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

# Image Edit Returns Unable to Process Input Image? New FAQ Explains Why

> New FAQ: Nano Banana image edits returning 400 Unable to process input image or empty inlineData parameter are caused by an empty reference image base64 in the request, not by an unreachable image URL. Includes a checklist and pre-send validation code. Two FAQs on timeouts and log duration were also updated.

**2026/10/14 13:51 (UTC+8)** · Docs Update · Google

📚 **Image edit returns `Unable to process input image`? Most likely the reference image base64 is empty, not a URL problem**

From a real ticket: a customer's Nano Banana edit requests kept returning 400, and they assumed the reference image link on Tencent Cloud COS was unreachable. In fact they were sending base64; the string was just empty. `Unable to process input image` and `empty inlineData parameter` have the same cause. The three usual causes are: the download or encoding step failed, `JSON.stringify` dropped a field whose value was `undefined`, or `data` still had the `data:` prefix. Once fixed, no platform-side configuration is needed, and failed requests are not billed.

* New: [Image Edit Returns Unable to Process Input Image?](/en/faq/gemini-empty-inlinedata)
* Updated: [How to avoid API timeouts](/en/faq/timeout-configuration), with a new question on why a 200-second timeout still occasionally fails
* Updated: [Log duration vs. client wait](/en/faq/log-duration-vs-client-wait), with two new sections: duration counts only the final successful attempt, and non-streaming requests send no response headers until the result is ready

***

← [Back to Live Updates](/en/live) · 📚 [Monthly archive](/en/live/archive)


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.