The network turned down the photo or video on this post, or a detail attached to it. The post did not go out. Adjusting the file or the details and publishing again is normally all it takes.
What happened
CivAll sent the post to the network, and the network refused it because of the media. Sometimes it is the file itself. Sometimes it is something the network checks alongside the file, such as a video title or description.
This post is recorded as Failed. Failed means it did not publish. Nothing partial went out and residents did not see it. If the post reads Checking outcome or Outcome unconfirmed instead, that is a different situation and publishing again is not safe until you check the account. See When a post is Unconfirmed.
CivAll does not retry this kind of failure on its own. A file the network refused will be refused again, so retrying without changing anything would only produce the same result later.
Why media gets rejected
Every network sets its own rules for what it accepts, and the rules differ from one network to the next. The same video can be fine on Facebook and refused by Instagram. The usual reasons:
- The video format or codec is not one the network accepts.
- The video is longer or shorter than the network allows.
- The image is too large, or its shape is too tall or too wide.
- The file is bigger than the network's size limit.
- The post is missing media the network requires. Instagram will not take a post with no image or video.
- A required detail, such as a video title, is missing or too long.
None of these are judgements about your content. A refusal over wording or subject matter is a different failure. See When a post is flagged as spam and When the network rejects the content.
What to do
- Open the post and look at the media on it.
- Compare the file against the requirements the network publishes for that kind of post. Those requirements change over time, so the network's own help pages are the reliable source.
- Replace the file, re-export it, or remove it if the network allows a post without media.
- Publish again.
If the post goes to several networks at once, only the network that refused it needs a different file. Giving that one network its own version of the post is often easier than changing the file for everyone.
Video files
Most video rejections come down to format or length. Exporting as MP4 with H.264 video and AAC audio is accepted the most widely. If the file came from a phone, a screen recording, or another agency, re-exporting it is usually faster than working out exactly which property the network objected to.
Photos
Photo rejections are usually size or shape. A very tall or very wide image can fall outside what the network will display, and a very large file can exceed the upload limit. Cropping to a normal rectangle and saving as JPG or PNG clears most cases.
Missing alt text never causes a rejection. CivAll flags it as an advisory because it matters for accessibility, but it does not block publishing.
YouTube
YouTube checks the video file and the details that go with it, including the title and the description. When YouTube refuses an upload, review all three before publishing again, not just the file. A title that is empty or too long will stop a video that is otherwise fine.
Instagram requires an image or video on every post. Text alone will not publish. Instagram also publishes through the linked Facebook Page, so an Instagram upload can fail for reasons that have nothing to do with the file. If the media looks correct and the upload still fails, check that the account is still connected and still holds the access it needs. See When you need to reconnect an account and When the account is missing a permission.
If it keeps failing
Publish the post with the media removed. If it goes out, the file is the problem and a fresh export is the next step. If it fails again without the media, the problem is somewhere else in the post or the account.
Contact support if a file that meets the network's published requirements is refused more than once. Include the account, the time you tried, and the file itself.