Transfer large video files from phone to PC
Move multi-gigabyte videos between Android, Windows and Linux with no size cap. Transfers resume after drops and every piece is verified.
Send the video like any other file, with Files on the phone or by dropping it on Send files on the PC, and let it run. There is no size limit: the only cap is free space on the receiving device, and if the Wi-Fi drops halfway, the transfer continues from where it stopped instead of starting again.
At a glance
- No file size limit; only the receiver’s free space counts.
- Every 1 MiB chunk and the whole file are checked with BLAKE3.
- Measured at 230–250 MiB/s for a 100 MiB file over loopback on one PC; over Wi-Fi, your network sets the pace.
- Resumes automatically after a disconnect or a restart.
Step by step
Check the free space
The receiving device needs room for the whole video. Clear space first so the transfer doesn’t stop near the end.
Use the fastest path
Put the PC on 5 GHz Wi-Fi or a cable and keep the phone near the router. A local connection is much faster than internet mode or the relay.
Keep both devices awake
Set the phone app to Unrestricted battery use and stop the PC from going to sleep until the transfer is done.
Send the video
On the phone tap Files and pick the video, or on the PC drop it on Send files. On Linux use
pdb send <device> <file>.Wait for the check
When the list shows Done · integrity verified, the file is complete. To stop early, use the ✕ (Cancel transfer).
What happens when the connection drops
Partial data waits in a hidden .pdb-partial folder on the receiving device. When the two devices see each other again, even after a restart, the transfer carries on from the data already received, so a long video is never lost near the finish.
Sending the video to someone else
If the video is for a person who doesn’t use the app, create a one-time link on the PC. The file goes straight from your PC to their browser, end-to-end encrypted, while your PC stays on.
Questions
Is there a maximum file size?
No. Files move in 1 MiB pieces, so the only limit is free space on the receiving device. An organisation’s policy can set a maximum.
Is the video re-encoded or reduced in quality?
No. The file is copied as it is and verified with BLAKE3, so what arrives is identical to the original.
Why is it slower when I’m away from home?
Over the internet, speed depends on both connections, and a relayed connection is slower still. The local network is always tried first.
Will it use my mobile data?
Not on Wi-Fi or the phone’s own hotspot. Only internet mode uses mobile data, when the phone is on it.