tbross1970

Q: Where can I find airdropped files on my ipad?

Hi,

I just airdropped a video from my macbook to my iPad and now I can't find it anywhere on my iPad. Any tips?

 

Thanks,

Todd

Posted on Mar 30, 2015 10:44 AM

Close

Q: Where can I find airdropped files on my ipad?

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

Previous Page 2 of 3 last Next
  • by JD321,

    JD321 JD321 Aug 11, 2015 12:14 AM in response to ballyeden
    Level 1 (76 points)
    Aug 11, 2015 12:14 AM in response to ballyeden

    ballyeden wrote:

     

    Ok, I just had to add my 2 bits here.  I also have the same problem.  My iPad 3 gives me no way to respond.  It simply shows the progress wheel downloading the video.  No option as to where to open, and after it's done it can't be found in either the default video or photo apps.  Don't be so quick with the glib answers, and you might actually be of some help to somebody.

    Totally agree with the glib answers.

  • by mike sanders3,

    mike sanders3 mike sanders3 Sep 7, 2015 6:49 PM in response to JD321
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Sep 7, 2015 6:49 PM in response to JD321

    It's the glib answers which allow them to click up those huge numbers which give the impression they are experts, don't buy it.

  • by Ewal60,

    Ewal60 Ewal60 Sep 30, 2015 11:54 PM in response to tbross1970
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Sep 30, 2015 11:54 PM in response to tbross1970

    Having a very similar problem to tbross70 and though the answers here weren't very helpful, particularly from the appropriately initialed WC, I thought I'd try again rather than start a new topic:

    Trying to Airdrop a homemade .mov video file from my iMac 10.10.2 to my iPad Air2 8.4.1. I have "successfully" sent and accepted the transfer several times under several names but when I search in spotlight on the iPad it's nowhere to be found (and yes, I checked in All Photos). I get only the prompt on the iPad to accept, which I do, the wheel fills and then...it evaporates. I search on spotlight for any part of the various names of the video and get nothing.

    Though it's an .mov file that should play easily on anything Apple, I also downloaded a fresh copy of VLC and tried finding and opening from there (as well as Videos and iMovie, etc.) but again- nothing.

    Any ideas?

  • by mike sanders3,

    mike sanders3 mike sanders3 Oct 1, 2015 12:15 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 1 (30 points)
    Oct 1, 2015 12:15 AM in response to Ewal60

    I will wait and see if you get any responses because I still have the same problems with video, iPad accepts it transfer, is made and lo and behold, no video to be found, I am sure a good magician could make some money out of such a clever trick.

  • by Ewal60,

    Ewal60 Ewal60 Oct 1, 2015 12:18 AM in response to mike sanders3
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2015 12:18 AM in response to mike sanders3

    Exactly!

     

    On Thu, Oct 1, 2015 at 3:15 AM, Apple Support Communities Updates <

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Oct 1, 2015 3:03 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 10 (104,380 points)
    Apple TV
    Oct 1, 2015 3:03 AM in response to Ewal60

    .mov video is opened in the photos app for me. Other formats may need other applications, but as I've said previously (and received snarky replies for) you can't open a file that you don't have an app for, I'm not sure why some here can't see that. If you try opening the file in an app that doesn't support it, it will just disappear.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Oct 1, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Ewal60
    Level 7 (27,849 points)
    iPhone
    Oct 1, 2015 4:38 PM in response to Ewal60

    Like Winston Churchill point out, MOV files should automatically appear in the Photos App.

     

    Spotlight will not search the Photos app for filenames. So even if its there it will not appear in the results.

     

    In Photos it should appear in the Camera Roll album, or the Videos album.

     

    As has been mentioned already, if you do not have an App that can handle the file type being sent a prompt will appear suggesting you download an App from the store.

  • by Ewal60,

    Ewal60 Ewal60 Oct 1, 2015 11:42 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 1, 2015 11:42 PM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks for the specificity and clarity of your reply - unfortunately, as I indicate above, the files don't appear in my Photos app (to be clear, nowhere in the app including Videos, etc.), so am still at square one and now wondering why Apple hasn't made Spotlight able to search all files???  Also-- I don't get the prompt for an App download, so I don't see the way forward... 

    And please correct me if I'm missing something, but isn't it logical to expect that every iPad would be prepared to play Apple's proprietary .mov format? In Videos, in iMovie, in Photos...somewhere?

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Oct 2, 2015 12:45 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 10 (104,380 points)
    Apple TV
    Oct 2, 2015 12:45 AM in response to Ewal60

    Ewal60 wrote:

     

    And please correct me if I'm missing something, but isn't it logical to expect that every iPad would be prepared to play Apple's proprietary .mov format? In Videos, in iMovie, in Photos...somewhere?

