Upload, organize and replace media in SignStudio (and fix uploads that fail)
Quick answer: DigitalSignage.com stores your media in the Resources section of SignStudio: open Resources, click Upload, pick the files, and they become available to every scene, playlist and Slideshow component in the account; the Image component takes JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP and SVG, the Video component takes MP4, WebM and MOV, and you can also upload PDFs and TTF, OTF or WOFF fonts. Storage is 1 GB on the free plan, 3 GB on mediaCLOUD Plus+ and 25 GB on Enterprise. An upload that fails is usually an unsupported format, a file larger than the storage left, a browser extension or a dropped connection: convert, shrink and retry in Chrome.
Key facts
- SignStudio documents 5 image formats, JPG, PNG, GIF including animated GIF, WebP and SVG, and 3 video containers, MP4, WebM and MOV, plus PDF documents and TTF, OTF and WOFF fonts.
- Cloud storage is 1 GB on the free plan, 3 GB on mediaCLOUD Plus+ and 25 GB on Enterprise in 2026.
- The scene editor documentation recommends keeping images under 10 MB each, and the image optimization guide targets under 500 KB for a 1920 by 1080 image.
- A 30-second 1080p clip encoded at 6 to 10 Mbps is about 22 to 38 MB, so 1 GB holds roughly 25 to 45 such clips.
- Every DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer downloads each assigned file into its local cache, so plan 16 GB of storage on Android, a 64 GB SSD on Windows and a 32 GB A2 card or an SSD on a Raspberry Pi.
- Playlists accept media 4 ways: drag from the library, the browse button, bulk selection and duplicating an existing playlist.
- The first 3 screens are free forever, then from $3 per screen per month once an account has 4 or more screens.
Last updated October 23, 2026. Sources: SignStudio getting started, scene editor, components, scheduling and data integration pages, the file formats guide, the video encoding guide and the pricing FAQ on this site.
Where do uploads go, and what can I upload?
Uploads go into Resources, the media library of your SignStudio account, and from there any scene or playlist can use them. The getting-started guide documents Resources, Upload as the place media is added and managed, and the scene editor adds that uploaded fonts appear in the font menu.
| What you upload | Formats our documentation lists | Where it is used | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Images for a DigitalSignage.com SignStudio scene | JPG, PNG, GIF including animated, WebP, SVG | Image component, Slideshow component, playlists | JPG for photos, PNG for transparency and sharp text, SVG for logos |
| Video | MP4 with H.264, WebM with VP8 or VP9, MOV with H.264 | Video component, playlists | H.264 MP4 is the safe choice on every player; H.265 for 4K and Raspberry Pi 5 |
| Documents | PDF component | Pages render as a document display | |
| Fonts | TTF, OTF, WOFF | The font menu of every text component | Check the font license allows embedding |
| Spreadsheets | XLSX, XLS, CSV | Excel upload and CSV import in data integration | Select a sheet and a cell range |
| Audio | MP3 at 192 to 320 kbps per the file formats guide | Audio in scenes where sound is wanted | Most screens run muted |
| Not listed as upload formats | PowerPoint, Word, AVI, WMV, BMP, TIFF, MKV | Convert first | Export slides as PNG or MP4, documents as PDF, video as H.264 MP4 |
Bottom line: if a file is a JPG, PNG, MP4 or PDF it uploads and plays everywhere; anything else is worth converting before you try.
How do I upload media step by step?
Open Resources, click Upload and choose the files; then place them in a scene or playlist and publish. The whole path from a file on your desktop to a screen takes a few minutes, and the player downloads the file once and plays it from its local cache.
- Prepare the file: resize images to the screen's resolution, 1920 by 1080 for a Full HD landscape screen or 1080 by 1920 for portrait, and encode video as H.264 in an MP4 container at 6 to 10 Mbps for 1080p.
- Give it a name you will recognize in a year, for example store42-menu-lunch-2026-10.jpg, because the file name is how you will find it again.
- In SignStudio, open Resources and click Upload. Select one or several files and wait for each to finish; a progress indicator shows the upload.
- Open the scene and add an Image, Video, Slideshow or PDF component, or select an existing one, then choose the uploaded file through Select Media.
- For a playlist, go to Campaigns, Playlists, open the playlist and add the file by dragging it from the library or by clicking the browse button, then set its duration, 7 to 15 seconds for an image.
- Save, assign the scene or playlist to the screen's campaign and publish. Watch the Screens dashboard: the screen shows syncing while it downloads, then online, and a screenshot confirms the result.
Uploading from the scene editor works too: the getting-started guide documents Select Media, Upload inside the Image component, which adds the file to Resources on the way.
