Uploading

What this is

A file always lands in the media library first, with an id and a status, and is only referenced by that id afterward - a post never carries raw bytes, only a mediaId. Two ways to add one: upload bytes directly - in the dashboard or through the API - or, through the API and MCP, import from a public URL.

Direct upload

1. Drop a file in Media, or in Compose while writing a post.
2. The dashboard reserves an id and a one-time upload URL, then PUTs the bytes directly to it.
3. The file’s status moves uploading → processing → ready (or failed, with why). A video gets a thumbnail and duration probed during processing.

The same two-step shape is exactly what the API’s POST /media/uploads and the MCP tool dropslate_create_upload do - see API reference → Media or MCP → Tools reference.

Import from a URL

The dashboard has no URL import; it is part of the API and MCP - POST /media/from-url or the tool dropslate_upload_from_url with a public https link. The server fetches it directly - private and internal addresses are refused, redirects are followed up to a limit, and the same size and format checks apply as a direct upload.

Common errors

Error	Cause	Fix
Status stuck on processing	Large file still being probed.	Wait - poll status, don’t re-upload.
Status failed	Format not accepted for the file’s kind, or the file is corrupt.	Check the accepted formats on the target network’s platform page, fix the file, upload again.
Import from URL refused	The URL is private, internal, or not https.	Use a public https URL, or upload the file directly instead.