When you attempt to upload a file to the Asset Library, the upload may fail silently (progress bar freezes), show an error, or complete without the file appearing in the library. In most cases, the cause is a file that exceeds the platform's maximum file size limit.
Acoustic Campaign enforces a hard limit of 100 MB for all file types uploaded to the Asset Library. There are no exceptions to this limit and no way to bypass it.
File size limits by type
| File type | Maximum size |
|---|---|
| Images (JPG, PNG, GIF, SVG) | 100 MB |
| Videos (MP4, MOV, AVI) | 100 MB |
| Documents (PDF, DOCX, PPTX) | 100 MB |
| Audio (MP3, WAV) | 100 MB |
| All other file types | 100 MB |
How to fix it
Step 1: Confirm the file size before uploading
Before attempting the upload, verify the file size on your computer.
Windows
- Right-click the file in Windows Explorer and select Properties.
- Look at the Size field (not "Size on disk").
- If it shows more than 100 MB, you must compress the file before uploading.
Mac
- Right-click (or Control+click) the file in Finder and select Get Info.
- Check the Size field.
- If it exceeds 100 MB, compression is required before uploading.
Step 2: Compress the file using an external tool
Acoustic Campaign does not have a built-in compression tool. You must reduce the file size externally before uploading.
Videos
- HandBrake (free, cross-platform): Import your video, select a preset such as "Web Optimized" or "Fast 1080p30", and export. Videos over 300 MB can typically be reduced to under 100 MB with minimal quality loss.
- Adobe Media Encoder (paid): Use the H.264 codec with a target bitrate that brings the file under 100 MB.
- Clideo or Compress Video Online (free, browser-based): Upload your video and select a target file size under 100 MB.
Images
- TinyPNG / TinyJPG (free, online): Compresses PNG and JPG files with minimal visible quality loss.
- Adobe Photoshop: Use File > Export > Save for Web and adjust quality settings until the output is under 100 MB.
- GIMP (free): Use File > Export As and adjust the quality or compression settings.
PDFs
- Adobe Acrobat: Use File > Reduce File Size or the Optimize PDF tool.
- ilovepdf.com (free, online): Upload your PDF and use the Compress PDF tool.
Step 3: Host the file externally and link to it (recommended for large videos)
For large video files, the best practice is to host the video on an external platform and embed a link or thumbnail in your email rather than uploading the raw file. This also improves email deliverability, since most email clients do not play embedded videos natively.
Recommended external hosting platforms:
- Vimeo or YouTube: Upload your video, get the shareable link, and insert it as a hyperlink or linked thumbnail image in your Acoustic Campaign email.
- AWS S3, Google Cloud Storage, or Azure Blob Storage: Upload your file and generate a public URL to reference in your email.
- Your company's CDN: If your organization has a content delivery network, this is the preferred option for branded video content.
Best practice: Even if a video is under 100 MB, hosting it externally and using a linked thumbnail image in your email is recommended. Most email clients block or ignore embedded video, and a thumbnail-to-link approach ensures a consistent experience for all recipients.