Video files are the reason most people go looking for a better way to share large video files: one hour of 4K camera footage can be hundreds of gigabytes, and an editing project is not one file but a folder of clips, proxies, audio, graphics and a project file that points to all of them. This guide shows how to hand footage and whole projects to an editor or a client in full quality, and when each method makes sense.
How big are video files today?
The size of a clip depends on the codec far more than on the resolution. Phone and camera codecs such as H.264 and HEVC are highly compressed; editing codecs such as ProRes and DNxHR are built for quality and fast editing, and they are large.
Apple's ProRes white paper lists target data rates for UHD (3840×2160) at 30 frames per second of about 884 Mbit/s for ProRes 422 HQ and about 182 Mbit/s for ProRes Proxy. Converted to storage, that is roughly:
| Format (UHD, 30 fps) | Data rate | One hour of footage |
|---|---|---|
| ProRes 422 HQ | ~884 Mbit/s | ~400 GB |
| ProRes Proxy | ~182 Mbit/s | ~80 GB |
Camera RAW video formats and 8K footage go higher still. That is why a single shoot day can fill a 2 TB drive, and why "just send me the files" is a real logistics problem.
Which ways can I share large video files?
| Method | Original quality | Whole project folder | Free size limit | Upload first? | Sender online during download? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Messenger / social app | Usually recompressed | No | Small, varies by app | Yes | No |
| Email attachment | Yes | No | ~20–25 MB | Yes | No |
| Cloud drive (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive) | Yes | Kept online, usually zipped on download | Your storage quota | Yes | No |
| Transfer service (WeTransfer-type) | Yes | Usually zipped | Check the vendor's current plan | Yes | No |
| Review platform (Frame.io-type) | Yes, plus streaming previews | Varies | Check the vendor's current plan | Yes | No |
| StrongFolder (P2P) | Yes | Kept, no ZIP | None set by the service | No | Yes |
| Shipping a drive | Yes | Kept | Drive capacity | No | No |
There is no single winner. The right choice depends on three questions: how big the footage is, whether the recipient needs to watch or to edit, and whether you can keep your computer online while they download.
How do I share a video project folder with an editor?
An editing project is a web of links. The project file stores the path to every clip, so if the editor receives the clips in a different folder layout, they face a screen of "media offline" and a long relinking session. The fix is to send one consolidated folder and keep its structure intact.
- Consolidate. In Premiere Pro, use File → Project Manager and choose to collect files and copy them to a new location. In DaVinci Resolve, export a project archive. In Final Cut Pro, consolidate the library's media into the library or one folder.
- Decide on proxies. If the editor will cut offline and conform later, send the proxies first — they are a fraction of the size — and the full-resolution media afterwards or on a drive.
- Send the folder as a folder. With StrongFolder, click Upload Folder, pick the consolidated folder and send the link. The editor saves the same tree on their disk, so a single relink finds everything.
Saving a whole folder with its structure uses the File System Access API: Chrome, Edge, Opera and other Chromium browsers on a computer. Other browsers can download the files one by one or as a ZIP. Ask your editor to open the link in Chrome, Edge or Opera on their computer.
Free · in your browser · no sign-up
How long will it take to share a large video?
A direct transfer streams from your computer to theirs, so it can never be faster than your upload speed or their download speed, whichever is lower. Here is the minimum time for common sizes (1 GB = 8 gigabits; real transfers add some overhead):
| Footage | 50 Mbit/s upload | 100 Mbit/s upload | 500 Mbit/s upload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 GB | ~2.2 hours | ~67 minutes | ~13 minutes |
| 200 GB | ~8.9 hours | ~4.4 hours | ~53 minutes |
| 400 GB (1 h of UHD ProRes 422 HQ) | ~18 hours | ~8.9 hours | ~1.8 hours |
| 1 TB | ~44 hours | ~22 hours | ~4.4 hours |
A cloud service has the same physics: you first upload everything at your upload speed, and only then can the recipient start downloading. With a direct transfer the recipient downloads while you send, so there is one wait instead of two. The price of that is that your computer must stay on for the whole transfer — see why the sender stays online.
How do I share videos online with a client who just wants to watch?
If the client only needs to review a cut, do not send them a 200 GB master. Export a review file in H.264 or HEVC; it is small enough for almost any channel. When they want frame-accurate comments, a review platform with timecoded notes is the better tool. Send masters and deliverables — the files they will actually archive or broadcast — in full quality once the cut is approved.
For full-quality delivery to several people, one StrongFolder link can serve them all. One link can be opened by several recipients; each downloads directly from the sender. Simultaneous downloads share your upload bandwidth, so if speed matters, let recipients download one after another.
When should I not use StrongFolder for video?
Be honest about the trade-off. A direct transfer is the wrong tool when:
- You can't stay online. You are on set with a laptop, on a train, or about to close the lid. Upload to a cloud drive and send the link instead.
- The recipient needs to watch in a browser or leave timecoded comments. Use a review platform or a cloud drive with video previews.
- Several people need the footage for weeks. Shared cloud storage or a production storage system fits ongoing collaboration better than a link that works only while you share.
- You have many terabytes and a slow upload. At 50 Mbit/s, 4 TB takes more than a week. A shipped drive wins.
- The recipient only has a phone. Saving a whole folder needs a Chromium browser on a computer; on a phone, files arrive one by one or as a ZIP.
Is it safe to share unreleased footage this way?
WebRTC encrypts every data channel with DTLS, so the file stream is encrypted in transit on every connection. Files are never uploaded to or stored on a StrongFolder server. If a direct connection is impossible (strict corporate firewall, some mobile networks), the encrypted stream passes through a StrongFolder relay (TURN) server. The relay forwards the data and does not store it. Anyone who has the link can download while you are sharing, so send it through a channel you trust and click Stop Sharing when the editor is done. More detail is in Security & privacy and secure file sharing.
Summary
To share large video files without losing quality, send the original clips or a consolidated project folder directly, keep your computer awake, and let the recipient save the same folder tree. Use proxies to start editing sooner, review files for clients who only watch, and a cloud link or a drive when you can't stay online. For a step-by-step on single big files, see How to send large video files; for folders, How to send a folder without zipping it.