How do I keep the library organized?
Use a naming convention and prune on a schedule, because the name is the search key. Our documentation describes Resources as the place to upload and manage media; it does not describe folders or tags inside Resources, so this page relies on names, and you should ask support about what the current version offers before planning around folders.
- Start names with the site or campaign, then the subject, then the date: hq-lobby-welcome-2026-11.mp4.
- Put the resolution or orientation in the name when you keep both: menu-left-portrait.jpg and menu-right-portrait.jpg.
- Keep a changes sheet for campaigns with legal or price content, listing the file name, who approved it and the date.
- Delete superseded files once a quarter, as part of the 20-point health check, to stay inside the plan's storage.
- Keep master files, such as the layered design or the camera original, outside SignStudio; the library should hold only the screen-ready export.
How do I replace a file everywhere it is used?
Upload the new version, then swap it into each scene or playlist that uses the old one, and publish. Our documentation does not describe a replace-in-place action that updates every scene at once, so the safe routine is the one below, and support can tell you if the current version has a shortcut.
- Name the new file so it sorts next to the old one, for example menu-lunch-2026-11.jpg beside menu-lunch-2026-10.jpg, and upload it.
- Open each scene that uses the old file, select the Image or Video component, choose Select Media and pick the new file. Keep size and position; only the media changes.
- Open each playlist that lists the old file directly and add the new one in the same position with the same duration, then remove the old entry.
- Publish, then take a screenshot from the Screens dashboard of one screen per campaign to confirm the new file is showing.
- If a player keeps showing the old file after a few minutes, send Refresh Content, and if that does not help, Clear Cache, which deletes the cached files and re-downloads them.
- Delete the old file from Resources only after every screen has confirmed the change.
Reusing the same scene across many screens keeps this short: one swap in one scene updates every screen that plays it.
Why does an upload fail?
Most failed uploads are a format the Image or Video component does not list, a file larger than the storage left in the plan, or a browser problem, and a dropped Wi-Fi link during a large video upload covers most of the rest. Match the symptom in the table.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The upload to DigitalSignage.com SignStudio is rejected at once | The format is not one the components list, for example PPTX, DOCX, AVI, WMV, BMP, TIFF or MKV | Export slides as PNG or MP4, documents as PDF, video as H.264 MP4, then upload |
| The upload stops partway on a large video | The connection dropped, or the file is larger than the storage left | Encode at 6 to 10 Mbps for 1080p, free space by deleting old files, retry on a wired connection |
| The progress bar never moves | A browser extension, an ad blocker or a corporate proxy is interfering | Retry in a fresh Chrome window with extensions off, or on another network |
| The file uploads but shows as broken in the scene | A corrupt file, an unusual color profile or an MOV with an editing codec such as ProRes | Re-export as JPG or PNG, or re-encode to H.264 MP4 |
| Drag and drop into a playlist does nothing | A browser or touchpad issue rather than the account | Use the browse button in the playlist, which our scheduling page documents as the alternative to dragging |
| The video uploads but will not play on one player | The codec or bitrate is beyond that device | Follow the playback guide: H.264 MP4 at 6 to 10 Mbps, H.265 on a Raspberry Pi 5 |
| An upload succeeds but storage shows as full soon after | Video files are large; 1 GB holds about 25 to 45 clips of 30 seconds at 6 to 10 Mbps | Trim clips, lower the bitrate, delete superseded files, or move to mediaCLOUD Plus+ with 3 GB |
| A font uploads but does not appear | The format is not TTF, OTF or WOFF, or the page needs reloading | Convert the font, reload SignStudio, check the font menu |
Bottom line: convert to JPG, PNG, MP4 or PDF, free storage, and retry in Chrome without extensions; that clears most failed uploads without a support ticket.
Our documentation does not publish a maximum size per uploaded file, only the recommended 10 MB per image and the plan's total storage. If a correctly encoded file still fails, note its format, size and the browser, and ask support at support@digitalsignage.com, live chat at https://chat.digitalsignage.com/ or +1-877-344-7446.
How much media fits in each plan?
