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How to import a match from a YouTube, Google Drive or Dropbox link
Paste a YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox or direct video link to add a match without uploading it, including one match from a long stream.
Updated
If your match is already online, paste the link and we fetch the video for you. You don't need to download it and upload it again. This page also shows how to pull one match out of a long stream.
What links workLink to this section
| Source | What it needs |
|---|---|
| YouTube | Public or unlisted. Private videos can't be fetched. A normal watch link, a youtu.be share link, a Shorts link or a youtube.com/live link all work. One import can be up to 4 hours long. |
| Google Drive | Sharing set to Anyone with the link. The file has to be a video, up to 5 GB. |
| Dropbox | The normal share link. The file has to be a video, up to 5 GB. |
| Direct link | A link that goes straight to an MP4 or MOV file, up to 5 GB. |
Bigger than 5 GB? Upload the file itself instead. See Recording your matches for how to film so the match tracks well.
On the webLink to this section
From VideosLink to this section
- Open your account menu at the top right and choose Videos.
- Find the Paste a link card under Upload videos.
- Paste the link into the box.
- Only want part of a YouTube video? Fill in the start and end boxes next to Just part of it?. See Import just part of a long video below.
- Press Import. The button shows Checking… while we check the link. If we can't use it, the reason shows under the box straight away.
- When the check passes, the card says it's fetching your video. The video appears under Your videos and shows Uploading or Processing while we fetch and prepare it.
- When the video shows Ready, press Track to set it up in Match Tracker.
Only import footage you filmed yourself or have the owner's permission to use. On the web, pressing Import confirms that, as set out in our Terms.
From Match TrackerLink to this section
You can also paste a link while you start a new project.
- Open Match Tracker in the sidebar and press New tracker project or New project.
- On the Video step, choose Upload new.
- Use the Paste a link card the same way as above.
- Once the video is processed, it shows in the Pick from library tab. Pick it there to carry on.
In the appLink to this section
- Tap the menu button at the top left and choose Match Tracker.
- Tap Paste a link.
- Paste the link into the box.
- Only want part of a YouTube video? Fill in the Start and End boxes under Just part of it?.
- Tap Import.
- The sheet closes and the video appears in your list as Uploading, then Processing.
- When it's ready, the row shows Not tracked. Tap the three dots on the video (More options) and choose Track to send it for tracking.
If we can't use the link, the app shows Couldn't import that link with the reason. The messages are the same as on the web, listed under If something goes wrong.
Import just part of a long videoLink to this section
A full day tournament stream is usually far longer than your match. For YouTube links only, add a start and end time and we fetch just that stretch.
- Format: hours, minutes and seconds like
1:05:00, minutes and seconds like23:45, or1h5m. Use the times on the YouTube player's clock. - Up to 4 hours: the stretch between start and end can be at most 4 hours.
- Start only: we import from the start time to the end of the video, up to 4 hours.
- End only: we import from the beginning of the video to the end time.
- The name: your times are added to the video's name in your library, so you can tell your imports apart.
- More than one match from the same stream: import each one with its own times. Each becomes its own video.
A YouTube video longer than 4 hours can't be imported whole. If you paste one with no times, we ask you to add a start and end time first.
Start and end times don't work for Google Drive, Dropbox or direct links. To use part of one of those, upload the file instead and save segments around your match during setup. See Automatic Tracking and Tokens.
Take the whole match in one stretch
Set the start before the first rally and the end after the last one. Don't import a match in pieces or cut between rallies. The gaps between rallies are real data, as explained in Recording your matches.
What you'll see while it importsLink to this section
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Checking… | On the Import button, while we check the link. |
| Uploading | We're fetching the video from the link. |
| Processing | We have the file and we're preparing it for playback. |
| Ready | Done. In the app, a ready video shows Not tracked until you send it for tracking. |
| Error on the web, Processing failed in the app | The fetch or processing failed. The reason shows under the video's name. |
If something goes wrongLink to this section
If the check fails, the message tells you what to fix:
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| "That doesn't look like a YouTube, Google Drive, Dropbox, or direct video link." | Copy the share link again from YouTube, Drive or Dropbox. |
| "That video is private. Set it to unlisted or public, then try again." | Change the YouTube video to unlisted or public. |
| "That YouTube video isn't available." | Check the video still exists and opens in YouTube. |
| "Google Drive wouldn't share that file. Set it to "Anyone with the link" and try again." | Change the Drive file's sharing to Anyone with the link. |
| "That Drive file isn't a video." or "That link doesn't point at a video file. Use a direct link to an MP4 or MOV." | Link to the video file itself, not a folder or a web page. |
| "That file is over 5 GB. Upload it directly instead." | Upload the file from your computer or phone. |
| "Start and end times only work with YouTube links for now." | Clear the start and end boxes, or upload the file and use segments. |
| "Times should look like 1:23:45 or 23:45." | Fix the time format. |
| "The end time has to be after the start time." | Swap or fix the times. |
| "Sections can be up to 4 hours long." | Bring the start and end closer together. |
| "This video is … long. Add a start and end time to import just your match (up to 4 hours)." | Add a start and end time around your match. |
| "This video is already in your library." | You've imported this link with these times before. Look for it in your videos. |
| "That link didn't return a file (HTTP …)." or "Couldn't reach that link." | Check the link is shared with anyone who has it and points at the video file, or upload the file instead. |
| "Couldn't reach YouTube. Try again in a moment." or "Couldn't reach Google Drive. Try again in a moment." | Wait a moment and try again. |
When the check passes but the import fails later, the video shows an error in your library with the reason.
- On the web: open Videos, open the three-dot menu on the video and choose Retry processing.
- In the app: there's no retry button. Retry it from Videos on the web, or delete the video and paste the link again.
If a YouTube import fails on the web, a Check YouTube import status link appears next to the reason. It opens our status page, which shows whether YouTube imports are getting through right now. If they're failing, download the video and upload the file instead.
More fixes are in Troubleshooting.
Related guidesLink to this section
This page answers
- How do I import a match from a YouTube link?
- Can I add a video from Google Drive or Dropbox without downloading it?
- How do I import just my match from a full day tournament stream?
- Why won't my YouTube link import?
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