How to send RAW photo galleries to clients without losing quality

You can send RAW photo galleries to clients without losing quality by not sending them through tools that auto-compress (messaging apps) and by delivering either (1) the RAW files in a single ZIP folder via an expiring transfer link, or (2) a client-friendly selection format (JPEG/TIFF) when RAW is not actually what they need. The key is to keep the originals untouched, package them cleanly, and give the client a simple “download all” path.

If you’re trying to finish a job like “deliver the full wedding gallery tonight”, the fastest reliable workflow is: export the chosen deliverable, ZIP the folder, send one expiring link, and include a one-paragraph download instruction. The rest of this guide shows the exact choices that prevent quality loss, missing files, and client confusion.

First: do your clients actually want RAW files?

Many clients say “RAW” when they mean “full resolution”. RAW is usually not viewable on phones, not easy to open, and not ideal for quick social posts. You’ll save yourself time (and support emails) by confirming the deliverable before you upload 30GB of .CR3/.NEF.

• Client wants to edit themselves: send RAW (and ideally the sidecars like .XMP), plus a short note about required software.
• Client wants full-quality finals: send JPEG at full resolution, or TIFF if they need print workflows. RAW is overkill.
• Client wants proofs: send smaller JPEGs in a separate folder, keep RAW available on request.

A practical compromise that works well: deliver final JPEGs now (easy to view), and offer the RAW archive as a separate link if they truly need it.

What “losing quality” really looks like (and where it happens)

RAW files themselves are already “originals”, quality loss usually happens when the sending method changes the file or your workflow accidentally ships the wrong version.

Common ways RAW deliveries go wrong

• Messaging apps compress: tools like WhatsApp and many social DMs often reduce photo quality or change formats. Even if they allow “document” sending, it’s not a great client delivery experience for hundreds of files.
• Email attachments fail: limits are tiny compared to a RAW folder. You end up splitting archives, and clients miss parts.
• Cloud sharing permissions: “request access” loops happen when clients aren’t logged in to the same account ecosystem.
• Partial downloads: clients select a few files in the browser instead of downloading the whole set, then say you “forgot half”.
• Edits get separated: Lightroom/Camera Raw edits live in catalogs or sidecar .XMP files. If you send only RAWs, they may not get the look you intended.

Quality loss can also be “workflow loss”: you exported the client JPEGs at 2048px because you used your proof preset, then uploaded those by mistake. The solution is a clean folder structure and a predictable packaging step.

A simple, reliable RAW delivery workflow (recommended)

This is the workflow we see succeed most often for photographers delivering to real clients (busy, on phones, and not excited about file extensions).

1. Create a delivery folder on your drive named something unmissable, like ClientName_Project_Deliverables_YYYY-MM-DD.
2. Inside it, separate by purpose:
   • 01_FINAL_JPEG (or TIFF)
   • 02_RAW
   • 03_EDITS (XMP sidecars, LUTs, notes), only if relevant
   • README.txt (yes, really)
3. ZIP each folder into its own archive (recommended), or ZIP the whole delivery folder if you want a single download.
4. Upload the ZIP(s) using an expiring transfer link instead of email attachments.
5. Send one email with: the link, the expiry date, the password (in a separate message), and “Download all” instructions.

Why ZIP at all? Two reasons: it preserves the exact filenames and folder structure, and it reduces “I only got 40 photos” confusion because clients download a single file. ZIP does not reduce RAW quality (it’s lossless). It might not shrink the size much either, and that’s fine. The goal is packaging, not compression.

Quick checklist: set your delivery up so clients don’t get stuck

• Name files consistently (avoid duplicate names like IMG_0001 from multiple cameras if they’ll combine folders).
• Keep paths short. Very deep folder nesting can cause unzip issues on some systems.
• Avoid exotic characters in filenames (stick to letters, numbers, hyphens, underscores).
• Include a README with: what’s inside, which folder to use, and how to unzip on Mac/Windows.
• Test like a client: download your own link on a phone once. If it’s painful, change the plan.

Transfer link vs cloud storage: what to use for RAW galleries

For client delivery, you usually want a transfer link (send, download, done). For ongoing collaboration, you may want cloud storage (a shared folder that keeps syncing).

If you use a transfer link: settings that matter for client work

These are the controls that reduce awkward moments like a link forwarded to the wrong person, or the client downloading the wrong version a month later.

1) Use expiry on purpose

Expiry is not just “security”, it’s project hygiene. You want old deliveries to disappear so the client is not digging up an outdated set when you’ve already delivered a corrected export.

With LetsSend, links expire automatically. On Free, links expire after 7 days. On Pro, you can set expiry up to 30 days (as of August 2026). If you know your client is travelling, set a longer expiry or warn them clearly.

