What is the air drop file transfer limit maximum to not compress media files?

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Level 1

18 points

What is the air drop file transfer limit maximum to not compress media files?

I have found that a certain number of pictures and movies can be transferred between devices using airdrop.

Above that number, the transfer fails. I am guessing it is around 2GB. Seen on iPhone 12 Pro Max x2.

Upon further inspection, I found that when transferred with airdrop that exceeds some other maximum, the pictures and movies are reduced in quality significantly.

Movies are cut in half and pictures are also cut in file size by 30% or so.

I want to know what this maximum is, all other searches do not mention any limit or discussion of compression.

I Discovered this by backing up media from two phones to a computer and de-duplicating the media which were transferred to each other by airdrop previously. Pictures or movies taken on Phone A had a larger file size but the same file name as well as date when trying to copy over them when transferred from Phone B and vice versa.

iPhone 12 Pro Max, iOS 17

Posted on Sep 19, 2024 9:10 PM

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Answer 1

Num_ Author

Level 1

18 points

Sep 21, 2024 9:52 AM in response to Matti Haveri

correct. No error message.

workflow:

Select 200-300 25-30MB raw pictures from a phone or mix with videos to airdrop to another phone (in my instance). This should fail.

100-140 30MB files appears to be in the compression range for successful airdrop.

Same latest version at the time ios 17.6.1.

i used windows via usb File explorer for copying and haven’t used Mac in a bit but capture seems like the best route to see effect on Mac. Option two is to import to two different directories and copy over from one to the other as they should have same name/file sizes if no compression.

Do it once for all media on one phone.

Try to copy over the media with phone/device 2 to same directory.

Windows shows the conflicts, side by side modified date/file size/picture previews.

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Answer 2

Sep 19, 2024 9:51 PM in response to Num_

So the transfer either fails (or maybe time outs?) or the files are re-encoded, right? What is the workflow if I want to reproduce this? Shoot a >3 GB movie (or several movies and images summing over 3 GB?) with iPhone/iPad, AirDrop them to another iPhone/iPad (do the iOS/iPadOS versions matter?), then use Image Capture.app via USB (so originals are transferred) to copy the files to the Mac, and then see if the file sizes differ significantly in either mobile device?

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What is the air drop file transfer limit maximum to not compress media files?

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