Handing over work photos and videos: preparation, receive instructions and a checklist

Published 25 September 2026 · Based on what the site showed on 25 September 2026

When you hand a client a shoot or a batch of site photos and videos, three things usually go wrong: something is missing, something won't open, or the link has expired. Tidy the package and make a file list before sending, put the deadline and download limit in your message, and ask the recipient to check against the list — that prevents most of it.

Sizes and the basic sending steps are covered in sending photos and sending videos; retention and download settings are in file transfers for work. This page focuses on what happens before and after.

Decide the method and settings first

Recipient's situation	Method	Keep in mind
Can receive right now (in a meeting, on a call)	Direct P2P transfer	Both sender and recipient keep the page open until it finishes. Closing either tab stops it.
Will pick it up later / timing unknown	Cloud transfer	Up to 5 GB per transfer. You choose the retention period and download limit when sending.

Watch the defaults: cloud transfer offers retention of 1, 3, 7, 15 or 30 days and a download limit of 1, 5, 10 or 20, but the defaults are 1 day and 1 download. If a weekend is coming up, or several people on the client side need to review the files, raise both before you send.

Over 5 GB, split the folders across several transfers or arrange a time for a direct P2P transfer. The free allowance and prices are listed under "Pricing and specifications" on the home page.

Before-sending checklist

Separate the folders: keep what the recipient will use apart from reference material, e.g. 01_delivery and 02_reference.
Name files consistently: date_project_content_number (e.g. 20260925_ABC-house_exterior_001.jpg) sorts cleanly on the other side. Avoid characters some systems reject: \ / : * ? " < > |.
Decide whether to send folders: folder structure is kept only over HTTPS in a supporting browser (recent desktop Chrome or Edge, for example). On phones and some browsers you select individual files, so zip the package if the structure matters.
Make a file list: counts and sizes per folder, attached to your message (example below).
Check formats: RAW files and professional video formats may not open on the recipient's machine. Include JPEG or MP4 previews if needed. FileExpress does not convert or compress files when sending, so what you send is what arrives.
Check what's in the pictures: handle images showing people or personal information according to your company rules and client agreement.
(Optional) Record checksums: if you need proof the same files arrived, note each file's SHA-256 value in the list before sending.

Example file list

Project: ___ house, exterior and interior shoot
Handover date: 2026-09-25
01_delivery/photos  JPEG, edited · 120 · ~0.9 GB
01_delivery/videos  MP4 1080p · 3 · ~2.4 GB
02_reference/raw    CR3, unedited · 120 · ~3.6 GB (sent separately)
Total this handover: 123 files · ~3.3 GB

Commands to get a SHA-256 value

macOS:   shasum -a 256 FILE
Windows: certutil -hashfile FILE SHA256
Linux:   sha256sum FILE

The recipient runs the same command; matching values mean identical files.

Receive instructions to copy

Sending the receive code in a separate message or by phone is safer. Each version points to the site in the recipient's language (Japanese /, English /en/, Chinese /zh-CN/).

For a Japanese-speaking recipient (日本語)

【データお渡しのご案内】
案件：◯◯（◯月◯日撮影分）
内容：写真 ◯枚（JPEG）／動画 ◯本（MP4）／合計 約◯GB
受け取り方：https://fileexpress.jp/ を開き、「ファイル受信」に受取コードを入力してください。
受取コード：別のメッセージでお送りします
受け取り期限：◯月◯日まで（ダウンロードは◯回まで）
受け取り後、枚数・本数がファイル一覧と合っているかご確認のうえ、ご一報ください。

For an English-speaking recipient

[Files for you]
Project: ___ (shot on ___)
Contents: ___ photos (JPEG) / ___ videos (MP4) / about ___ GB in total
How to receive: open https://fileexpress.jp/en/ and enter the receive code under "Receive files".
Receive code: sent in a separate message
Available until: ___ (up to ___ downloads)
Once you have them, please check the counts against the file list and let me know.

For a Chinese-speaking recipient (简体中文)

【资料交付通知】
项目：◯◯（◯月◯日拍摄）
内容：照片 ◯ 张（JPEG）／视频 ◯ 个（MP4）／合计约 ◯GB
接收方法：打开 https://fileexpress.jp/zh-CN/，在“接收文件”中输入接收码。
接收码：另行发送
接收期限：◯月◯日前（最多可下载 ◯ 次）
收到后请对照文件清单核对张数和个数，并回复确认。

Steps for the recipient

The recipient needs no account and no app. You can share this section with them as is.

Open the page named in the message (e.g. https://fileexpress.jp/en/). When receiving on a phone from a computer, just scan the QR code shown on the sender's screen.
Enter the 4-character receive code under "Receive files".
Direct P2P transfer: you must be connected at the same time as the sender. Keep the page open until it finishes.
Cloud transfer: download before the deadline and within the download limit. With a limit of 1, the code stops working after the first download.
Find where the files were saved (the Downloads folder on a computer, the Files app on a phone) and move them where they belong.
Check them against the file list and tell the sender you have everything.

After-handover checklist

Recipient

Folder structure, photo and video counts and total size match the file list
Opened a few photos and played the start and end of each video
(If checksums were provided) the SHA-256 values match
Moved the files to your company storage before the deadline
Told the sender the handover is complete

Sender

Received confirmation and recorded the date and time
Decided how to resend if downloads or time run out
Told the recipient when any separately sent material (e.g. RAW files) will follow
Kept or deleted your own copies according to company rules (cloud transfer files are deleted automatically after the retention period)

Common problems

Symptom	Usual cause	What to do
The receive code doesn't work	A typo, the retention period has passed, or the downloads are used up	Check the code; if it still fails, resend with a longer period or more downloads.
A direct P2P transfer stopped	A tab closed, a phone went to sleep, or a connection dropped	Start again. If timing is hard to arrange, switch to cloud transfer.
Can't select a folder	A phone or unsupported browser	Zip the package or select files individually.
Over 5 GB, cloud transfer won't take it	Cloud transfer allows up to 5 GB per transfer	Split into several transfers or use direct P2P.
Received but won't open	The recipient's software doesn't support the format	Send JPEG or MP4 previews as well.

Try FileExpress

No registration needed. Choose your files and you get a receive code.

Send files Retention and download settings

Everything in this article was checked against the public pages on 25 September 2026. Features and prices can change; the send screen and the home page take precedence.