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How to transfer photos from ...

How to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac

April 20, 2023 | 6 mins
How to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac

Media files such as videos and photos can be one of the most space-consuming file types on your iPhone. Over time, these files will accumulate and fill your iPhone’s memory, stopping apps from working properly, and generally slowing everything down. 

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac. In this article, we’ll look at a few of the best ways to transfer photos and media files from your iPhone to your Mac, with and without an internet connection. 

Once you do this, we recommend you use a tool like CCleaner for Mac Professional to get rid of all those blurry, dark photos taking up storage space that you definitely won’t want to keep. This app will find all of these photos, plus similar-looking photos, so you don’t waste storage space on your Mac. 

Transfer photos from iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

If you’re looking for a quick and simple way to transfer any file from your iPhone to a Mac, then using AirDrop is usually best. You’ll need a decent Wi-Fi connection to use AirDrop. You’ll also need to enable Bluetooth on both devices so that they can pair. 

Here’s how to transfer files using AirDrop:

  1. Make sure you’ve turned on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for both your Mac and iPhone
  2. Open the ‘Photos’ app and choose the pictures that you wish to send
  3. Click the ‘Share’ button and select ‘AirDrop’ from the drop-down menu
  4. Select the profile picture of the Mac you want to transfer the files to

Use iCloud Photos

The easiest way how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac using a cloud storage platform is with iCloud Photos. iCloud Photos is by far the easiest to configure and use between all Apple devices. You only need an Apple ID to set up an iCloud Photos account. 

iCloud Photos is an attractive storage option that starts out with 5GB of free storage (as part of an iCloud account). Then you can purchase additional storage as required, which is charged at a monthly fee. Setting up iCloud Photos is easy, and it can sync with all of your Apple devices, keeping your photos and media files safe in the same place. 

The great thing about storing photos and media files on iCloud Photos is it uploads new photos automatically whenever your device is connected to Wi-Fi. 

When you do this, all of your photos and media files will be stored in iCloud in their original formats and at full resolution (including HEIF, JPEG, RAW, PNG, GIF, TIFF, HEVC, and MP4).

To set up iCloud on your Apple devices, make sure you’re logged into both devices using the same Apple ID, then follow the steps below:

Set up iCloud Photos on your iPhone

  1. Go to ‘Settings,’ then tap on your ‘Apple ID name’
  2. Tap on ‘iCloud’
  3. Tap on ‘Photos,’ then toggle on ‘iCloud Photos’

Set up iCloud Photos on your Mac 

  1. Open ‘Photos,’ then choose ‘Settings’ (Ventura) or Preferences (Monterey or older)
  2. Click on ‘iCloud,’ then’ iCloud Photos’
  3. Next, you can choose from various options like optimizing your Mac storage

How to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without an internet connection

If you don’t have a good internet connection, you can still transfer photos without one. You can do this by using Apple's iTunes/Photos. You’ll need a USB cable to connect your iPhone to your Mac for this method. 

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable (or cable adapter for new Macs).
  2. Open the ‘Photos’ app on your Mac.

    The Photos app on a Mac

  3. Click on ‘File,’ then ‘Import.’

    File and Import are highlighted in the Photos menu

  4. Navigate to your iPhone from the sidebar. Select the photos you want to move and click on ‘Import Selected’ (or ‘Select all’ if you wish to upload all your photos).
  5. Once the import is completed, you’ll receive a pop-up notification. 

Congratulations, your iPhone should be feeling much healthier and working faster once you clear the photos off it. Don’t forget that once you move your photos onto your Mac you can easily find and remove all those photos that perhaps weren’t your best work. 

Most people have hundreds, if not thousands, of photos that were taken in a hurry, without a flash, or accidentally. These not only clog up your Mac but make looking over photos time-consuming and a chore. 

Claim back time and the photos you actually want to keep by using CCleaner for Mac Professional. It will not only help tidy your photos but also remove clutter, duplicate files, and all those unwanted apps that build up. If this all sounds pretty good, you can find more details on what this handy software can do and download it here

FAQs

Why can't I transfer photos from iPhone to Mac?

Here are some troubleshooting tips if your photos aren’t transferring: close any third-party photo storage apps (for example, Dropbox) and try again, make sure your iPhone is unlocked while transferring photos, and install the latest macOS and iOS versions on your devices. 

What is the best way to organize photos on a Mac?

You can sort photos and manage your albums in the Photo app of your Mac. You can look for photos using the Search bar in the top-right corner, and choose to add them to an album. Inside an album, you can also sort photos by the newest or oldest.

Can I transfer photos wirelessly from iPhone to Mac?

Yes, you can transfer photos wirelessly from iPhone to Mac and there are two simple methods: use AirDrop or iCloud Photos. Both will require you to have a decent internet connection, especially if you plan on transferring a large number of photos. 

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