How to send large files from iPhone, to any phone or computer

Why iPhone files get so big

Recent iPhones film in 4K at up to 60 frames per second, Pro models add ProRes and Log, and photos can be 48-megapixel HEIF or ProRAW. A few minutes of 4K video is several gigabytes, and a single ProRAW photo can be tens of megabytes. That is far beyond what Messages, email or most chat apps will carry untouched, which is why your video often arrives blurry or never leaves the phone.

Every way to send a large file from iPhone, compared

Rule of thumb: AirDrop when the other person is in the room, a link for everything else. Mail Drop is a good built-in choice under 5 GB if the recipient reads email; above that, or for a folder of several shoots, use a transfer link.

How to send a large video from iPhone with Safari

1. 1

   Step 1

   Save the original to Files (optional, recommended)

   In Photos, select the video, tap Share, then Save to Files. Picking the file from Files rather than the photo library helps make sure iOS hands over the untouched original.

2. 2

   Step 2

   Open transfr.me in Safari

   Go to transfr.me. No app to download, no account to create.

3. 3

   Step 3

   Add your files

   Tap to add files and choose Browse (Files) or the photo library. You can add many videos and photos in one transfer, up to 100 GB.

4. 4

   Step 4

   Choose Link or Email

   Link gives you a URL to paste in Messages, WhatsApp or Mail. Email lets Transfr notify up to 10 recipients for you.

5. 5

   Step 5

   Keep Safari open until the upload ends

   Stay on Wi-Fi for big files and keep the screen on: iOS may pause uploads in background tabs. If the connection drops, Transfr retries automatically.

6. 6

   Step 6

   Share the link

   Copy it and send it any way you like. Your recipient opens it in a browser and downloads the original.

How to send large files from iPhone to Android

Messages falls back to MMS when the recipient is on Android, and MMS shrinks videos hard. Some recent Android phones can now receive AirDrop through Quick Share when you are side by side, but support depends on the model. A Transfr link avoids the question: paste it in any chat and it opens in Chrome on Android. More on cross-platform moves in transfer files from Android to iPhone.

How to transfer large files from iPhone to a PC

• Cable: plug the iPhone into a Windows PC and import photos and videos with the Photos app. Fast for your own computer, but you need the cable and the PC.
• iCloud for Windows: syncs your library, if you have the iCloud storage for it.
• Transfr: upload from the iPhone, open the link on the PC and download. Handy when the PC belongs to someone else, or is far away. See send large files from Windows for the other direction.

Can I send a long video by iMessage?

Apple does not publish a size limit for videos in Messages, and it says the iPhone may compress what you send. Long clips usually arrive at reduced quality, and between iPhone and Android they go through MMS, whose limits depend on the carrier. If quality matters, send a link in the conversation instead. Details on texting videos in send large video by text message.

HEIC, HEVC and ProRes: will the recipient be able to open it?

By default, iPhones save photos as HEIF (.heic) and videos as HEVC. Macs and recent phones open them, but older Windows PCs may need an extension, and editing software varies. Transfr always delivers the exact bytes you uploaded. Videos in formats the browser can play show a preview on the download page; HEIC photos download fine but are not previewed. If your recipients often struggle, set Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible to shoot JPEG and H.264 instead, at the cost of bigger files. For professional footage, see send large video files and send RAW photos.

Keep it private

Add a password to the transfer and text it separately, limit downloads to one, or turn on end-to-end encryption so the files are encrypted on your iPhone before they leave it. The key lives in the link and is never stored on our servers. See secure file transfer. For a deeper walkthrough of iPhone settings, read our iPhone large files guide.