Frequently Asked Questions

Auto QC is a browser-based tool that automatically checks video files for technical quality issues before delivery. It runs up to 14 separate checks covering visual quality, audio compliance, platform specifications, and AI-powered text detection. The result is a detailed report with every issue pinned to an exact timecode in your video — so you know exactly where to look and what to fix. There is no software to install and no hardware required; you log in, upload your video, and get results in minutes.

Auto QC is used by video editors and post-production teams who need to catch errors before a client delivery, by QC operators who verify technical compliance for broadcast or streaming distribution, by content creators who want to confirm their video meets YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram specifications before publishing, and by broadcasters and agencies managing high volumes of content. The tool is designed to be accessible even without deep technical knowledge — plain-language explanations accompany every issue flagged.

Auto QC detects problems in three areas. Video: unexpected black frames, freeze frames, bad edits, image blur, incorrect aspect ratio, persistent border bars, and brightness extremes. Audio: loudness non-compliance, audio clipping, silence gaps, excessive background noise, and low speech clarity. AI text detection: on-screen typos in subtitles or captions, safe zone violations, and subtitle extraction for review.

Analysis typically runs in real time or faster. A 1-minute video is usually checked in under 60 seconds. If you enable the Advanced preset (which includes AI subtitle detection), processing takes longer because the AI model inspects each frame for on-screen text. The dashboard shows progress in real time.

No. Auto QC runs entirely in your web browser. No software installation, no hardware, no command line. Any device with a modern browser and an internet connection can run it.

Yes. Auto QC offers a free tier. Visit the pricing page at autoqc.app/pricing for current tier details and file limits.

Auto QC accepts MP4, MOV, MXF, AVI, MKV, and WebM files, including ProRes-based files wrapped in MOV or MXF containers. The maximum file size is 1 GB and the maximum duration is 20 minutes. The minimum resolution is 360p. Files that exceed these limits are rejected during upload.

Transcode your file to H.264/MP4 before uploading. For broadcast-quality ProRes files, a medium-quality H.264 export retains sufficient visual detail for all core QC checks. Audio checks operate on the full-fidelity audio track regardless of video compression level.

Videos are uploaded over an encrypted HTTPS connection and stored securely. Files are used solely for running your requested quality checks. We do not share, train on, or sell your content. Full details are in the Privacy Policy at autoqc.app/privacy, which is compliant with GDPR.

Yes. The upload screen allows you to add multiple files in one session. Each file is configured and analysed independently, so you can set different check parameters or target platforms for each upload.

A black frame is a video frame where the screen is entirely or near-entirely dark with no visible image. A few black frames at the very start or end of a clip are normal. Unexpected black frames buried mid-video are usually a sign of an edit error, signal dropout during capture, or a render fault. Most broadcast platforms will fail a QC submission containing mid-programme black frames above a configurable minimum duration (default: 0.5 seconds).

Freeze frame detection identifies sequences where the video image stops moving for longer than expected — a common sign of a decoder error, a missing GOP in compressed video, or a source capture problem. Auto QC uses a multi-stage motion vector analysis to distinguish true freezes from intentional slow-motion or low-contrast scenes. By default, sequences frozen for more than 2 seconds are flagged.

A bad edit occurs when a very short clip — typically just a handful of frames — appears between two normal scene changes. This is almost always unintentional and often invisible during casual viewing, but it causes a visible flash or glitch that triggers broadcast QC failure. Auto QC detects these by analysing scene transitions and flagging any transition where the in-between shot is shorter than the configured threshold (default: 5 frames).

No, unless the motion is genuinely zero for longer than the configured minimum duration. Auto QC analyses actual motion vector data rather than simple inter-frame comparison, so slow-motion content with real movement is not flagged. If a section is completely static and exceeds the threshold, raise the Minimum Freeze Duration setting or lower the Sensitivity to avoid false positives.

A safe zone is the screen area guaranteed to be visible after a platform's UI overlays are applied. On TikTok, like and share buttons, the username, and the caption appear in fixed positions — any subtitle or graphic beneath those elements will be covered. A safe zone violation means text or graphics are positioned outside the safe area and may not be visible to viewers. Auto QC checks Action Safe (90%), Title Safe (80%), and platform-specific presets for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.

Aspect ratio is the width-to-height proportion of your frame. Common ratios: 16:9 for landscape (YouTube, TV), 9:16 for vertical (TikTok, Reels), 1:1 for square. An incorrect ratio causes letterboxing, pillarboxing, or cropping on the destination platform. Auto QC checks the declared ratio in file metadata against your target platform's requirement and reports any mismatch. Tolerance is configurable (default ±1%) to accommodate minor encoding rounding.

LUFS (Loudness Units relative to Full Scale) is the international standard for measuring audio loudness. It measures perceptual average loudness over the entire programme. EBU R128 (European broadcast, most streaming) requires −23 LUFS integrated; ATSC A/85 (North American broadcast) requires −24 LUFS; YouTube normalises content to approximately −14 LUFS. Content outside the accepted range may be rejected by broadcast networks or automatically processed by streaming platforms. Auto QC measures integrated LUFS, true peak, and loudness range (LRA), and compares against your chosen standard.