2) Add a password for the link (and send it separately)

A password protects against accidental forwarding. Send the download link in email, and the password in a separate channel (or a separate email). It’s not spy-level security, it’s practical client safety.

You can see all features that control delivery, including passwords, expiry, and (on Pro) download limits.

3) Consider a download limit for sensitive deliveries

If you are delivering unreleased campaign work, unreleased album art, or anything that should not be re-downloaded endlessly, a download limit helps. It won’t stop screen recording, but it reduces casual sharing and gives you a clearer delivery boundary.

How to send RAW galleries when the upload keeps failing

Large uploads fail for boring reasons: unstable Wi‑Fi, sleep settings, VPNs, or trying to push 40GB from a hotel network at midnight.

Fixes that actually work

• Use a wired connection if you can, even temporarily.
• Turn off sleep on your computer during the upload. Laptops love to nap at 99%.
• Upload fewer huge files: if your RAW folder is one massive ZIP, split into two ZIPs by day or camera body. If one part fails, you do not start from zero.
• Avoid “re-compressing” videos or photos just to make them smaller. RAW and already-compressed JPEGs do not shrink much, you just waste time and can accidentally change deliverables.
• Try a different browser if something behaves oddly. Browsers differ in memory handling for very large uploads.

From the LetsSend team perspective (we build and run a transfer service), reliability improves when files upload directly from your browser to encrypted object storage rather than being relayed through an extra middle server. That reduces hops and bottlenecks. (If you’re curious, many services do this using short-lived, signed upload URLs, often called presigned URLs.)

If you need step-by-step troubleshooting, visit the Help Center.

What to include in the message to your client (copy/paste)

Most delivery problems are not technical, they’re instruction problems. Here’s a message that prevents the “I clicked it on my phone and now what?” thread.

Subject: Your photo files (download link)

Message: Hi [Name], here’s your download link for the gallery: [LINK]. Please download on a computer and choose “Download all” to grab the full ZIP. After download, double-click the ZIP to unzip. This link expires on [DATE]. I’ll send the password separately. If anything doesn’t open or you’d like JPEGs instead of RAW, tell me what you’re trying to do and I’ll package it the right way.

How LetsSend fits this workflow (and when it doesn’t)

LetsSend is our own product. If you want a simple “send, download, done” delivery, it’s built for exactly that: large files upload straight from the browser to encrypted object storage, links expire automatically, you can add a password, and Pro links can carry a download limit. We also do not sell files or contact details, and expired transfers are deleted rather than quietly archived.

As of August 2026:

• Free: up to 5GB per transfer, 5GB daily allowance, up to 10 files/day, links expire in 7 days.
• Pro: up to 200GB per transfer, link expiry up to 30 days, $12/month.
• Accounts: passwordless sign-in with a short code emailed to you (no password to leak).

If your client needs an ongoing shared folder that stays in sync for weeks (they’re adding selects, you’re swapping versions), cloud storage can be a better fit than a one-off transfer link. For one-time delivery of a finished set, expiring links are often simpler.

When you’re ready to deliver, the clean path is to send a file free. If you’re deciding based on size and expiry, compare Free and Pro.

Two advanced gotchas photographers run into (and the fixes)

1) “You didn’t send the edits” (Lightroom/Capture One)

If you edited in Lightroom Classic and your client expects those edits, RAW alone is not enough. The edits are in your catalog, or in sidecar files if you wrote them. If you intend to provide editable RAWs with your look:

• Export or include .XMP sidecars (if your workflow uses them).
• Tell the client what software and profile support they need.
• Consider delivering final JPEGs as the “truth”, and RAW as an extra.

2) Clients downloading on phones

Phones are fine for viewing, but terrible for managing a 12GB ZIP. If you know your client is phone-only, give them two deliverables:

• A small “Mobile Preview” folder (lower-res JPEGs).
• A Full-Res folder for when they reach a computer.

This sounds like extra work, but it saves hours of support and prevents the classic “it says it downloaded but I can’t find it” issue.

A fast decision rule you can use on every job

• Under 5GB total: a single ZIP via an expiring transfer link is usually the smoothest.
• Over 5GB: split into multiple ZIPs, or use a service/tier built for larger transfers.
• Sensitive work: use password protection, and consider download limits.
• Client confusion risk: default to “final JPEGs now, RAW archive on request”.

If you want more background on why transfer links often beat attachments for client delivery, our related guide Sending big files: email attachments vs transfer links (what actually works for client delivery) goes deeper on failure points and client experience.

If you want to know who is behind this advice and how we think about privacy, you can read about the team behind LetsSend and how we handle your data. If you have an edge case (huge weddings, multi-day commercial shoots, slow upload locations), contact us and we’ll point you to the cleanest approach, even if it’s not us.