Troubleshooting video and audio export issues

We recommend using the Publish feature to export audio and video (and then download the file) instead of the normal export flow. Publish can be up to 10 times faster than exporting audio/video files, and we find it more stable than local exports.

The audio or video is out of sync after export
Did you record your files outside of Descript? If so, that can sometimes lead to a/v sync issues in the source file. It may have been encoded with unsupported encoding or may have had issues with corrupted underlying file metadata.

It may be helpful to load the source file in a video player on your computer and see if it's also out of sync. If it is:

    • Try re-exporting the original file with the same settings
    • Try re-exporting the file with a different file extension or encoding
    • Reach out to the third-party hardware or software provider for assistance in troubleshooting
"Export failed" error messages
Sometimes, you'll get a message that the export failed for some reason. Here's how to interpret those error messages and what you can do about them.

Error: Could not get local path for requested asset

This means you're missing a file, maybe because it hasn't finished downloading. Wait for your project to download and try again, or you can replace the file by following this guide.

Error: Cannot create a word with endTime <= startTime

This error may indicate an issue with the Composition's underlying alignment data. To resolve this, try clicking the Help menu > Debug > Force fix corrupted alignment.

Choppy video playback in the editor or exported file
Choppy playback could be caused by a low composition frame rate setting. To resolve this, increase your composition's frame rate setting in the Aspect ratio and video settings menu.
Error Messages on Web Export
The web version of Descript allows you to export videos, audio, and GIFs. Web export works best on a Chromium-based browser, such as Google Chrome, Edge, or Opera. You may encounter issues using Safari. Video export will not work if you are using an unsupported browser, such as Firefox or Internet Explorer.

  • "Export failed" error messages:

    • "File format is currently not supported on web.": If your project contains ProRes files or other media formats that do not play back on the web, you won't be able to export the project. Exporting as a GIF does not work on unsupported browsers.
    • "Export failed due to system memory issues.”: Please try closing other programs on your computer or restarting your device to free up memory, then try exporting again. Or consider using the Publish feature instead to get your file up to 10x faster than exporting.
    • "Export failed due to file system limits in your browser." You may be experiencing issues because your file exceeds what your browser can handle. Please try using our Publish feature instead and then downloading the file locally.
    • "Export failed due to a network connectivity issue." Check your internet connection and try again." You may be experiencing a network error. Please make sure you have a stable and active internet connection when exporting.

You can try exporting with our Desktop app if you have any problems. Alternatively, you can always select the publish tab and then download your content by clicking the download icon.