Clipchamp stuck on Preparing screen [Fix]

If Clipchamp is stuck on Preparing your video screen, the solutions provided in this article will help you. This usually indicates a problem with your video file. However, a poor or unstable internet connection can also be responsible in some cases. This problem makes Clipchamp unable to be used. Closing and reopening Clipchamp also does not help. If you are in such a situation, use these suggestions.

Clipchamp stuck on Preparing screen

Go through the following suggestions if Clipchamp is stuck on the Preparing your video screen on your system:

Check hardware specifications
Change your video encoder
Change your video format
Check your internet connection
Update, reset, repair, or reinstall Clipchamp
Clear browser cache and cookies
Use another browser

All these fixes are explained below in detail:

1] Check hardware specifications

The first step is to check the hardware specifications for Clipchamp. Clipchamp does not work properly if your system does not have the required hardware. To run Clipchamp, your system should have at least 8 GB of RAM. However, the suggested minimum RAM is 16 GB.

Read: Clipchamp keeps lagging, buffering or stuttering

2] Change your video encoder

Different tools are available for recording videos. OBS Studio is one of the most popular video recording software for Windows PCs. Check if the video encoder setting is available in your video recorder software. If yes, change it and select another available encoder.

I have explained the steps for OBS Studio:

Open OBS Studio.
Click Settings.
Select Output from the left side.
Choose another video encoder for streaming and recording.
Click Apply to save changes.

Now, record the video using OBS and edit it in Clipchamp. See if the problem occurs again.

Read: Clipchamp keeps freezing or crashing

3] Change your video format

Though Clipchamp supports different video formats, Microsoft recommends the following video formats for faster video processing:

MP4
MOV
WEBM

If your video format is other than these three recommended formats, change it to any of these and upload it to Clipchamp. You can use any free video converter software.

If this works, you can also select the same video format in your video recorder software. The steps for the OBS Studio are explained below:

Open OBS Studio.
Open its settings.
Select Output from the left side.
Select the Recording format under the Recording section.

Read: Clipchamp Projects won’t load or export

4] Check your internet connection

Your internet connection should be stable, especially if you are using the web version of Clipchamp. Check Ping using any free internet speed checker software or tool. High ping makes the internet connection unstable. If the ping is high, contact your internet service provider to fix the issue.

5] Update, reset, repair, or reinstall Clipchamp

Update Clipchamp to the latest version. You can check for updates in Microsoft Store. Open Microsoft Store and search for Clipchamp. If an update for the Clipchamp is available, you will see the Update button. Click on the Update button to update Clipchamp to the latest version.

If the update is not available, repair or reset Clipchamp. The following steps will guide you on this:

Open Windows 11 Settings.
Go to Apps > Installed apps.
Look for Microsoft Clipchamp. Click on the three dots next to it and select Advanced options.
Scroll down and click Repair.

If repairing the Clipchamp does not work, reset it. If you still face issues with Clipchamp, try uninstalling and reinstalling it. Uninstall Clipchamp from your system Settings, restart your computer, and reinstall it from Microsoft Store.

6] Clear browser cache and cookies

If the problem occurs in the web version of Clipchamp, the issue may be with the corrupt cache or cookies. Clear cache and cookies of your web browser and see if it helps. To do this press the Ctrl + Shift + Delete keys. This will open the Clear browsing data window. Now, select cache and cookies from the drop-down and click Clear.

7] Use another browser

Sometimes, issues may be with a particular web browser. Switch to another web browser and see if it helps. Microsoft Edge is the recommended web browser for Clipchamp.

That’s it. I hope this helps.

How much RAM does Clipchamp need?

The minimum recommended RAM to install and use Clipchamp is 8 GB. However, if your system has 16 GB or higher RAM, it will be better for the smooth functioning of Clipchamp. RAM is not the only required hardware. Your system should also have a powerful CPU and GPU.

Does Clipchamp use CPU or GPU?

Video editing is a resource intensive task. Therefore, it requires both CPU and GPU. Hence, Clipchamp requires a powerful CPU and GPU. Additionally, it also requires a minimum of 8 GB RAM (16 GB or higher is better). If your computer hardware does not meet these requirements, you will experience issues with Clipchamp.