How do I make my uploads go faster?
There are many factors that can affect your uploads, from the size of your files to other computers uploading on your network. It's also possible that your upload can appear to stall during the upload process. Wondering what you can do about slow or stalled uploads? Read through the articles below for more information.
There are two sections in this help document:
- How can I fix my slow upload speeds?
- What can I do when my uploads are stalled?
We recommend reading through both.
How can I fix my slow upload speeds?
Please read through the following section carefully.
- Have you tried turning it off and on again? It may seem trivial but most technical issues are resolved with a hard reboot of the computer. This installs any computer or browser updates, clears any cached information in the browser, and refreshes all the system memory registers. When a computer is restarted on a consistent basis it will keep it running optimally.
- Clear your Browser Cache & Cookies
- Google Chrome Instructions
Clearing your cache and cookies will erase any stored information and local settings - Check for any updates on your computer, to your browser, or app and install them. Then do a computer reboot.
- Try using an alternative browser, we recommend using Google Chrome. Already using Google Chrome, try an alternate.
- Check your Internet connection and speed here. Take note of your upload speed (yellow number) for Step 6.
If you are using WiFi, please double check which network your computer is connected to. Many operators have a Guest WiFi network and a private WiFi network. Using the Guest WiFi network may significantly throttle your upload speed. Be sure to revisit Step 1 of this section if you change your network.
For the best performance, make sure your upload computer is using a wired Internet connection
- In PicThrive, click on Workspace and select Settings. There, you'll find the Turbo Boost section. Please follow all the instructions when using the Turbo Boost.
We recommend doing this test with no active uploads. This test will optimize your current network connection. Your upload speed is one of the most important factors in getting your photos and videos to the cloud more quickly. The higher the upload speed, the faster your files are uploaded!
If you are using a web browser, you will have to refresh your page to save any changes. This will cancel any current uploads.
A good upload speed is above 10Mbps. A slow upload speed is below 5Mbps.
A good upload speed is above 10Mbps. A slow upload speed is below 5Mbps.
If you have a slow upload speeds you may benefit from using our PicThrive Instant app on your computer.
- Check the file sizes of the content you are uploading. If you recently got a new camera or if settings were changed on your current camera, this could dramatically increase upload times.
Compare photos/videos from an older date to determine if your file sizes have unexpectedly increased. If they have, please adjust your camera to change file size at the time of capture. - Are there any other computers uploading files on your current network? All computers on the same network share the same bandwidth. This may appear to slow down one computer, but it will not affect your uploads.
You can estimate the amount of time it will take to upload your content.
1. Get the average size of your files being uploaded. Eg 5MB per photo.
2. Get the # of files you need to upload per album. Eg. 150 photos.
3. Multiply the two numbers. Eg. 5MB*150 = 750MB
4. Measure your internet speed. We recommend: https://speedof.me/
5. Look for the average upload speed. Eg. 11Mbps
6. Use this tool https://downloadtimecalculator.com/ and input the two requested numbers. Eg. 11Mbps, and then 750MB
7. Click calculate and get your result. Eg. 9 minutes 31 seconds
8. This will give you an estimate on how long it will take in perfect internet connections.
1. Get the average size of your files being uploaded. Eg 5MB per photo.
2. Get the # of files you need to upload per album. Eg. 150 photos.
3. Multiply the two numbers. Eg. 5MB*150 = 750MB
4. Measure your internet speed. We recommend: https://speedof.me/
5. Look for the average upload speed. Eg. 11Mbps
6. Use this tool https://downloadtimecalculator.com/ and input the two requested numbers. Eg. 11Mbps, and then 750MB
7. Click calculate and get your result. Eg. 9 minutes 31 seconds
8. This will give you an estimate on how long it will take in perfect internet connections.
What can I do when my uploads are stalled?
Please read through the following section carefully.
- If you are using Safari as a web browser, please switch to a different browser. A bug in Safari itself can cause uploads to stall until the computer is restarted.
- If your videos are not uploading but your photos are, there is a chance that your computer's clock is wrong. Please adjust your time and timezone.
- Do your uploads keep saying "failed"? In the Workplace, click red icon on the top left of the album. It is possible that the file was moved during the upload and the browser can no longer find it to complete the upload.
- Did your computer go to sleep? Make sure that if you leave your computer unattended while it's uploading photos that it does not go to sleep. This can cause web browsers to lose access to your computer's hard drive, which may result file upload failures. You can change your sleep settings through your computer's Power & Sleep settings.
- If you are using PicThrive Instant, read here: PicThrive Instant Specific Settings
- Make sure you can access PicThrive. Open a new tab or your browser and try access https://workspace.picthrive.com. Make sure the History page loads. If not, try restart your computer or even your router.
