---
title: "A file would not import"
description: "Check unsupported formats, missing source files and partial imports, then retry the same meeting."
updated: "2026-09-21"
canonical: https://docs.recordstead.app/troubleshooting/file-would-not-import
---

# A file would not import

First check whether the file can be selected. WAV, MP3, AIFF, M4A, FLAC,
MP4 and MOV work without extra software. MKV, WebM and OGG appear only when
`ffmpeg` is installed; otherwise the picker hides them and a drop is refused.
Install `ffmpeg` yourself or convert the file to a supported format, then
[add it again](https://docs.recordstead.app/recording/import-files).

## A meeting appears with an import error

A **Processing Failed** notification names the file and reason. If some
tracks were saved, the meeting remains in the list with an error on
**Recording**. Restore access to missing original files at their original
locations, then click **Retry Import** on that step. The same meeting continues
and already stored tracks are kept. Relaunching does not retry it for you.

If nothing was copied, the empty meeting is removed. Fix the cause and add
the file again. If the complete recording was saved but a later processing
step failed, the audio remains with the meeting; retry that later step instead.

**Your result:** the meeting has its stored recording and can continue to
transcription. Your source files are kept unless you asked Recordstead to move
them to the Trash after a successful copy.