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How to solve upload problems

Last updated on 10 Nov 2022
3 min read

Document uploading is a vital part of using Sketch and we always keep an eye on our platform to make sure uploading is stable.

However, some issues may arise where uploads are not working as expected. We’ve collected a list of common causes and their solutions. After looking into the common causes, your file is still not uploading, please contact us so we can take a closer look.

Common causes of upload problems

Internet connection issues

If your internet connection is slow or intermittent, it can cause an upload to fail. If your internet connection is normally fast and stable, it could be a temporary issue.

Some public WiFis, like those in cafés, airports, or hotels, could be much slower than your regular connection. Try finding a faster, more stable connection and try uploading again. Also, note that the larger the file is, the more it will be affected by a slow or intermittent connection.

A VPN or corporate network

VPNs and corporate networks may have settings that block the connections Sketch needs to upload files. If you are using a VPN or at an office, switch networks and retry.

If switching networks is not possible, you may need to reach out to the right team in your organization and ask them to check that traffic is allowed in both directions (inbound and outbound) for the list of endpoints detailed in this article.

Uploading from old Sketch versions

If you upload from previous Sketch versions, you may sometimes encounter problems. Sketch versions over six months old could cause upload issues. Upgrade to the latest version available for your plan and the macOS version you are running, and retry the upload.

My document is taking a long time to process, what can I do?

Uploading can take more or less time depending on two things:

  • if it’s the first time you have saved it
  • the size of the file you are uploading.

The first save takes more time as more data is, processed. The file size can affect the time needed to process your document. Give it some time and it should be processed correctly.

I see an error that the document could not be processed , what can I do?

Sometimes your document is successfully uploaded, but something goes wrong, and it cannot be processed and displayed in the Web app. When this happens, you’ll see the below error message:

Alert message of a document that was not processed

If the errors continue, try deleting the local document cache and retry the upload:

  1. Quit Sketch.
  2. Open Finder, go to the menu bar Go > Go to Folder... and paste this string: ~/Library/Application Support/com.bohemiancoding.sketch3/CloudDocuments
  3. Look for the file in this folder, make a backup copy and save it to your Desktop
  4. Change your backup copy’s extension name from “ sketchcloud ” to “. sketch ”. Select the file and press ⌘I , then change the extension name on the Name & extension section.
  5. Go back to the CloudDocuments folder and delete the local cache copy
  6. Launch Sketch, open the backup file on your Desktop and retry the upload using the workspace button on the top right side of the Sketch Toolbar

Update your document with the collaboration button

I cannot upload documents from the Mac app

If you see an error in the Mac app when trying to upload a document, the first thing to do is to rule out these common causes:

  • Ensure you are an Editor within the Workspace
  • If you are a Guest, verify that you have Edit access to the file you are working on
  • Check if any document-level restrictions apply to the file: open the document in the Workspace and click on the Share… button on the right sidebar.
  • Try a manual upload: locate the Sketch file on your Mac, open the Workspace Window in Sketch (press ⌘O) then drag and drop the file

Ensure you’ve ruled out the common causes listed at the beginning of this article. If the problem persists please contact us providing as much detail as possible.