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Updated Feb 3, 2026|4 min read

Meeting Processing Stuck

What to do when transcription processing stops or stalls.

Introduction

If your meeting transcription is stuck in "Processing" status or hasn't completed after a reasonable time, this guide explains the retry mechanisms and how to resolve stuck processing jobs.

How Processing Works

NoteWave uses a Supabase-orchestrated job queue with Fly.io workers for transcription processing.

Processing flow:

  1. Meeting recording is uploaded or captured by bot
  2. Job is queued in Supabase with "Processing" status
  3. Fly.io worker picks up the job and sends audio to transcription service
  4. Transcription service (Assembly AI, Google Speech, etc.) processes audio
  5. Worker retrieves completed transcript and saves to database
  6. Status changes to "Completed" with transcript available
Processing Times
Typical processing times: 1-5 minute recordings process in 30-60 seconds. Longer meetings (30-60 minutes) can take 3-8 minutes. Very long meetings (2+ hours) may take 15-20 minutes.

Automatic Retry System

NoteWave has intelligent retry mechanisms with exponential backoff to handle temporary failures.

Retry Limits
  • • Maximum: 10 retry attempts
  • • Timeout: 24 hours max job age
  • • Startup: 5 jobs processed per worker startup
Retry Intervals
  • • Attempts 1-5: 30 seconds
  • • Attempts 6-15: 60 seconds
  • • Attempts 16-40: 120 seconds
  • • Attempts 41+: 180+ seconds

For authentication errors (token expiration), retry intervals are longer: 5 minutes, then 15 minutes, then 30 minutes to allow time for manual reconnection.

Check Processing Status

Monitor your meeting's progress from the Dashboard to see if it's actively processing or stuck.

Status meanings:

  • Pending - Queued and waiting for worker pickup
  • Processing - Active transcription in progress
  • Retry - Scheduled for retry with next attempt time shown
  • Failed - Processing failed after maximum retries (see error message)
  • Completed - Successfully transcribed and ready to view

Common Causes of Stuck Processing

Several factors can cause processing to stall or take longer than expected:

Network Issues

Temporary connectivity problems between workers and transcription services.

Service Delays

Assembly AI or other transcription providers experiencing high load.

File Size

Very large recordings (2+ hours) take significantly longer to process.

What To Do If Processing Is Stuck

Follow these steps if your meeting has been processing for longer than expected:

  1. Wait and Refresh - Wait 5-10 minutes and refresh your Dashboard. Processing may be in retry cycle.
  2. Check Internet Connection - Ensure you have a stable internet connection (only affects uploads, not processing).
  3. Review Error Messages - If status shows "Retry" or "Failed," check the error message for details.
  4. Allow Retries - Let the automatic retry system attempt to complete the job (up to 24 hours).
  5. Contact Support - If stuck for over 1 hour with no progress, contact us with the meeting ID.

When Jobs Are Abandoned

NoteWave automatically abandons processing jobs in certain scenarios:

Abandonment triggers:

  • Max retries exceeded - Job failed 10 times and won't be retried further
  • Job too old - Over 24 hours since creation (recordings may have expired)
  • Permanent errors - File not found, invalid format, or irrecoverable API errors
  • Token expiration - Persistent authentication errors with no manual reconnection
Abandoned Jobs
If your job is abandoned, you'll see a "Failed" status with an explanation. You can re-upload the recording to try again, or contact support for assistance.

Manual Recovery Options

If processing fails permanently, you have these recovery options:

Re-upload Recording

If you have the audio file, delete the failed job and upload it again to create a new processing job.

Contact Support for Recovery

Our team can manually retrieve and process stuck recordings if the audio file is still accessible.

Preventing Processing Issues

Reduce the likelihood of processing failures with these best practices:

  • Ensure stable internet connection when uploading files
  • Keep Zoom and Teams integrations connected (check token expiration)
  • Use supported audio formats (WAV, MP3, M4A) with proper encoding
  • Avoid uploading corrupted or damaged audio files
  • For very long meetings (3+ hours), consider splitting into segments

Get Help With Stuck Processing

If processing is stuck for over 1 hour or repeatedly fails:

What to Include
Contact support with: (1) Meeting ID or transcript ID, (2) How long it's been stuck, (3) Current status (Processing, Retry, Failed), (4) Any error messages shown, (5) Meeting source (bot, upload, Zoom, Teams).

Email: contact@blazesolutions.ai

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