Troubleshooting Fresh

Common issues encountered during SynthID verification and how to resolve them.

Issue Resolution Flowchart

Common Issues and Solutions

"Not enough details to determine watermark"

Cause: The file is too small, too heavily compressed, or does not contain enough AI-generated content for reliable detection.

Solutions:

1. Upload a higher resolution version of the file
2. Upload the original file rather than a screenshot or re-saved copy
3. If the file is a crop of a larger image, try uploading the full-size original
4. Ensure the file is in a supported format (JPEG, PNG, WebP for images)

"Likely too small an edit"

Cause: Only a minor portion of the content was AI-generated or AI-edited. The more AI-generated content in the file, the more reliable the watermark detection.

Solutions:

1. If you know which section was AI-edited, crop or trim to that specific section and verify again
2. Use alternative detection methods: visual artifact inspection, reverse image search, metadata analysis
3. Accept that minor AI edits may not be detectable by SynthID

File Too Large (Over 100 MB)

Solutions by file type:

File Type	Compression Method
Image	Reduce dimensions, increase JPEG compression, convert PNG to JPEG
Video	Trim duration, reduce resolution (e.g., 4K to 1080p), use HandBrake
Audio	Reduce bitrate, trim to relevant section, convert to MP3

Video Too Long (Over 90 Seconds)

Solutions:

1. Identify the specific section you want to verify
2. Use a video editor to trim to under 90 seconds
3. If the entire video needs checking, verify key segments separately (each counts as one check)

Unsupported File Format

Solutions:

Current Format	Convert To
TIFF, BMP, RAW	JPEG or PNG
AVI, MOV, MKV	MP4
FLAC, OGG, AAC	MP3 or WAV

Use free conversion tools: VLC (video/audio), GIMP (images), or online converters.

Daily Limit Reached

Solutions:

1. Wait until the next day for quota reset
2. In the meantime, use alternative detection methods:
   • Visual artifact inspection
   • Reverse image search (Google Images, TinEye)
   • EXIF/metadata analysis
   • Spectral analysis for audio
3. Prioritize your most important files for the next day's quota

Cannot Access Google Drive Files

Cause: Gemini Activity is not enabled, which is required for Drive access.

Solutions:

1. Go to myactivity.google.com
2. Navigate to Activity controls
3. Find Gemini Apps Activity
4. Toggle it ON
5. Retry accessing Drive files in Gemini

INFO

If you are using a Workspace account and still cannot access Drive, contact your organization's Workspace administrator to ensure Gemini and Drive integration are enabled for your account.

"Cannot verify this file"

Cause: The file may be corrupted, encrypted, password-protected, or in an unsupported format.

Solutions:

1. Re-save the file in a different format
2. Re-export from the original application
3. Ensure the file is not encrypted or password-protected
4. Try opening the file in another application to confirm it is not corrupted
5. If the file came from a messaging app, try downloading the original version rather than the compressed preview

Gemini App Not Loading or Responding

Solutions:

1. Check your internet connection
2. Clear browser cache (for web version)
3. Update the app to the latest version (for mobile)
4. Try a different browser (Chrome recommended)
5. Sign out and sign back in to your Google account
6. If on Workspace, verify your admin has enabled Gemini for your account