Troubleshooting Stra.ai: Errors, Translation Issues, and Billing Problems
Troubleshooting Stra.ai: Errors, Translation Issues, and Billing Problems
Stra.ai is an actively developed product. Most issues are rare and resolve quickly, but when something does go wrong it helps to know what to check first. This guide covers the most common problems and what to do about each one.
Processing errors and failed projects
The most common issue is a project that fails during the transcription or translation stage. This can happen occasionally and is usually not related to your file or settings.
If your project fails you will see an error status on the dashboard. Open the project to confirm it failed rather than just stalled.
What to do:
First, check that your file meets the basic requirements. Stra.ai accepts MP4 and MOV files between 5MB and 1GB. Files outside these limits will not process. If your file is over 1GB, split it into parts and process them separately.
If your file is within the limits and the project still failed, contact the Stra.ai team directly. Use the chat bubble in the bottom right corner of any page inside Stra.ai. The team typically responds within a few minutes and can resolve most processing errors on their end very quickly.
Credits: If a project fails due to a processing error on Stra.ai's side, your credits are automatically refunded. You will not lose anything.
Transcription problems
If your project completes but the transcription looks wrong, garbled, or is in the wrong language, the most common cause is an incorrect source language setting.
Check that the source language you selected matches the language actually spoken in the video. If you are not certain, use Auto Detect. It handles most common languages reliably.
If the transcription completed but individual segments are wrong, use the Re-transcribe this segment option from the three-dot menu on that segment. This asks the AI to listen to that section of audio again without reprocessing the whole project.
Speaker detection issues
If speakers are being assigned to the wrong dialogue lines, the most reliable fix is to make sure you selected Auto Detect for the number of speakers when creating the project. Manually setting a speaker count is known to cause incorrect speaker assignments in some cases.
If you have already processed the project with a manual speaker count and are seeing assignment errors, you can fix them by dragging segments to the correct speaker channel in the timeline. See the Dubbing Timeline guide for how to do this.
Translation quality issues
If your translation sounds robotic, stiff, or unnatural, the most effective fix is to use a custom prompt or style preset when setting up the project. The translation engine responds well to clear style instructions.
Try one of the built-in presets first. If none of them fit your content, write a short custom prompt describing the tone, register, and context of your video. Even a single sentence makes a noticeable difference.
For individual lines that still feel off after processing, use the arrow button in the work area to re-translate that line with fresh AI output. Or edit the translation column directly if you know what the correct output should be.
For recurring mistranslations of names, terms, or brand language, use the Find and Replace tool to fix all instances at once rather than correcting each line individually.
See the Custom Prompts guide for a full walkthrough of how to get the best translation quality from the first pass.
Server maintenance and unexpected downtime
Stra.ai occasionally performs server maintenance. During maintenance windows some features may be unavailable or projects may fail unexpectedly. There is currently no advance notification system for maintenance windows.
If Stra.ai is not responding or projects are failing across the board, wait a short time and try again. Maintenance windows are typically brief. If the issue persists after 30 minutes, contact the team via the chat bubble or the Contact Us link in the left sidebar.
Billing and credit issues
Credits not updating after upgrade: If you upgraded your plan but your credit balance has not updated, try refreshing the page. If the balance still shows the old amount after a few minutes, contact the team via the chat bubble. Plan upgrades are applied immediately on the backend and any sync issue is resolved quickly.
Project charged but failed: Credits are automatically refunded when a project fails due to a processing error on Stra.ai's side. If you believe you were charged for a failed project and did not receive a refund, contact the team with the project name and approximate time and they will investigate.
Not sure how many credits you have: Your current credit balance is always visible at the bottom left of the dashboard. Click your profile icon to see full account details including credits used and your active plan.
Need to upgrade or change your plan: Click the Upgrade button at the bottom left of the dashboard. This opens the pricing page where you can switch plans or change between monthly and yearly billing at any time.
For a full breakdown of credits and plans see the Credits and Pricing guide.
How to contact Stra.ai support
There are two ways to reach the team directly.
The chat bubble in the bottom right corner of any page inside Stra.ai opens a direct message window. This is the fastest option and the team typically responds within a few minutes during operating hours.
The Contact Us link in the left sidebar below AI Dubbing and AI Subtitles opens your email client with the support address pre-filled. Use this for detailed bug reports or anything that benefits from a written record.
Both channels reach the same team.