> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.x.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Chunked Media Upload

> This guide walks you through uploading videos and large media files using the chunked upload. Reference for the X API v2 standard tier covering quickstart.

This guide walks you through uploading videos and large media files using the chunked upload workflow.

For video or large media uploads, you must:

1. **INIT** — Initialize the upload and get a `media_id`
2. **APPEND** — Upload each chunk of the file
3. **FINALIZE** — Complete the upload
4. **STATUS** — (If needed) Wait for processing to complete

<Note>
  See [this sample code](https://github.com/xdevplatform/large-video-upload-python) for a complete Python example.
</Note>

***

## Step 1: Initialize upload (INIT)

Start the upload session to get a `media_id`:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://api.x.com/2/media/upload" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
    -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
    -F "command=INIT" \
    -F "media_type=video/mp4" \
    -F "total_bytes=1048576" \
    -F "media_category=amplify_video"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Initialize chunked upload
  response = client.media.init_upload(
      media_type="video/mp4",
      total_bytes=1048576,
      media_category="amplify_video"
  )

  media_id = response.data.id
  print(f"Media ID: {media_id}")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  // Initialize chunked upload
  const response = await client.media.initUpload({
    mediaType: "video/mp4",
    totalBytes: 1048576,
    mediaCategory: "amplify_video",
  });

  const mediaId = response.data?.id;
  console.log(`Media ID: ${mediaId}`);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "id": "1880028106020515840",
    "media_key": "13_1880028106020515840",
    "expires_after_secs": 1295999
  }
}
```

***

## Step 2: Upload chunks (APPEND)

Upload each chunk of the file. For example, split a 3 MB file into 3 chunks:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://api.x.com/2/media/upload" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
    -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
    -F "command=APPEND" \
    -F "media_id=1880028106020515840" \
    -F "segment_index=0" \
    -F "media=@/path/to/chunk1.mp4"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Upload chunks
  chunk_size = 1024 * 1024  # 1 MB chunks

  with open("video.mp4", "rb") as f:
      segment_index = 0
      while True:
          chunk = f.read(chunk_size)
          if not chunk:
              break
          
          client.media.append_upload(
              media_id=media_id,
              segment_index=segment_index,
              media=chunk
          )
          segment_index += 1
          print(f"Uploaded chunk {segment_index}")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";
  import fs from "fs";

  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  // Upload chunks
  const chunkSize = 1024 * 1024; // 1 MB chunks
  const fileBuffer = fs.readFileSync("video.mp4");

  let segmentIndex = 0;
  for (let offset = 0; offset < fileBuffer.length; offset += chunkSize) {
    const chunk = fileBuffer.slice(offset, offset + chunkSize);
    
    await client.media.appendUpload({
      mediaId,
      segmentIndex,
      media: chunk,
    });
    
    console.log(`Uploaded chunk ${segmentIndex + 1}`);
    segmentIndex++;
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

<Info>
  **Chunking advantages:**

  * Improved reliability on slow networks
  * Uploads can be paused and resumed
  * Failed chunks can be retried individually
</Info>

***

## Step 3: Finalize upload (FINALIZE)

Complete the upload after all chunks are sent:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://api.x.com/2/media/upload" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
    -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
    -F "command=FINALIZE" \
    -F "media_id=1880028106020515840"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Finalize upload
  response = client.media.finalize_upload(media_id=media_id)

  print(f"Processing state: {response.data.processing_info.state}")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  // Finalize upload
  const response = await client.media.finalizeUpload({ mediaId });

  console.log(`Processing state: ${response.data?.processing_info?.state}`);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Response:**

```json theme={null}
{
  "data": {
    "id": "1880028106020515840",
    "media_key": "13_1880028106020515840",
    "size": 1048576,
    "expires_after_secs": 86400,
    "processing_info": {
      "state": "pending",
      "check_after_secs": 1
    }
  }
}
```

<Note>
  If `processing_info` is returned, proceed to Step 4 to wait for processing. If not, the media is ready to use.
</Note>

***

## Step 4: Check status (STATUS)

If `processing_info` was returned, poll for processing completion:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl "https://api.x.com/2/media/upload?command=STATUS&media_id=1880028106020515840" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client
  import time

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Wait for processing to complete
  while True:
      response = client.media.get_status(media_id=media_id)
      state = response.data.processing_info.state
      
      if state == "succeeded":
          print("Media ready!")
          break
      elif state == "failed":
          print("Processing failed")
          break
      else:
          check_after = response.data.processing_info.check_after_secs
          print(f"Processing... checking again in {check_after}s")
          time.sleep(check_after)
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  // Wait for processing to complete
  while (true) {
    const response = await client.media.getStatus({ mediaId });
    const state = response.data?.processing_info?.state;
    
    if (state === "succeeded") {
      console.log("Media ready!");
      break;
    } else if (state === "failed") {
      console.log("Processing failed");
      break;
    } else {
      const checkAfter = response.data?.processing_info?.check_after_secs ?? 1;
      console.log(`Processing... checking again in ${checkAfter}s`);
      await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, checkAfter * 1000));
    }
  }
  ```
</CodeGroup>

**Processing states:** `pending` → `in_progress` → `succeeded` or `failed`

***

## Step 5: Create Post with media

Once processing is complete, create a Post with the media:

<CodeGroup dropdown>
  ```bash cURL theme={null}
  curl -X POST "https://api.x.com/2/tweets" \
    -H "Authorization: Bearer $USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
    -d '{
      "text": "Check out this video!",
      "media": {
        "media_ids": ["1880028106020515840"]
      }
    }'
  ```

  ```python Python SDK theme={null}
  from xdk import Client

  client = Client(bearer_token="YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN")

  # Create Post with media
  response = client.posts.create(
      text="Check out this video!",
      media={"media_ids": [media_id]}
  )

  print(f"Posted: {response.data.id}")
  ```

  ```javascript JavaScript SDK theme={null}
  import { Client } from "@xdevplatform/xdk";

  const client = new Client({ accessToken: "YOUR_USER_ACCESS_TOKEN" });

  // Create Post with media
  const response = await client.posts.create({
    text: "Check out this video!",
    media: { mediaIds: [mediaId] },
  });

  console.log(`Posted: ${response.data?.id}`);
  ```
</CodeGroup>

***

## Media categories

| Category        | Description             |
| :-------------- | :---------------------- |
| `tweet_image`   | Image for a Post        |
| `tweet_gif`     | Animated GIF for a Post |
| `tweet_video`   | Video for a Post        |
| `amplify_video` | Amplify video           |

***

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Best practices" icon="book" href="/x-api/media/quickstart/best-practices">
    File constraints and requirements
  </Card>

  <Card title="Create Posts" icon="message" href="/x-api/posts/manage-tweets/quickstart">
    Post with media
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/x-api/media/initialize-media-upload">
    Full endpoint documentation
  </Card>
</CardGroup>