **Open the file yourself first.** Can you open it in its normal application (play the video, open the doc)? If *you* can't open it cleanly, the source file is the problem — go to step 4.
2. **Re-upload it.** If the original opens fine, the upload may have been interrupted. Try uploading again, ideally on a stable connection.
3. **Check the basics** — confirm it's a [supported type and within size limits](/docs/user-docs/discover/supported-file-types), remove any password protection, and give it a simple file name (no special characters), then re-upload.
4. **Re-export from the source.** If the file itself is damaged, re-export or re-save it from the original application (or re-record, for a video), then upload the fresh copy. Klarity can't repair a corrupt file — it needs a clean one.
5. **Try a smaller piece.** For a very large file, exporting a shorter section can both sidestep size limits and tell you whether the whole file or just part of it is the problem.

## What to collect before contacting support

If it still won't process after a clean re-export and re-upload:

* The **file type and size**, and whether it was password-protected.
* The **Operation/Run ID or link**, and the timestamp.
* The **exact error message** (a screenshot helps).
* Whether the file **opens normally** on your own machine.

## When to contact support

Reach out if a freshly exported, supported, unprotected file still fails to process — that points to something on Klarity's side worth investigating rather than a problem with your file.

## Related articles

* [Supported file types, size limits, and password-protected files](/docs/user-docs/discover/supported-file-types)
* [Why your video upload shows 'No audio detected'](/docs/user-docs/troubleshooting/video-no-audio-detected)
* [How to retry a failed Architect run](/docs/user-docs/troubleshooting/retry-a-failed-run)

<NeedHelp />