How Media Syncs to the Cloud

When you take a photo or record a video in the Estimatics iOS app, it doesn't stay on your device — it uploads to the cloud automatically and appears on the web dashboard in real time. Your team can review media as you capture it, without waiting for the inspection to end.

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How the sync pipeline works

1. Capture — You take a photo or record a video in the app
2. Local queue — The file is saved locally on your device and added to the upload queue
3. Upload — The app uploads the file in the background, starting immediately if you have a connection
4. Processing — Once uploaded, the server processes the file: generates a thumbnail, extracts GPS and timestamp metadata, and queues it for AI analysis
5. Available — The photo or video appears in the Capture tab on the web dashboard, visible to all team members with access to the job

Total time from capture to web dashboard: 5–30 seconds on a good cellular or WiFi connection.

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Sync status indicators

Every photo and video in the iOS app shows a sync status indicator:

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Offline capture

You can capture photos and videos without any internet connection. The app queues all media locally and uploads automatically the moment a connection is restored — no action required from you.

What works offline:

• Photo capture (unlimited)
• Video recording
• Dual Video recording
• Viewing previously synced media

What requires a connection:

• Uploading media to the web dashboard
• Viewing the web dashboard (separate from the app)
• AI processing of new media

Tip: Before going to a property with poor signal, open the job in the app while you still have connection. The job data and previously synced media will be cached locally so you can work smoothly.

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Sync behavior on different connection types

The app automatically adjusts upload behavior based on connection strength. You don't need to configure anything.

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Managing upload priority

By default, photos upload before videos (smaller files first, so your team can see photo evidence faster). Within photos, they upload in capture order — newest last.

To prioritize a specific file:

1. In the Capture tab, tap and hold the item
2. Select Upload Now — this moves the item to the front of the queue

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Background sync

Estimatics continues uploading in the background when you switch to another app or lock your phone. iOS may pause background uploads after extended periods — if you have a large batch to upload, keep the app in the foreground or plug in to power.

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Troubleshooting sync issues

Photos show "Error" status

1. Tap the photo and tap Retry Upload
2. If retry fails, check your internet connection
3. Force-quit the Estimatics app (swipe up from the app switcher) and reopen
4. If the error persists, go to Profile → Help → Contact Support and include the job ID

Photos are stuck on "Uploading" for more than 5 minutes

1. Check your connection — switch from cellular to WiFi or vice versa
2. Force-quit and reopen the app — the upload will resume from where it stopped
3. Large video files (1GB+) can take 10–20 minutes on a slow connection — this is normal

Photos synced but don't appear on the web dashboard

1. Hard refresh the web dashboard (Cmd+Shift+R on Mac, Ctrl+Shift+R on Windows)
2. Check that you're looking at the correct job
3. Check the area filter — the photo may be in a different area than you're viewing
4. If it's still missing after 5 minutes, contact support with the job ID

Upload stalled after restoring from background

iOS occasionally suspends background network activity. Open the Estimatics app — the upload queue will resume within a few seconds of the app being in the foreground.

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Data usage

If you're on a limited cellular data plan, capture on-site and upload over WiFi at the office or at home.

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Frequently asked questions

Does syncing consume battery faster? Uploading in the background uses some battery, but it's minimal for photos. Long video uploads are more demanding. For all-day field work with heavy video capture, bring a portable battery pack.

Can I sync from multiple devices simultaneously? Yes. Multiple team members can capture and upload to the same job simultaneously. The web dashboard shows all uploads in real time in the activity feed.

What happens to local copies after sync? Photos captured through Estimatics are stored locally on your device until you clear them. They are not auto-deleted after sync. To free up storage, go to Profile → Settings → Clear Local Cache — this removes synced files from the device while keeping them safely in the cloud.

Is my media encrypted in transit? Yes. All uploads use TLS encryption. Media at rest in the cloud is encrypted at the storage level.

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Last updated: March 2025 · Questions? Use the Resources panel in the app or email support@aiestimatics.com