How Long Does Turnitin Take to Process a Submission?

The direct answer: how long does Turnitin take?

For most first-time submissions, Turnitin generates a similarity report within a few minutes to around 15 minutes. Resubmissions are a different story: Turnitin enforces a mandatory 24-hour delay before a new report is generated on a resubmitted file.

Key takeaways

• First submissions typically produce a similarity report in under 15 minutes under normal server conditions.
• Resubmissions trigger a 24-hour waiting period before a new report is available, regardless of how minor the changes are.
• Peak periods (end-of-semester, large class deadlines) can slow first-submission reports to up to 60 minutes.
• File type matters: Word documents and text-based PDFs process fastest; scanned or image-based PDFs can cause delays or errors.

What is Turnitin and what does it actually do?

Turnitin is a plagiarism-detection platform used by thousands of universities and schools worldwide. When a student submits a document, Turnitin compares it against its database of academic papers, websites, and previously submitted work, then produces a similarity report showing the percentage of text that matches other sources.

The time it takes to produce that report depends on several factors, which we break down below.

How long does a first submission take?

For a brand-new submission, the typical Turnitin processing time falls into one of three windows:

In practice, most students submitting on a regular weekday afternoon see their report within ten minutes. The system is generally fast because Turnitin processes documents in a queue and most files are plain text documents that are straightforward to parse.

Why do resubmissions take so much longer?

Resubmissions are where most students get caught off guard. If you submit a file, see your report, and then upload a revised version, Turnitin does not generate a new report instantly. It enforces a 24-hour hold before producing a fresh similarity report for the updated file.

This is a deliberate design choice. The delay is meant to discourage a trial-and-error approach where a student tweaks wording, checks the new score, tweaks again, and repeats until the similarity percentage drops to an acceptable level.

A few things to understand about the resubmission delay:

• The 24-hour clock starts from the moment you submit the revised file, not from when you viewed the original report.
• If your instructor allows multiple resubmissions, each one resets the 24-hour timer.
• During the waiting period, your submission page will show a message indicating the report is being processed.
• The delay applies even if you only changed a single word.

What else affects Turnitin processing time?

Beyond submission type, several other factors can shorten or lengthen Turnitin processing time.

File type and format

Turnitin works best with:

• Microsoft Word (.doc, .docx)
• Plain text files (.txt)
• PDF files that contain selectable text

Problematic files include scanned documents saved as PDFs (where the content is essentially an image), files with heavy formatting or unusual fonts, and documents with embedded objects like complex tables or charts. These can cause Turnitin to fail silently or produce a report that misses large sections of the text.

File size

Turnitin has a file size limit (currently 100 MB for most institutions, though this can vary). Files approaching that limit will take longer to process. If a file exceeds the limit, the submission will simply fail.

Server load and peak periods

Turnitin's servers handle millions of submissions globally. Processing times are noticeably longer at peak moments:

• End-of-semester submission windows
• Large classes with a single deadline for all students
• Monday mornings after a weekend deadline

If you need your report quickly for review purposes, submitting during off-peak hours (mid-morning on a weekday, for example) tends to be faster.

Instructor and institution settings

Sometimes the report exists but you cannot see it yet. Instructors can configure Turnitin so that similarity reports are only released after the assignment deadline, or only released to students at all (some instructors keep reports instructor-only). If your report seems delayed, check with your instructor before assuming there is a technical problem.

What should you do while waiting for your report?

If you are waiting on a first-submission report and it has been more than an hour, try these steps:

1. Refresh the submission page - sometimes the icon updates but does not trigger a browser notification.
2. Check the file you uploaded - open the version Turnitin received and confirm it is the correct, readable file.
3. Try a different browser - occasionally browser-specific issues affect how the submission portal responds.
4. Contact your instructor or IT support - if the report still has not generated after several hours, the file may have encountered a processing error on Turnitin's end.

If your report shows an unexpectedly high similarity score and you want to revise your work before resubmitting, remember that you only have that one resubmission window (if your instructor allows it) and the 24-hour delay will apply.

How AI detection fits into the picture

Beyond the similarity report, Turnitin also runs an AI writing detection check on many submissions. This is a separate process that runs alongside the plagiarism check and does not typically add noticeable time to the overall report generation.

If AI-generated content is a concern for your submission, it is worth knowing that tools like our free AI humanizer can help rephrase AI-assisted drafts into more natural, original writing before you submit. You can also read more about how Turnitin handles AI-generated content to understand what the detector looks for.

How to avoid unnecessary delays: a quick checklist

• Submit in a supported format (Word or text-based PDF whenever possible)
• Keep your file under the institution's size limit
• Submit well before the deadline to leave room for resubmission if needed
• Double-check that you uploaded the correct file before hitting submit
• Do not rely on resubmitting the night before a deadline - you will not get a new report in time

The short version

How long does Turnitin take? First submissions: usually 2 to 15 minutes, occasionally up to an hour during peak periods. Resubmissions: always at least 24 hours. File type, file size, server load, and instructor settings can all affect how quickly your report appears. Submit early, use supported file formats, and if a report is missing after several hours, check with your instructor rather than resubmitting immediately.