A source failed to import — what to do

Most sources import without a hitch, but now and then one fails. Here's how to figure out why and get it working. Work down the list — the first couple of fixes solve the large majority of cases.

1. Just try again

Sometimes the site you're importing from is briefly busy or rate-limiting requests. Wait a few minutes and import the same link again — this clears up a surprising number of one-off failures.

2. Check the link

• Make sure it's a link to a single video or episode, not a search page, a channel homepage, or a playlist index.
• Open the link in your own browser to confirm it actually plays.
• If you copied it from an app's share button, try copying the full web address instead.

3. Does the site require you to be signed in?

If the failure mentions needing to sign in (for example, "Sign in to confirm you're not a bot," a members-only video, or a private feed), the site only serves that content to logged-in visitors. That's what platform cookies are for — upload your signed-in session once and Shadow Edge can fetch it on your behalf. See What are platform cookies?

4. Things cookies can't fix

Some failures aren't about sign-in, and cookies won't help with these:

• Region-locked content — the site blocks the content outside certain countries. Shadow Edge fetches from its own location, so a sign-in doesn't change what region it appears to come from.
• Paywalled content you haven't bought — if your account doesn't have access, cookies won't grant it.
• Copy-protected (DRM) content — protected streams (for example, major streaming services) can't be imported, by design.

5. Check your plan's limits

An import can also be turned down because of your plan — for example, trying to download video on a plan that only includes audio, or hitting a daily/library limit. The error will say so, with a link to upgrade. See Plans: what each one includes.

6. Try a file upload instead

If a particular link just won't cooperate and you have the audio another way, switch the Add Source dialog to the Upload file tab and add an audio file directly.

Still stuck?

Email support@goshadowing.com with the link you tried and the exact message you saw, and we'll help.