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A freeze, a stuck upload, or a crash mid-recording doesn’t always mean the file is gone. If it happened in the Editor recorder or Screen Recorder, there’s a good chance you can get it back.

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How recovery works

If something interrupts your recording, Descript automatically starts recovery. You’ll see this both on the recovery page and inside your project. In a project, check the Uploading recordings section in the Project files pane. Files being recovered appear highlighted in yellow with a progress bar. Recovered recordings highlighted in yellow in Project files pane If you recorded using Descript for Web, visit our recovery page at web.descript.com/recovery. For Rooms recordings, recovery will automatically start when you rejoin the Room, or you can use the recovery page if you are unable to rejoin.

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If Descript finds an unfinished recording

On the recovery page, you’ll see upload progress. Recovery page showing upload progress of unfinished recording When the upload finishes, you can download a local copy or delete it if you don’t need it. You don’t need to download to keep the file — once recovery completes, the recording is automatically added to your Project files. Recovery page with download and delete options Recovered recordings aren’t added to your script automatically, since recovery can happen up to 7 days after a session. To use a recovered file, drag it from Project files into your script.

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If you don’t see a recovery prompt

First, check your Project files. Your recording may have been recovered but not added to your script. If it’s there, drag it into your script to start working with it. If you don’t see your recording, refresh your browser tab or the Descript window once (use Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + R on desktop). Avoid refreshing multiple times in a row — your file may still be uploading in the background.
Use the same app or browser to recover your fileRecovery only works in the same browser or app you recorded with. You can close and reopen it — just recover in the same environment (for example, Chrome or the desktop app).

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Why recorder issues happen

Recording problems usually come from a few common areas:
  • Browser or app conflicts: Using an unsupported browser, an outdated app version, or extensions that block mic/camera access can stop recordings.
  • Hardware conflicts: Your mic or camera may not be detected if it’s muted, unplugged, or already in use by another app.
  • Crashes or interruptions: If your computer crashes, restarts, or goes to sleep during a session, the recording may fail.
  • Upload interruptions: A slow or unstable internet connection can prevent upload to the cloud.
  • Low system resources: Running out of disk space, memory, or CPU can cause long recordings to fail.
We also cover some other recorder issues in the following articles: Troubleshooting recorder issues Troubleshooting Issues with Descript Rooms

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Still need help?

If you’ve tried these steps and still can’t find your recording, contact our support team. We’re here to help.