Fixed: Google Drive Video is Still Processing – 5 Common Methods

Many users report a "Google Drive video is still processing" error when trying to play or download any video uploaded to Google Drive. How to fix this error? Read this article to find out.

By @Yuka Last Updated November 11, 2024

User Case: Video Stuck in Processing State on Google Drive

 

“I uploaded videos days ago, but they're still not displaying full screen. If I try to download the video, I get this message: "Video is still processing and can be downloaded later". I've uploaded videos of the same format before and haven't run into this. I'm uploading the videos through Chrome on my desktop. How much time is needed for the videos to process?”

- Question from Google Photo Community

Have you ever seen the above error message when trying to play or download a video from Google Drive? The problem is that Google Drive video is still processing is common, but annoying because the processing time can take hours, days, or even forever. 

Why Does Google Drive Show a Video Still Processing Error?

In Google Drive, we upload videos in specific formats and resolutions. For the video to play on multiple devices and different network conditions, it needs to be transcoded. Just like on YouTube, videos are processed in a format that is compatible with all devices and networks. But the following problems may occur during processing:

๑ "Video is still processing & can be downloaded later." ๑ "We’re processing this video. Please check back later." ๑ "We're processing this video. Check back later or download the video now."

Why do these problems occur? Here are some known causes that may trigger video processing errors:

✿ The video upload failed. ✿ The size of the video file is too large. ✿ Internet speed is too slow. ✿ The browser's cache or temporary files are corrupted. ✿ There are some server issues with Google Drive.

How Long Does It Take for Google Drive to Process a Video

Users are confused, wondering "How long does it take to process a video on Google Drive?". Google Drive has no specific timing or rules for processing videos. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours to process a video for preview in Google Drive. In some cases, it may even take a few days.

Video processing time depends on video resolution, video format, file size, codec, Google server speed, and internet speed that transcodes the video. Users report that Google Driver takes about a few minutes to process a 50 MB file and about 15 minutes to process a 1 GB file, but it all depends on the specific video file.

How to Fix Google Drive Is Still Processing Error

Now that you know why Google Drive video is still being processed, let's take a look at some workarounds for those who suffer from this issue.

AOMEI Backupper

To avoid continuing to worry about Google Drive issues, you may back up your videos or other files to a Google Drive alternative - OneDrive. Learn the guide here.

#1. Verify the Internet Connection

You need an active internet connection to upload or download or even stream content stored on Google Drive. If you encounter a video is still processing on Google Drive error, please check your internet connection first. Here I take the Windows 10 system as an example.

  1. Press Windows + I key for opening Settings and here head to Network & Internet option.
  2. Now check your network status, you can also click on Network troubleshooter to resolve network-related issues.

✪ Note: if you are using a Wi-Fi connection then switch to ethernet to get a stable internet connection and speed.

#2. Sign out & in to your Google Account

The Google Drive video still processing error may be due to some kind of bug or glitch with your Google account. So please log out of your account, and after a successful logout, login again with the account you uploaded the video to on Google Drive and try to play the video. Many users confirmed that this trick worked for them to fix Google Drive and Google Photos issues.

  1. In your Google Drive interface, click the avatar icon in the upper right corner and click Sign out in the pop-up window.

2. Go to the Google Drive website, enter the correct Google Drive account information to log in, revisit your video and check that it is working.

#3. Update the Browser

Browser issues are always a big reason for poor website performance. Most of the time, upgrading your browser to the latest version resolves major bugs, including slow processing of online sites. The steps to update your browser may vary depending on your browser, here we demonstrate how to update Chrome:

  1. On your Chrome browser, click the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner. Navigate to Help and choose About Google Chrome.

  1. The browser will automatically start to check whether your browser has an updated version. If there is, it will automatically start downloading.

  1. After the latest version of Chrome is installed, you need to click Relaunch and Chrome will restart.

Then log in to Google Drive again and check if there is an error in processing the video.

#4. Clear Browsing Cache Files & Data

Cached files often cause problems with various applications and programs. The data and cache stored in your browser can corrupt or slow down web pages. Clearing browser cache and data helped many users resolve the Google Drive video processing issues.