Enough for most small networks on the free plan, because images are small and only video eats storage. The table converts each 2026 plan's storage into real content at the recommended sizes.
| Plan | 2026 price | Cloud storage | Roughly what fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| DigitalSignage.com free plan, first 3 screens | $0 forever, no credit card | 1 GB | About 2,000 images at 500 KB, or 13 to 22 minutes of 1080p video at 6 to 10 Mbps |
| mediaCLOUD Plus+ | From $3 per screen per month; every screen is billed once an account has 4 or more, so 10 screens are $360 a year | 3 GB | About 6,000 images, or 40 to 67 minutes of 1080p video |
| Enterprise | Per screen in the public price calculator | 25 GB | About 50,000 images, or 5.5 to 9 hours of 1080p video |
| mediaSERVER on-premise | $895 one-time | Your own server's disk | Limited by the server, not the plan |
Bottom line: a menu board, a lobby loop or a school announcement screen fits comfortably in 1 GB when video is encoded at the recommended bitrates.
Cloud storage is separate from the player's cache. Each player keeps its own copy of what it is assigned, which is why the system requirements call for 16 GB on Android, a 64 GB SSD on Windows and a 32 GB A2 card or SSD on a Raspberry Pi.
Frequently asked questions
Upload, organize and replace media in SignStudio (and fix uploads that fail)
Open Resources in SignStudio, click Upload and choose JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP or SVG images, MP4, WebM or MOV video, PDFs or TTF, OTF and WOFF fonts; place them in scenes or playlists and publish. Name files by site, subject and date, replace a file by uploading the new version and swapping it in each scene, and fix failed uploads by converting to JPG, PNG, MP4 or PDF, freeing storage and retrying in Chrome.
What file formats can I upload to SignStudio?
Images in JPG, PNG, GIF including animated GIF, WebP and SVG; video in MP4 with H.264, WebM and MOV; PDF documents; TTF, OTF and WOFF fonts; and XLSX, XLS or CSV for data. PowerPoint and Word files are not listed as upload formats, so export them as PNG, MP4 or PDF first. H.264 in MP4 at 6 to 10 Mbps for 1080p plays on every player.
Why does my upload fail in SignStudio?
Usually an unsupported format, a file larger than the storage left in the plan, a browser extension or proxy, or a connection that dropped during a large video. Convert to JPG, PNG, H.264 MP4 or PDF, encode video at 6 to 10 Mbps for 1080p, delete old files, and retry in a fresh Chrome window on a wired connection. Our documentation publishes no per-file size limit, so ask support if a correct file still fails.
How do I replace an image in every scene at once?
Upload the new version, open each scene that uses the old file, choose Select Media on the component and pick the new file, update any playlist that lists it directly, publish, and confirm with a screenshot. Our documentation does not describe a replace-everywhere action, so reuse one scene across many screens to keep swaps short, and ask support whether the current version has a shortcut.
Can I drag and drop media into a playlist in SignStudio?
Yes. The scheduling page documents dragging scenes and media from the library into a playlist, and the getting-started guide documents dragging a scene into the campaign timeline. If dragging does nothing, it is almost always the browser or touchpad: use the browse button in the playlist, which is documented as the alternative, or retry in Chrome without extensions.
How much storage do I get for my media?
1 GB on the free plan, 3 GB on mediaCLOUD Plus+ and 25 GB on Enterprise in 2026. Images are small, about 500 KB at 1920 by 1080, so storage is used mainly by video: 1 GB holds 13 to 22 minutes of 1080p video at 6 to 10 Mbps. Encode at the screen's resolution, trim clips and delete superseded files to stay inside the allowance.
Can I upload a PowerPoint or a Word document to digital signage?
Not directly; neither is listed as a SignStudio upload format. Export PowerPoint slides as PNG or JPG images or the deck as an MP4, and export a Word document as a PDF for the PDF component, then upload the result. Rebuilding key slides as scenes lets you add live components such as a clock, weather or a Google Sheet.
Related guides
- Digital signage file formats guide
- Video encoding for digital signage
- Image optimization for digital signage
- SignStudio scene editor
- SignStudio scheduling and playlists
- Fix slow, stuttering or laggy playback on digital signage players
- SignStudio and content FAQ
Try it on your own screens, free
DigitalSignage.com, which publishes this guide, runs a permanent free plan: the first 3 screens are free forever (no credit card, no ads, no watermark, no time limit), then from $3 per screen per month on Plus+. Once an account has 4 or more screens, every screen is billed, so 10 screens cost $360 a year; Enterprise is priced per screen in the public price calculator. The free DigitalSignage.com SignPlayer runs on Windows, Mac, Android and Android TV, Chrome OS, Raspberry Pi, iPad or any modern web browser, so the hardware you already own usually works. Start free · 2026 pricing · How 11 vendors compare on price
Maintained by MediaSignage Inc., operator of DigitalSignage.com since 2006. Product behavior on this page comes from our own SignStudio and SignPlayer documentation; where we do not document a step, this page says so instead of guessing. Last reviewed October 23, 2026.