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Is it faster to USB-C lightning cable connect my iPhone to Mac to import photos to Dropbox?

Carl_Bloke

Hello. I need some help regarding backing up my entire iPhone photo Gallery to Dropbox app’s Camera Uploads folder.

It seems as tho doing it over the iOS app, if you have a big gallery to import, it takes a long time.

does connecting my iPhone to a MacBook’s Dropbox Desktop app have a faster upload speed and it will make sure all my photos get to the same correct destination & directive same as you would when backing up and uploading with the iOS app?

And if so, can you help me with the necessary steps to make sure the importing process is successful if I do choose to do this process?

also is it okay to ask any follow up questions?

also the reason I posted that picture up above is because is it okay to do this while the uploading proceess is still ongoing? Will it just continue where I left off?

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Accepted answers

Megan

Hey there, @Carl_Bloke, let's jump into this one question at a time!

How fast your content uploads via camera uploads varies depending on your local Wi-Fi upload speed, which is determined by the maximum limit set by your ISP.

You can use the Dropbox desktop app steps to enable camera uploads instead of the mobile app. However, I personally suggest giving the ongoing process some time, since you've already enabled it on your iPhone. There is no way to cancel the current upload, so I'd stick with it. Just make sure to keep the Dropbox mobile app open and verify that you have enough available space on both your account and your mobile device.

Regarding your second question about metadata: when using the camera uploads feature, any images in your camera roll are uploaded to your Camera Uploads folder with their correct metadata. It sends your original photo and video files—including their embedded Exif metadata—up to Dropbox, so any GPS coordinates in your files stay intact.

If you upload files directly to the website, it works the same as using the mobile app's plus button; however, the date and time metadata recorded will be for that specific moment of upload, rather than the original date the photo was taken.

If you need something else, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help every step of the way.

Jay

Hi @Carl_Bloke, thanks for your message.

In general, when you upload files from the Dropbox mobile app to your account, it does take up extra space within the app temporarily in order to ensure that the upload succeeds.

The extra space used up by the app should be removed once the uploads are completed, and the time it takes to do so can vary.

Jay

If you're using the automatic camera uploads feature in the Dropbox mobile app, then it would remember which photos were already uploaded to the site, even after uninstalling and reinstalling the app, and it would be able to continue uploading the remaining photos and videos.

All comments

Carl_Bloke

I’d love to know if uploading photos whether manually or via automatic camera uploads will preserve all the data and metadata and information about that photo that was in your iPhone camera roll such as location, how the photo was taken, etc.

Megan

Hey there, @Carl_Bloke, let's jump into this one question at a time!

How fast your content uploads via camera uploads varies depending on your local Wi-Fi upload speed, which is determined by the maximum limit set by your ISP.

If you need something else, please let me know and I will be more than happy to help every step of the way.

Carl_Bloke

thank you so much for your response. I appreciate you helping me and answering my questions. I will try to be patient then and stick to the uploading process on my phone then

Megan

Hey @Carl_Bloke!

It's my pleasure. I'll be one post away if you need anything else. 😎

Carl_Bloke

Understood. Thank you so much for your response! 👍 I actually do have another question

First off something I am always confused by is when uploading not just photos but also any files to Dropbox, especially the big ones, why is it that it increases the size of the app itself and in the process also adds more storage to my phone?

I tried clearing the cache but even then, it doesn’t make much a difference. The data is still slot within the app itself instead of disappearing which I always thought should be the result since it’s all being transported to the cloud therefore shouldn’t take up storage in my phone.

Here is some screenshots I took to show what I mean

Jay

Hi @Carl_Bloke, thanks for your message.

In general, when you upload files from the Dropbox mobile app to your account, it does take up extra space within the app temporarily in order to ensure that the upload succeeds.

The extra space used up by the app should be removed once the uploads are completed, and the time it takes to do so can vary.

Carl_Bloke

thank you so much for your answer. Another idea I also have is that a fast way I usually do to remove all the extra space is by deleting the Dropbox app and reinstalling them

however since I am currently trying to back up my iPhone camera roll, I am worried about if this is going to disrupt my progress in backing up all my photos and probably reset all my progress in backing up the rest of my photos. If I reinstall the app and keep the settings that uploads all my old and new photos, will the backing up process continue where I left off or reset entirely?

Jay

Carl_Bloke

that’s good to know. That’s a relief to hear too. Thank you all so much your your help!