✪ Note: Clearing all cookies in your browser can log you out of many websites. If you want to access them again using your personal account, you will need to log in again.

  1. On your Chrome browser, click the three-dot menu icon in the upper right corner. Then select More tools and Clear browsing data.

  1. Enter the Basic tab, select All time for the time range, and check Cookies and other site data and Cached images and files. Click CLEAR DATA.

Restart your Chrome browser and see if the problem is solved.

#5. Download Processing Video through Link Sharing

On multiple forums and support pages, users have reported that creating a share link and then downloading the video has resolved the issue with the on Google Drive video is still being processed.

  1. After logging in to your Google Drive account, just select the video in question.
  2. Right-click the file and select Share or click the share icon after that click on Get Shareable Link.

  1. Then open the sharing link on the new tab page, click the three-dot icon on the processing video, and finally, click the download all tab.

You'll see the video start downloading, and after a successful download, you can play the video without seeing the error that the video is still processing on Google Drive.

Backup Videos to OneDrive to Prevent Video Still Processing Error

Many users encounter different errors when using Google Drive. When Google Drive freezes or doesn't work, the data you backed up on it can also be lost or corrupted. There are different solutions for different errors. Spending the time to fix these issues can be extremely cumbersome.

To avoid continuing to worry about Google Drive issues, we recommend that you back up your videos or other files to a Google Drive alternative - OneDrive. It is the default online storage and sync service for Windows 10 and Office 365, offering a wealth of powerful features and apps for more platforms than any competitor.

Here is a method that can help you back up various files to OneDrive or other cloud services more easily and quickly. AOMEI Backupper Standard is a professional backup utility that is free for popular Windows operating systems such as Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 10/11.

It supports both file backup and file sync to OneDrive or other cloud services. Typically, backup refers to creating an image file that takes up less space and requires a recovery process before it can be used, while sync refers to creating a directly accessible copy of the original format. It provides you with flexible backup plans. Compared to the default upload method, this software provides more useful options. For example, you can schedule sync/backup your PC files or folders to OneDrive daily, weekly, or monthly. In addition to creating a backup to cloud services, you can also backup to USB drive, network location, NAS device, and internal or external hard drives.

Download this free software and give it a try. I'll use the sync feature as an example to show you how to use it to back up your PC files to OneDrive.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download
  1. Launch the software, navigate to Sync tab, and choose Basic Sync.

✦ Tip: AOMEI Backupper also embeds other 3 different sync modes, available after upgrading to the Professional version – “Mirror Sync”, “Real-Time Sync” and “Two-Way Sync”. Click here to learn the differences between Syncs.

  1. Click Add Folder to select the folders you want to sync to OneDrive. It’s possible to add multiple folders by clicking the + button.

  1. Click on the small down arrow beside the destination select box, choose Select a cloud drive in the menu.

  1. Then choose OneDrive in the popping out menu. You can double-click it to choose the specific folder as the destination. Click OK to confirm it.

  1. You can customize your sync tasks by clicking Options and Schedule in the lower left corner. After confirming all settings, click Start Sync.

✫ Options: You can choose to leave comments, send email notifications, sync deletions, verify file integrity, etc. here. ✫ Schedule: 5 options are provided here to automatically back up the PC to OneDrive - Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Event triggers, and USB plug-in. The last two are only available in advanced editions.

Tips: ✦ Besides OneDrive, you still can use Google Drive or Dropbox as a sync destination. ✦ If you only have a few GB of free storage, but want to backup a large number of files, the best practice is to use the Cloud Backup feature. It offers you 1TB of free storage from the time you sign up until 15 days, and you don't need to download the desktop application. 

Summary

This article provides you with 5 effective ways to fix Google Drive video still processing error. Hope your problem can be solved by these methods. Also, if you don't want to continue having trouble with Google Drive, you can switch to OneDrive and back up your PC files in a more professional way.

AOMEI Backupper not only provides you with simple file protection functions but also fully protects your system. In the face of a system crash, file loss is just a trivial matter. With AOMEI, you can create a system backup or disk backup of your computer with just a few clicks. Then never worry about any data loss due to system crash or hard drive corruption. Download it and have a try!