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Images not uploading

Troubleshoot problems uploading photos to your recipes.

January 28, 2026
3 min read

Images not uploading

Troubleshoot problems uploading photos to your recipes.

Common issues and solutions

"Storage limit reached"

Why it happens: You've used all your image storage quota.

Limits:

  • Free: 25 MB
  • Premium: 1 GB

Solution:

  1. Go to Settings to check your current storage usage.
  2. Delete photos from recipes you don't need:
    • Open a recipe → Edit → Remove the image → Save.
  3. Or upgrade to Premium for 1 GB storage.

Tip: Each recipe photo typically uses 200 KB–1 MB. Free accounts can store roughly 25–100 photos depending on size.


Upload fails or hangs

Why it happens: Network issues or file problems.

Solutions:

  1. Check your internet connection. Try refreshing the page.

  2. Try a smaller image. Very large files (10+ MB) may fail.

    • Resize the image before uploading.
    • Most phones have a "Share" option that can reduce quality/size.
  3. Use a different file format.

    • Supported: JPEG, PNG
    • Not supported: HEIC (iPhone default), WebP, PDF
  4. Try a different browser (on web).

    • Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge all work.
    • Clear your cache if issues persist.

Image appears but looks blurry

Why it happens: The original image was very large and got compressed, or you uploaded a small/low-quality image.

Solution:

  • Upload a medium-sized, clear image (1–3 MB, at least 800px wide).
  • Avoid screenshots of small images.

"Failed to upload" error

Why it happens: Server error or temporary issue.

Solution:

  1. Wait a moment and try again.
  2. Refresh the page and retry.
  3. If it keeps failing, try a different image file to rule out file corruption.
  4. Contact support if the problem persists.

Can't upload from mobile app

Why it happens: Direct photo upload is currently web-only for some recipe editing features.

Solution:

  1. Transfer the photo to your computer (email, cloud storage, or USB).
  2. Open Spiceful in a web browser.
  3. Edit the recipe and upload the photo there.

Direct mobile upload is planned for a future update.


HEIC format not working (iPhone)

Why it happens: iPhones default to HEIC format, which isn't universally supported.

Solution:

  1. On your iPhone, go to SettingsCameraFormats.
  2. Select Most Compatible (saves as JPEG).
  3. Or convert the existing HEIC photo to JPEG before uploading:
    • Email it to yourself (auto-converts)
    • Use Files app → Share → Save as JPEG

Check your storage usage

On web

  1. Go to Settings.
  2. Look at Storage under Current Usage.
  3. You'll see used/total (e.g., "18 MB / 25 MB").

On mobile

  1. Tap Settings.
  2. View storage under your subscription status.

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