Quick answer: After a trip, create a file request on Share Large Video Files and share its link in the group chat: everyone uploads their original photos and videos from their phone without an account, up to 20 GB per upload. Before the trip, send the itinerary, tickets and booking PDFs as one link to the group. On the road, Send via Wi-Fi moves files phone to phone over one phone's hotspot with no size limit; it needs a little mobile data to connect, not to carry the files.
Files travelers and trip groups send, and how big they get
| File | Format | Typical size |
|---|---|---|
| Phone photos, 2-week trip, 800 photos at about 3 MB | HEIC, JPG | about 2.4 GB per person |
| Phone video, 15 min 4K 30 fps (HEVC) | MOV, MP4 | about 2.5 GB |
| Action camera or drone, 20 min 4K at 100 Mbps | MP4 | about 15 GB |
| Whole group of 6, each 400 photos and 15 min of 4K video | Mixed | about 22 GB |
| Itinerary, tickets and booking confirmations | PDF, PKPASS, PNG | under 2 MB each |
Worked out: 400 photos × 3 MB = 1,200 MB, plus 15 min of iPhone 4K at about 170 MB a minute = 2,550 MB, so about 3.75 GB per person and 22.5 GB for six people. Drone: 100 Mbps × 1,200 s ÷ 8 = 15,000 MB.
Can it go by email or chat?
Can you send one person's photos and videos from a trip (about 3.7 GB) as an attachment?
| App | Limit | Fits? |
|---|---|---|
| Gmail | 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| Outlook.com | 20 to 25 MB per email | No, send a link |
| WhatsApp (document) | 2 GB per file | No, send a link |
| Telegram | 2 GB per file | No, send a link |
| Facebook Messenger | 100 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Discord (free) | 20 MB per file | No, send a link |
| Slack | 1 GB per file | No, send a link |
| WeTransfer (free) | 3 GB per transfer | No, send a link |
| Share Large Video Files | 20 GB per transfer | Send the link anywhere |
Limits from our file size limits by app table, checked against each service's help pages.
A workflow that works
- Before the trip: upload the itinerary, tickets and booking PDFs together and send the link to the group chat. Set a Custom short link such as lisbon-trip-2026 so it is easy to find again, and add a Password if passport or visa copies are included.
- If plans change, replace the file on the same transfer with Edit files or message; the link in the chat stays the same.
- On the road: to pass videos to a friend's phone or a laptop, open Send via Wi-Fi on both on the same Wi-Fi, or connect one to the other's hotspot. Tap the other device, pick the files, and they tap Accept.
- After the trip: switch to Request files, start from the Photo or video submissions template, set a due date a week or two out and share the link. Add people by name to give each a personal link and automatic reminders.
- When everything is in, upload the best set on one link and share it back: the download page shows it as an album, and each person ticks the photos they want.
Recommended options
| Option (under More options) | Setting | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Custom short link | e.g. lisbon-trip-2026 | Easy to find in a long group chat |
| Password | On if passport or visa copies are included | Personal documents need a second factor |
| Expires after | The longest option | The group has time to download after the trip |
| Ask for details before the files open | Name | You see which friends have the files |
| Who can open the link | Anyone with the link | Friends and family open it without signing up |
Set these once, press Save current next to Preset, and reuse the same options for every trip with one tap.
Phone to phone with weak or expensive internet
On a beach, a bus or a hotel with Wi-Fi that blocks devices from seeing each other, turn on one phone's hotspot and connect the other phone or laptop to it. Open Send via Wi-Fi on both: the devices need a little mobile data so our server can introduce them, then the photos and videos go directly over the hotspot connection, not through the internet, with no size limit. For a whole group, choose Create a private room, add a PIN, and use Send to everyone. With no signal at all it cannot connect; use AirDrop, Quick Share or a cable instead. See transferring files over a hotspot.
Sending across countries
A download link works the same in every country, so friends back home or in another country download the originals over their own connection, with no roaming data on your side once the upload is done. Send via Wi-Fi also works between countries: one person taps Show a code and the other types the 6 digits. If a network blocks a direct connection, the page uses an encrypted relay automatically (up to 5 GB per transfer by default), so for big sets across countries a link is usually better. See sending large files internationally.
Why not the group chat?
WhatsApp and most chat apps compress photos and videos picked from the gallery, so the copy everyone saves is smaller and softer than the original. Sent as a link, every file is the original, with its date and location data. If you would rather not share where a photo was taken, remove the location with the free remove image metadata tool first.
Frequently asked questions
How do we collect everyone's trip photos in one place?
Create a file request and share its link in the group chat. Everyone uploads their original photos and videos from their phone without an account, and you download them all from one page.
Can I send files between phones without internet?
Mostly. Turn on one phone's hotspot and connect the other to it; Send via Wi-Fi needs a little mobile data to connect the devices, but the files go directly over the hotspot. With no signal at all, use AirDrop, Quick Share or a cable.
Are photos compressed?
No. The link gives the exact files you uploaded, unlike chat apps that compress photos and videos.
Can friends in other countries download them?
Yes. The link works in every country and needs no account. Transfers last 1 day, so ask everyone to download before then.
Is it safe to share tickets and passport copies?
Add a password and give it in a separate message, and choose a short expiry. Transfers are encrypted in transit (HTTPS), not end to end.
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