Download the original files, not only previews, then open several photos and videos before treating the transfer as complete.
Download the complete delivery
Open the delivery link from All Digital Productions in a web browser. Hover over the delivered folder or file, use the checkbox to select it, and choose Download. To download several individual items, check each one before choosing Download.
Dropbox packages folders and multiple selections as a ZIP file. Your browser normally places the result in the Downloads folder unless you have selected a different download location.
If you receive a ZIP file
A ZIP file is a compressed container. On a Mac, double-click the ZIP to create a normal folder beside it. On Windows, right-click the ZIP, choose Extract All, choose a destination, and finish the extraction.
Work from the extracted folder rather than trying to play large videos while they are still inside the ZIP. Keep the delivered folder names intact until you know the download is complete.
For very large deliveries
Large browser downloads can be interrupted by a sleeping computer, a lost internet connection, or limited free space. Keep the computer connected to power, prevent it from sleeping, and make sure the destination has more free space than the delivery requires.
Dropbox recommends its desktop application for very large downloads. If a browser transfer repeatedly fails, install the official Dropbox desktop app or contact All Digital Productions before the delivery link expires.
Verify the files before you back them up
Compare the downloaded folders with what appears in Dropbox. Open a selection of photos and play several videos, including at least one of the largest files. A filename by itself does not prove that the transfer completed successfully.
Once the files are confirmed, copy the complete delivery to a separate external drive and create an off-site copy. The next guide explains the 3–2–1 method.
- Confirm the expected folders are present
- Open photos at full size
- Play several videos from beginning to end
- Check the largest files
- Do not rely on the Dropbox link as your only long-term copy
Common download questions
If the download appears to do nothing, check the browser download indicator and your Downloads folder. If you see a partial-download extension, allow the transfer to finish before opening it.
If you do not have enough room on the computer, download directly to an external drive only if the connection is stable. Afterward, make a second copy—the external drive should not be the only place the files exist.