Everything was going great. You added music, made slick transitions, and exported your video in InShot. But then it stopped… frozen at 87%. You stared at the screen, hoping it would budge. Spoiler: it didn’t.
TL;DR: If your InShot export freezes at 87%, especially with long vertical videos, a corrupted asset (like a broken clip, transition, or filter) is likely to blame. Use trial and error to find the problematic element. Delete it or re-import it. After cleanup, your video should export just fine.
Welcome to the 87% Club
InShot is an awesome mobile video editor. You get your clips, line up everything, and hit export. Sometimes, though, it stalls at exactly 87%. It doesn’t say what’s wrong. No error message. Just endless waiting.
This happens more often with long vertical videos – the kind you use for TikTok, Reels, or YouTube Shorts. The longer the edit, the more elements you add. That’s when things get tricky.
Why 87% Though?
No one at InShot has said why. But based on testing and user reports, it seems 87% is where InShot handles certain effects and transitions near the end of your timeline.
Think of it like this:
- Clips? They’re fine.
- Music? Usually not a problem.
- Text, transitions, filters, and animations? That’s where it gets dicey.
Something in the file is likely corrupted. Maybe one of the clips didn’t import right. Maybe a filter glitched. Maybe some element was moved or deleted outside the app.
The Clues
What does a corrupted asset look like in InShot?
- Preview goes black around a certain spot
- Text you added suddenly disappears or doesn’t animate
- Transition doesn’t show properly in preview
- Clip plays differently than expected
If you spot any of these near the end of the video timeline, that’s where you want to focus. That’s your suspect.
The Fix: Corrupted Asset Cleanup
Ready to troubleshoot and get your export to 100%? Here’s how.
1. Duplicate Your Project First
Before doing anything, make a copy of your project in InShot. That way, if you mess something up, your masterpiece is safe.
2. Start Watching the Preview
Play your project from beginning to end in the preview window. Watch closely around the 80%–90% mark. It often lags before the exact freeze point.
If playback gets choppy or you see anything weird, mark that spot.
3. Remove or Replace Suspect Assets
Let’s say near the end, you find a clip with a transition that doesn’t behave. Try the following:
- Delete the clip and re-insert it.
- Remove the transition and test.
- Check for any multi-layer texts, stickers, or filters.
Use a process of elimination. Remove one element at a time and try exporting after each change. It’s a slow dance, but it works.
4. Mind the Audio
Music rarely causes issues, but voiceovers or imported sound effects can. If you notice a glitchy sound or if playback lags when audio starts, try removing the audio file and adding it back in.
Tip: If your music file was trimmed, re-trim it manually. Avoid multi-splits if they can be replaced with a new upload.
5. Avoid Overloading
Too many transitions, especially on short clips, can overload the render. If you’re trying to be extra fancy, dial it back and try again.
Victory: The Clean Export
Once the corrupted assets are gone or replaced, hit export again. This time, you’ll watch that progress bar slide past 87% like butter.
When it works, it’s pure joy. No fanfare. Just that glorious green checkmark after the render completes.
Lessons Learned
From this glitchy journey, here’s what you can learn:
- Always preview the full video before exporting.
- Duplicate important projects before major edits.
- Be cautious with transitions on split clips.
- Don’t go overboard with heavy animations in one section.
How to Avoid This in Future Projects
Nobody wants to go through all that again. Here’s how to prevent it:
Use Shorter Projects
If your video runs over 10 minutes, consider breaking it into parts. Work on separate projects and stitch them later. Less stress on your device = happier exports.
Export Earlier
Don’t wait until everything is perfect to try your first export. Try exporting halfway through. If it works, you know that portion is clean.
Limit Complex Effects Near the End
Since the freeze often happens near the export tail, go light on transitions and text effects in the final stretch.
A Quick Troubleshooting Checklist
Here’s a cheat sheet you can save:
- ✅ Duplicate your project
- 🎞️ Watch the preview and note any lag
- ⛔ Remove suspect transitions or overlays
- 🔊 Re-import audio if there’s playback weirdness
- 🧹 Simplify the timeline if overpacked
Final Thoughts
InShot freezing at 87% is annoying, but not the end of the road. With a bit of detective work, you can fix it. Cleaning up your assets is the secret sauce.
Next time you see that frozen export, you’ll smile. Because now, you’ll know where to look.
So go ahead. Make your vertical magic. And hit export without fear.