Overview
Processing time varies depending on what you're creating and your subscription plan. Understanding why your generation is slow—and what you can do about it—helps you plan your workflow and avoid frustration.
Typical Processing Times
Here's what to expect:
Images: 30–60 seconds (including queue time for free users)
Videos (15 seconds): ~20 seconds plus queue time
Longer videos: Scale linearly; a 30-second video takes roughly twice as long
Face Swap, Lip Sync, Talking Photo: 2–5 minutes depending on video length and complexity
Pro tip: Paid subscribers (Creator, Pro, and Business plans) skip the queue entirely and see your generation start rendering immediately, cutting total time significantly.
Why Your Generation Might Be Slow
1. You're on the Free Plan (Queue Time)
Free users are added to a shared processing queue. During peak hours, many generations are queued ahead of yours, causing delays of 5–20+ minutes depending on traffic.
This cannot be sped up on free. If you frequently generate content, a paid plan removes queue delays and unlocks faster processing overall.
2. Your Video Is Long
Processing time scales with video length. Each additional second of video adds proportional rendering time. A 60-second video will take significantly longer than a 15-second one.
What to try: Start with shorter videos (15–30 seconds) to see faster results, then scale up as needed.
3. You Selected High Quality Settings
Settings like higher resolution, more iterations ("steps"), or compute-intensive modes all increase processing time. The trade-off: better quality output.
What to try:
Lower the resolution if you don't need HD output
Avoid compute-intensive modes for quick iterations
Reduce the length of your video
4. You Uploaded a Large File
For tools like Video-to-Video or Face Swap, large input files (video, image, or audio) can add upload time on top of processing time.
What to try: Compress your input files or reduce resolution before uploading.
5. High Platform Traffic
Even paid users may experience slight delays during peak hours when the system is under heavy load, though paid subscribers are always prioritized ahead of free users.
Diagnostic Steps
Check your generation status:
Go to My Library (your generation history).
Find your generation in the list.
Look at the status label:
Queued: You're waiting in line (free plan or high traffic)
Rendering: Processing has started; this is normal
Complete: Ready to download
Error: Something went wrong (see below)
If the status hasn't changed in 10+ minutes for an image or 15+ minutes for a video, something may be stuck.
Status updates require a page refresh—the page won't auto-update in real time. Refresh your browser to see the latest status.
Solutions
For Free Users: Upgrade to a Paid Plan
The most effective way to eliminate queue time is to upgrade to a paid plan:
Creator ($10/month): Higher priority queue; no watermarks; access to generation history
Pro ($49/month): Higher priority queue; commercial use rights; additional tools and storage
Business ($249/month): Highest priority queue; bulk generation credits; advanced support
Paid subscribers see generations move directly to "Rendering" status, eliminating queue delays entirely.
Upgrading is instant—your next generation will skip the queue immediately.
For Slow Rendering (Not Queue Time)
Try these tweaks:
Simplify your settings: Lower resolution, reduce iterations, or disable compute-intensive modes
Shorten your video: Reduce length to 15–30 seconds for faster iteration
Optimize your input: Compress large files or crop images to remove unnecessary detail
Adjust your prompt: Vague or overly complex prompts may fail and require regeneration; simpler, more specific prompts process faster
Try again later: If traffic is high, wait 15–30 minutes and retry during off-peak hours
If a Generation Is Stuck (Status Hasn't Changed)
Step 1: Refresh the page. Status updates require a manual refresh.
Step 2: If it's still stuck after 15+ minutes, cancel and try again:
Go to My Library
Find the stuck generation
Click the three-dot menu (⋯) and select Cancel (if available)
Start a new generation with adjusted settings (e.g., shorter video, simpler prompt)
Credit note: Credits are deducted when a generation is submitted, even if it later errors or is cancelled. If you believe a generation failed unfairly, reach out to support with your project ID from My Library.
Common Error States
Status | Likely Cause | How to Fix |
Queued (10+ minutes) | Free plan during peak traffic | Wait it out, or upgrade to a paid plan for immediate processing |
Error / Failed | Unsafe prompt, unsupported file format, or processing failure | Simplify your prompt, ensure file is MP4/MOV (for videos), and try again |
Rendering (20+ minutes) | Complex settings, long video, or high load | Reduce video length, lower resolution, or reduce iterations |
Complete but not visible | Page didn't refresh, or download expired | Refresh the page; downloads are time-limited, so download immediately after completion |
Tips to Speed Up Your Workflow
Use the API for bulk jobs: If you're generating frequently, the Magic Hour API supports batch processing with webhooks, so you don't have to monitor manually
Batch small generations: Multiple image generations can queue in parallel; videos process sequentially, so submit them one at a time
Generate during off-peak hours: Late night or early morning typically has less queue congestion
Plan realistic timelines: For a 5-minute video, budget at least 2–3 hours of total processing time (multiple 15–30 second clips), not minutes
Known Limitations
ETAs are conservative: The estimated time shown may be higher than actual time; finishing earlier is possible
No queue position shown: You'll see "Queued" but not your exact position in line
Videos process sequentially: Only images can render in parallel; video submissions wait for prior jobs to finish
Free tier resolution caps: Free generations are limited to 512px resolution and include a watermark, which may affect perceived quality
Getting Help
If your generation is stuck, erroring repeatedly, or taking longer than expected:
Collect the project ID from My Library (visible in the project details)
Note the timestamp when you submitted the generation
Note your subscription plan (Free, Creator, Pro, Business)
Take a screenshot of the error message or status if applicable
Contact support with these details—we can investigate backend logs and assist further
Fast-track support: Business and Pro subscribers receive priority support responses. Provide as much context as possible to speed up resolution.
What's Next
Explore Getting Started for tips on crafting better prompts
Learn about subscription plans and their processing benefits
Check our API documentation for batch generation workflows