Audio clipping occurs when the audio signal exceeds the maximum digital level (0 dBFS), causing the waveform to be cut off. The result is audible distortion — crackling, harshness, or a buzz. Clipping is one of the most common reasons for broadcast QC failure. Auto QC detects true-peak overloads and reports each event with its timecode, peak level in dBFS, and duration. The default clipping threshold is −1.0 dBFS; broadcast deliveries may require −3 dBFS.

Auto QC uses speech-gated analysis, which is the method specified in EBU R128. In speech-gated mode, the loudness meter is activated only when foreground audio (dialogue, narration) is present and excludes periods of near-silence. This produces a measurement that accurately reflects how loud the content sounds to a viewer, regardless of whether it contains music, silence, or both.

This check measures the level of continuous ambient sound — air conditioning hum, electrical hiss, room tone, traffic — during segments where no speech is present. High background noise can indicate a recording problem, an incorrectly mixed track, or a corrupt audio source. By default, Auto QC uses −40 dBFS as the noise threshold. A noise level score (Low / Moderate / High) is shown in the General Report.

The results page has three tabs. INFO tab shows video metadata and a summary table with Pass/Fail/Warning for each check. TIMELINE tab lists every issue in chronological order by timecode — click any issue to jump the video player to that moment. EXPORT tab generates PDF reports in four formats.

Warning issues may need attention but may not cause outright rejection — slightly elevated loudness, a brief brightness spike, or a short silence gap. Critical issues are very likely to cause a QC failure or viewer complaint: sustained black frames, audio clipping, loudness outside tolerance, or freeze frames over several seconds. Fix all Critical issues before delivery and review Warnings against your broadcaster's technical specification.

Yes. Every issue card in the TIMELINE tab has a status control to mark it as Fixed (resolved in the source file) or Skipped (reviewed and accepted). These statuses are saved and appear in your PDF export, providing a traceable record for delivery documentation.

Four report formats are available. Minimal: a one-page summary with issue counts. Standard: a full report with the complete issue list and metadata. Professional: a complete report including frame-accurate screenshots of every issue, required by some broadcast deliveries. List Only: a plain issue list with timecodes, for sharing with editors.

A full pass means Auto QC did not detect any issues above the configured thresholds in the checks you ran. If you used a platform preset, your video meets the published technical specification for that platform. Note that different broadcasters may use proprietary tools or tighter standards, so a pass in Auto QC is a strong signal — not an absolute guarantee — of acceptance.

Auto QC includes built-in presets for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Broadcast TV (EBU/ATSC standards). A Custom preset lets you define your own resolution, frame rate, aspect ratio, and loudness requirements for proprietary delivery specs.

The YouTube preset checks resolution (minimum 1920×1080, up to 3840×2160), frame rate (24fps–60fps), aspect ratio (16:9 for standard uploads), audio loudness (YouTube normalises to approximately −14 LUFS), and codec (H.264/AAC in MP4). Selecting YouTube also automatically adjusts the safe zone check to the YouTube Shorts interface layout.

The Broadcast TV preset validates against international broadcast delivery standards: frame rate (25fps / 29.97fps / 50fps / 59.94fps), resolution (1920×1080 or 3840×2160), audio loudness to EBU R128 (−23 LUFS) or ATSC A/85 (−24 LUFS), and codec (H.264 or ProRes). It is the most comprehensive preset, designed for content delivered to television networks, OTT platforms, or aggregators with formal technical delivery requirements.

Auto QC offers three plans. Free: 10 minutes of analysis per month, 1 GB storage — no credit card required. Pro ($29.99/month): 60 minutes per month, 10 GB storage, full PDF report with screenshots and waveforms. Ultra ($89.99/month): 300 minutes per month, 50 GB storage, priority analysis queue, and API access. All plans include all 14 quality detectors.

Quota is measured in video minutes analysed per month. Analysing a 5-minute video consumes 5 minutes of your monthly quota. Quota resets on the first day of each billing cycle. You can track real-time usage on the Settings → Subscription page.

Yes, at any time. Go to Settings → Subscription → Manage Subscription to open the Stripe Customer Portal. Select Cancel Plan — your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing period, after which your account automatically returns to the Free plan.

Visit the Pricing page and click Upgrade to Pro or Upgrade to Ultra. You will be redirected to Stripe Checkout. After completing payment, your plan and quota update immediately — no waiting period.

Go to Settings → Billing. All past invoices are listed with their date, amount, and payment status. You can download a PDF copy of each invoice directly from that page.

Stripe will retry the charge automatically over several days. During this period your account status changes to Past Due and you can still access your analysis history. If the retry succeeds, your account returns to Active. If all retries fail, your subscription is cancelled and your account reverts to the Free plan.