Video .mov Files transfer as Jpegs

[Kat6]

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.

[Jay]

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!

[Kat6]

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.

[Kat6]

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 · Accepted solution]

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]

Thanks for the update, @Kat6, if you need any further assistance, please let me know.

Enjoy your week ahead!

[bigbrad54]

I just tried uploading a video file (.mov) from my iPhone 13 using the Dropbox app and it also transferred as a jpeg.  How do you fix that?

[Walter]

Hey @bigbrad54, sorry to hear about this.

Could you please let us know the exact steps you take to do this and if this happens with other files as well or only with this specific one? 

[bigbrad54]

I initially had my settings to only allow selected photos to be uploaded and I tried to upload one video and nothing happened. Then I changed my settings to All Photos and went back to the app. I don’t remember if I had to select anything to start the upload but it began uploading my camera library and converted the .mov files to .jpeg. The initially upload ignored my most recent files from yesterday and today which were all .mov files. I was just able to upload the recent files by selecting them and they uploaded correctly but all of my other .mov files are .jpegs now.

[Jay]

Hi @bigbrad54, how large are the renamed MOV files? 

Are you able to rename them on the Dropbox site to make them MOV files again so they can be played?