Reference

Troubleshooting

Symptom-based index of common issues — what to check and where to go next.

Last updated 2026-05-25

On this page

Symptom-based lookup. For deep explanations, follow the links to the relevant guide; this page is intentionally a quick triage index.

Upload issues

Camera cannot connect

Likely causes: wrong credentials, FTPS certificate not trusted by the camera, venue firewall blocking the port, weak hotspot signal, NAT issues with active-mode FTP.

Where to check:

Camera connects but files don't arrive

  • Confirm passive mode is enabled
  • Check the dashboard for a connection-status indicator
  • Verify the username matches the credentials issued by your dashboard
  • Try a different protocol (FTPS or SFTP) if plain FTP is intercepted

Browser upload stalls

  • Refresh the dashboard and retry
  • Check your local network — large files require sustained bandwidth
  • Confirm the file type is supported (see Supported file types)

Desktop app not uploading

  • Confirm you're signed in to the right account
  • Check that Upload mode is selected (not Download mode)
  • Confirm internet connectivity from the machine
  • Restart the app if it's stuck

Delivery issues

Files arrive in ZenTransfer but a destination didn't receive them

Likely causes: destination disabled, OAuth token expired, FTP credentials wrong, destination service rate-limiting.

Where to check:

  • Dashboard → destination toggle is on
  • Per-destination test button (e.g. on /u/ftpservers)
  • Cloud destination OAuth — reconnect if expired
  • History panel — find the specific failure reason

Dropbox uploads frequently fail

API rate limits during bursts. See Dropbox known issues blog and consider pairing with a second destination.

FTP destination times out

  • Confirm passive mode setting matches the destination's expectation
  • Confirm the port (21 standard, 990 implicit FTPS)
  • Use the Test button on /u/ftpserver/<id>
  • Confirm the destination server is reachable from the public internet

Email destination not arriving

  • Recipient's inbox may be filtering — check spam folder
  • Confirm the email address in the dashboard is correct
  • Whitelist the ZenTransfer sender domain with the recipient

Metadata issues

Metadata not embedded in delivered files

  • Confirm a template is active in your dashboard
  • Confirm clear-metadata is not enabled (or that you actually want a clean file)
  • Check the template fields — empty fields produce empty IPTC values

See Metadata templates and Resize and watermarks.

Edit the metadata template at the start of January. The year is not auto-generated.

Wire kicks back files as missing Credit

Wire ingest requires specific IPTC fields. Check the wire's spec, populate matching fields in your active template, and test with one file before relying on it for the assignment.

Extend or regenerate the share from the gallery's share settings. The gallery contents are not affected.

Share works but client can't download

The share was created with VIEW only, not VIEW + DOWNLOAD. Regenerate with DOWNLOAD permission.

  • Confirm gallery ingest is enabled
  • Confirm this gallery is selected as the active gallery
  • Confirm files have been uploaded (check History)

Live / realtime issues

Live indicator stays grey

The live channel is disconnected. Refresh the page. If still grey, check your internet connection — corporate proxies sometimes block the live connection.

Browser doesn't update with new uploads

If the live indicator is grey, see above. If colour but stale, refresh once to re-establish the connection.

Account / login issues

Forgot password

Use the password reset link on the login page.

Two-factor authentication problems

Contact support via the link in your dashboard footer.

Subscription expired

Resolve in your dashboard Settings → Subscription. Files in flight should still deliver during the grace period; new uploads pause when the subscription lapses.

Desktop and mobile app issues

Windows SmartScreen blocks the installer

See Bypass Windows SmartScreen (blog) for the exact steps.

macOS Gatekeeper blocks first launch

Right-click the app → Open → Open. After the first launch, normal double-click works.

Mobile app upload paused

Background upload may be paused by the operating system under low-power conditions. Bring the app to the foreground or charge the device.

When to contact support

If you've worked through the symptom checks and the issue persists:

  • Check the FAQ
  • Search the blog for recent known issues
  • Contact support via the link in your dashboard footer

Useful info to include when contacting support:

  • The exact time of the failed transfer
  • Source (camera FTP / Desktop / browser / guest)
  • Destination type and target
  • Error message from the History panel
  • Any network changes since the last working session

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