Album Upload Issues During the Ordering Process

If your album fails to upload during the ordering process, SmartAlbums will display an error message. This usually happens due to internet connectivity issues, security software, or network restrictions.

Common error message:

Quick fixes to try first:

1. Check your internet connection

  • Verify you're connected to the internet
  • Try loading a website to confirm connectivity
  • If using Wi-Fi, check your signal strength
  • Consider using a wired connection for large uploads

2. Retry the upload

  • Click Try Upload Again in the error message
  • Or go back to SmartAlbums and restart the ordering process: Export > Order Album
  • The upload will start fresh from the beginning

3. Close unnecessary applications

  • Close other programs using your internet connection
  • Pause any downloads, streaming, or cloud backups
  • This frees up bandwidth for the upload

If the problem persists:

Check security software

Antivirus software:

  1. Temporarily disable your antivirus software
  2. Retry the upload
  3. Re-enable your antivirus after the upload completes
  4. If this fixes the issue, add SmartAlbums to your antivirus whitelist/exceptions

VPN:

  1. Disconnect from your VPN
  2. Retry the upload
  3. Reconnect to your VPN after completion
  4. If needed, contact your VPN provider about allowing SmartAlbums connections

Firewall:

  1. Check if your firewall is blocking SmartAlbums
  2. Add SmartAlbums as an allowed application in your firewall settings
  3. Retry the upload

Check network restrictions

Corporate or school networks:

  • Your network may block certain uploads
  • Try using a personal network or mobile hotspot
  • Contact your IT department if on a work network

Public Wi-Fi:

  • Public networks often have restrictions or are unstable
  • Switch to a private, secure network if possible

Try a different network

If other solutions don't work:

  1. Switch to a different Wi-Fi network
  2. Use a mobile hotspot from your phone
  3. Try uploading from a different location

Understanding the upload process:

Upload time

  • Upload time depends on your album size and internet speed
  • Typical uploads take 2-10 minutes
  • Larger albums may take longer

What gets uploaded

  • SmartAlbums uploads high-resolution versions of your album spreads
  • File sizes can be several hundred MB depending on album size

When to contact support:

  • You've tried all the solutions above and uploads still fail
  • The error occurs repeatedly across different networks
  • You receive a different error message than shown above
  • The upload gets stuck at a specific percentage

What to include when contacting support:

  • Screenshot of the error message
  • Your album size and number of spreads
  • Your internet connection type and speed (if known)
  • Steps you've already tried
  • Whether the issue happens with all albums or just one specific album

Prevention tips:

Before starting an upload:

  • Ensure stable internet connection
  • Close bandwidth-heavy applications
  • Temporarily disable VPN and security software if needed
  • Don't put your computer to sleep during upload
  • Keep SmartAlbums active (don't minimize or switch away for too long)

Troubleshooting checklist:

Use this checklist to systematically troubleshoot upload issues:

  •  The internet connection is stable and working
  • Tried retrying the upload at least twice
  • Closed other applications using the internet
  • Temporarily disabled antivirus software
  • Disconnected from VPN
  • Checked firewall settings
  • Tried a different network
  • Restarted SmartAlbums
  • Restarted computer

If all items are checked and the issue persists, contact us at support@smartalbums.com 

Related issues:

Upload is very slow but not failing

  • This is often normal for large albums
  • Check your internet upload speed (not download speed)
  • Be patient - don't cancel unless it's been stuck for 30+ minutes

Can't start the upload process

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