Check what failed
After alignment, look at the unplaced count and the highlighted photographs in the filmstrip. An unplaced source has not contributed to the result. Other photographs may cover the same area, so the preview can look complete even though this source contributed nothing. Check the count before moving on.
First confirm that the photographs belong to the same capture and that each difficult image overlaps at least one already placed image. A separate burst, an image with little shared detail, or a photograph aimed in a different direction may have no reliable connection to the rest.
Check the source details and thumbnail for an import or decode problem. If the image is valid, run alignment again after excluding obvious unrelated files. The last good preview remains available if a retry fails.
Repair a real overlap
When two photographs clearly show the same stationary detail, open the paired-point editor. Choose a pair with a broad, recognizable feature such as a roof corner, trail junction, or rock edge. Click the same physical point in both images. Use points spread across the overlap rather than several points clustered on one tiny feature.
Avoid water, leaves, people, vehicles, clouds, and other details that may have moved between shots. A point on a nearby object can also be misleading when the camera position shifted. Remove a pair if its marks do not identify the same scene point.
After adding points, align again and inspect the result at normal scale and close up. If the image still will not place, the photos may not contain enough stable overlap to support a trustworthy match.
Check the capture connection
For a multirow set, each row needs a path of overlap into neighboring images. A top row that touches no placed row can remain disconnected even if its own photographs align with one another. Look at the highlighted source outlines and compare them with the actual capture sequence.
Use the source-preference brush only when both images cover the same area and one is visibly better there. It can favor a cleaner source across an overlap; it cannot create missing geometry or connect photographs that share no scene detail.
Try a different projection after alignment if you want to inspect the composition. Projections reuse the same alignment, so changing from cylindrical to equirectangular does not rematch or place a disconnected source.
Exclude only when you mean it
If it remains unplaced and you choose to leave it out, exclude it explicitly in the source controls before export. Exclusion is reversible, and the source remains available if you want to try a different set of points later. Do not treat a missing source as silently handled just because the preview looks complete.
Before export, every unplaced source must be fixed or explicitly excluded. Review the highlighted list, confirm the remaining coverage, then continue to Frame or Export. Excluding a source can expose a gap, especially near the edge of the panorama.
For a new capture, include overlap between neighboring frames and keep the camera position steady. See the multirow capture guide for a practical starting point, or the seam guide if all images placed but the joins still look wrong.