SharingCastHow to Send a Large Video File for Free
Full quality, no compression, no upload limits
In this guide
Why video files are hard to send
Modern phones and cameras record video at very high quality. A few minutes of 4K footage can easily reach several gigabytes. That is far beyond what email allows, and messaging apps usually compress video to make it smaller, which reduces quality. Free upload services have their own caps and monthly limits, and uploading a big file over a slow connection can take a long time before the other person can even start downloading.
If you want the other person to receive the original video, at full quality, as quickly as possible, a direct transfer is usually the best option.
Send a large video with SharingCast
- Open sharingcast.com on the device with the video (or use the Windows or Android app).
- Tap Send and choose the video. You can add several videos, or a whole folder of footage.
- Set a password if the video is private, then tap Start sharing.
- Send the code to the other person with Copy code or Copy link.
- The receiver opens Receive, enters the code and password, and taps Connect.
- Choose what to download. The receiving device lists the incoming files. Keep them all ticked or untick the ones you do not need, then press Download selected. Both screens show live progress.
- Save the files. When the transfer finishes, use Download all to save everything as one ZIP file, or the Download button under each file to save it on its own. Keep both devices awake until you are done.
There is no size limit, no account and no compression. The receiver gets exactly the file you recorded.
Send a video now →How big are video files?
File size depends on resolution, frame rate and the codec your device uses, so these are rough guides for one minute of video:
| Recording | Approximate size per minute | 10 minutes |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p at 30 fps | 60–130 MB | 0.6–1.3 GB |
| 4K at 30 fps | 170–400 MB | 1.7–4 GB |
| 4K at 60 fps | 400–600 MB | 4–6 GB |
| Professional / RAW formats | 1 GB or more | 10 GB or more |
This is why a single 4K clip can use up a whole monthly free allowance on an upload service, while a direct transfer handles it like any other file.
Keeping full quality
Quality is lost when a service re-encodes your video to make it smaller. Messaging apps do this by default, and some cloud services create lower-quality previews. A direct transfer sends the file byte for byte, so the copy the receiver gets is identical to yours, including the original resolution, frame rate and audio.
On iPhone, there are two extra things to know. Videos are often saved in HEVC (H.265) format, which most modern devices play, but some older Windows PCs need a free codec extension. And when you choose videos from the Photos library, iOS may offer to convert them; choosing the original keeps the file unchanged.
Should you compress the video first?
Usually not. Compression saves time on slow connections, but it always reduces quality, and it takes time itself. Consider compressing only when:
- The receiver only needs a preview, not the master file.
- The receiving device is low on storage.
- You are on a very slow or metered connection.
Zipping a video rarely helps, because video files are already compressed. Sending the original files directly is normally just as fast.
Common situations
Phone to computer for editing
Open SharingCast on the phone and the computer, on the same Wi-Fi. Transfers stay on your local network, so even large 4K clips move quickly.
Sending a finished video to a client
Send it live with a password while you are on a call. If the client needs to download later, share a link from your own cloud storage instead.
Wedding or event footage to family
Direct transfer avoids compression, so relatives receive the full-quality recording, not a blurry chat-app copy.
Android to iPhone (or the other way)
See our step-by-step guide to sending files from Android to iPhone.
Where the video is saved on each device
- Windows: the browser’s Downloads folder (or wherever your browser asks to save). Open it with the Films & TV app, VLC or your editing software.
- Mac: the Downloads folder. QuickTime plays most phone video formats, including HEVC.
- iPhone and iPad: Files → Downloads. Open the video and use the share button, then Save Video, to add it to the Photos app.
- Android: the Downloads folder. The video appears in your gallery app, sometimes after a short scan.
If a video will not play on the receiving device, the file is almost always fine; the device simply lacks the right codec. Installing a free player such as VLC usually solves it without converting the file.
Tips for long or very large video transfers
- Check free space before you start. The receiving device needs room for the full file. Phones often have less space free than people expect.
- Keep both devices on power. Long transfers keep the screen and Wi-Fi active, which drains batteries.
- Stay on the same network if possible. Same-network transfers do not depend on your internet upload speed.
- Send clips as separate files for very long transfers. Separate files arrive one after another, so anything that already finished is kept if the transfer is interrupted. Sending a whole folder is also possible; it arrives as a single zip with the folder structure intact.
- Use the apps for very long sends. The Windows and Android apps keep transfers running more reliably than a browser tab.
Frequently asked questions
What is the largest video I can send?
There is no limit in SharingCast. The receiving device just needs enough free space.
Is it really free?
Yes. Sending and receiving is free, with no account.
Will the video be compressed?
No. The original file is sent unchanged.
How long will a 5 GB video take?
On a good home Wi-Fi network, often a few minutes. Over the internet, it depends mainly on the sender’s upload speed. See the speed table in Send large files without uploading.