    Thank you for the invitation. No, it's not logical, .mov is not a single format as such it's a container that can contain many different formats. It's quite common for products to be limited by specification, for example the Apple TV can only play H.264 video up to 1080p, 30 frames per second, High or Main Profile level 4.1 or lower, I don't know what the iPad can play, it's not my area of interest.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Oct 2, 2015 6:31 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 7 (27,849 points)
    iPhone
    Oct 2, 2015 6:31 AM in response to Ewal60

    So the next thing to determine is how this MOV file is being made.

     

    Where is it coming from.

     

    What exactly appears when you AirDrop it.   Perhaps a screenshot would help us understand what is happening.

  • by Ewal60,

    Ewal60 Ewal60 Oct 4, 2015 9:31 PM in response to Phil0124
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 4, 2015 9:31 PM in response to Phil0124

    Thanks for the response. The MOV was made in iDVD on my iMAC from old VHS homemade material. It plays perfectly in several media players there, hence my expectation that it would do the same on the iPad Air 2.

    Nothing to tell or show about the AirDrop process as it occurs in exactly the same manner as previous successful transfers: I get the prompt to accept the file, i accept, and the wheel turns until completed. The new part is that no media playing App knows it is there.

    It may be some strange Codec problem but at this point I'm just going to get a program to turn it into an AVI or MP4 and transfer again.

    Thanks for your help.

  • by Ewal60,

    Ewal60 Ewal60 Oct 4, 2015 9:39 PM in response to Winston Churchill
    Level 1 (0 points)
    Oct 4, 2015 9:39 PM in response to Winston Churchill

    It was an MOV made with Apple's iDVD on an iMac and plays perfectly well there on several programs, so I still think it's a logical and reasonable assumption it should play easily on an iPad Air 2 with several different media players.

    But since you make the astounding statement given the issue at hand, "I don't know what the iPad can play, it's not my area of interest", I don't know why I'm even responding.

  • by Winston Churchill,

    Winston Churchill Winston Churchill Oct 5, 2015 1:57 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 10 (104,380 points)
    Apple TV
    Oct 5, 2015 1:57 AM in response to Ewal60

    Ewal60 wrote:

     

    ....But since you make the astounding statement given the issue at hand, "I don't know what the iPad can play, it's not my area of interest", I don't know why I'm even responding.

    You need to remember that you aren't the original poster here and if I recall correctly this post was originally posted in the iCloud community and relocated by the hosts. When I say it's not my area of interest, I didn't mean I'm not interested, I meant it isn't an iCloud matter and therefore not an area where I have much knowledge, I'm not familiar with the video playback capabilities of the iPad.

     

    I do however have an interest in amateur video and I say again, it isn't logical to assume that all .mov files are the same and can all be played by the same devices. It's a complex matter, video has been standardised much more than it used to be, but iDVD is an old application, I don't have it anymore and don't believe I have any .mov exports from when I did to test with. I'd just accept it doesn't work and send it another way.

  • by Phil0124,

    Phil0124 Phil0124 Oct 5, 2015 8:31 AM in response to Ewal60
    Level 7 (27,849 points)
    iPhone
    Oct 5, 2015 8:31 AM in response to Ewal60

    Lets try something out.

     

    Try downloading the mov file form this link to your computer:

    QuickTime Sample files - Apple Support

     

    The second one from the top.

     

    Take it out of the Zip file it comes in, and AirDrop it to your iPad.

     

    Have your iPad just be at the home screen, No App open. And see if the Photos App opens automatically when the AirDrop is complete.

  • by wayne248,

    wayne248 wayne248 Jul 7, 2016 6:30 PM in response to tbross1970
    Level 1 (4 points)
    Jul 7, 2016 6:30 PM in response to tbross1970

    It's a year later but there was no real answer on this thread. I was having the same problem till I realized that not all .mov files are made the same. I wanted to leave a response that may help the next person.

     

    .Mov files can be created from different codec. The iPad will act like it received the .mov file with a wrong codec but the video will not be found. I figure the system is fooled because of the .mov tag thus runs through all the processes in receiving the file without the file actually showing.

     

    IPad's require a .mov or MPEG-4 video files but they must be encoded with the H.264 codec. If your iPad looks as if it's receiving the .mov / MPEG-4 file but it's no where to be found, convert the file with a H.264 codec and try again. Personally, I use the Xilisoft Video Converter; but any decent converter will work - especially if it has pre-programmed configurations for iPad use.

     

    Take care and God bless

Previous Page 2 of 3 last Next