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Kat6's avatar
Kat6
Helpful | Level 6
4 years ago

Video .mov Files transfer as Jpegs

I just transferred 18 videos in the .mov format using my Mac desktop (up to date, running Catalina).  They each took 5 minutes or so to transfer, as would be expected. However, when they transferred, and I checked them, they'd all been converted to jpegs, which is a nice thought, but not what I wanted or expected.  Transferring videos was the main reason I paid for the subscription. Any suggestions?  Much appreciated.

  • Haha, leave it long enough, and we'll answer our own questions.  Yes.  My photos all transferred as jpegs, but today I learned that jpegs can be different sizes, so my iPad photos will go up to Dropbox in their original size from my iPad and will be downloadable by my Mac in their original size.

  • Jay's avatar
    Jay
    Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff
    Hi Kat6, thanks for joining the Community!

    Dropbox wouldn't convert your videos to still images, as there isn't a feature like that available.

    How did you transfer the files to Dropbox? Was it using the automatic camera upload feature, manually uploading files to the site, or by moving them into the Dropbox folder?

    Do you have any third party apps on your machine that could be converting the files?

    Any other info or screenshots would be helpful!
    • GRC's avatar
      GRC
      New member | Level 2

      I'm having the same issue.  I'm trying to upload videos of my recently deceased father for my family members and Dropbox keeps converting them to jpegs.  It is completely not helpful for Dropbox employees to just tell people that isn't happening.  This thread is just people saying they are having this issue and Dropbox people insisting its not possible.  How do you think that is helpful?  I have videos taken from my iPhone in Apple Photos on my computer.  When I drag the videos to Dropbox, it converts the .mov files to .jpeg, static images.  It's maddening at a time I really don't need to be annoyed as I prepare for my father's funeral.  You telling me that isn't a thing, is not helpful.

      • l3x's avatar
        l3x
        Explorer | Level 4
        I would love to hear a solution as well. I basically gave up trying a few months ago and have just been using a different service.
    • Kat6's avatar
      Kat6
      Helpful | Level 6

      Thanks, Jay...Well, I have the videos on my Mac in a folder (not a Dropbox folder) in Finder.  I selected the videos in that folder, and dragged them into the my Dropbox folder which was open in the Dropbox website , like the Dropbox instructions said, and as it allows me to do. What was strange was that they took many many minutes each to transfer, just as a video would. Then voila! they were transformed into jPegs. I won't bore you with a screen shot of a jPeg file name.

       

      In addition, I've spent hours and hours and hours transferring 2000 photos from a 2014 iPad, in batches of a 200 at a time, (because the app crashes if I try to transfer more) using the Dropbox uploader feature in the app, using the + feature, and they all turned into jpegs as well, and of course they look flat compared to the sizeable orginals, which I want to keep in their original format. Also, that Dropbox app doesn't transfer Live photos or videos. It's so frustrating, it seems to me that the Dropbox app's job is to allow me to transfer my files to Dropbox, and then back again. But I can't make it work.

       

      I'm sure I'm doing something wrong with both my devices...and hope you can help! Many thanks in advance.

      • Banncam's avatar
        Banncam
        New member | Level 2
        This is so terrible. It happened to me too. And I didn’t catch it in time so I deleted my videos from my phone after moving them to dropbox. My videos are lost!! I’m very upset.
    • Kat6's avatar
      Kat6
      Helpful | Level 6

      Hi Jeff, I just tried something for my Mac.  I uninstalled Dropbox and reinstalled, and re-linked my Dropbox folder in Finder.  From there I was able to synch and move the movies into the Dropbox folder, and now they're properly at Dropbox.  I'm still not sure what to do about the iPad photos, so maybe you can help with that?  

      • Kat6's avatar
        Kat6
        Helpful | Level 6

        Haha, leave it long enough, and we'll answer our own questions.  Yes.  My photos all transferred as jpegs, but today I learned that jpegs can be different sizes, so my iPad photos will go up to Dropbox in their original size from my iPad and will be downloadable by my Mac in their original size.

  • jeyyo's avatar
    jeyyo
    Explorer | Level 3
    I have been having this issue for the past month and was excited to find a whole thread about it but now disappointed there are no solutions. I am downloading videos to my phone from my security cameras. Then I will open the video to view it, hit the Share icon on my android phone, and one of the options is Add to Dropbox. When Dropbox opens, my file name is suddenly lost and renamed "image.jpg" and uploads as an image. It seems that if I download the file and rename it, I can okay the video. But why is this happening? Having to retype every file name is a irritating as it saving in the wrong file format.
    • Jay's avatar
      Jay
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Hi jeyyo, could you let us know what Android OS version and Dropbox mobile app version you're running on your machine?

      • jeyyo's avatar
        jeyyo
        Explorer | Level 3

        Android version 14, app version 384.2.2. This started about 2 months ago, worked fine before that. 

    • Walter's avatar
      Walter
      Icon for Dropbox Staff rankDropbox Staff

      Thanks for clarifying that for us jeyyo 

       

      Could you please clear the app's cache and let us know if this persists? To do this, please follow these steps: 

       

      1. Open the Dropbox Android app.
      2. Tap the menu icon in the top left. 
      3. Select Settings. 
      4. Select Clear cache.


      Once you’ve cleared the cache, log out of the Dropbox app, restart your device, then log back in.
       

      • jeyyo's avatar
        jeyyo
        Explorer | Level 3

        Clearing the app cache seemed to work!

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