How to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac

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When using one gadget from Apple for a while, a lot of users begin to change all their other devices to Apple. And no wonder, it is more convenient as the devices from one brand are perfectly synchronized. However, there are a number of things that became more complex. And for many users, the question "How do I transfer a photo from iPhone to Mac" becomes problematic, because it is impossible to view and transfer images from the phone as from a flash drive. The easiest way is to import photos from iPhone to any cloud storage and share access to them from the MacBook. But this requires access to the Internet from both devices, but not in every situation it can be obtained.

There are many reasons when you will need to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac. Maybe just to save the photos on a Mac or delete them from the iPhone to free up memory, or edit the photos using Mac-based software after importing, etc. In this article, we will highlight the aspect How to import photos from iPhone to Mac in various ways.

Quick Summary

  • How to import photos from iPhone to Mac via iTunes
  • How to import photos from iPhone to Mac without iTunes
  • How to transfer photos from iPhone to computer via Photos
  • How to download photos from iPhone to Mac via Airdrop
  • How to transfer pictures from iPhone to computer via email or iMessage
  • How to download photos from iCloud Photo Library
  • How to transfer photos from iPhone to MacBook via Commander One
    • how to transfer photos from iphone to mac

    7 ways how to transfer photos from iPhone to MacBook/Mac computer

    How to import photos from iPhone to Mac via iTunes

    If you are still struggling with the question "How to transfer photos from iPhone to MacBook Air or any other Mac computer", then here is one more method. Images can be simply downloaded to MacBook via iTunes. To transfer a photo, you will need:

    1. To connect iPhone via cable to MacBook.
    2. Go to iTunes from MacBook.
    3. Select a device (connected iPhone).
    4. Find the Photos tab.
    5. Select "Sync Photos" and specify whether you want to sync all of the photos or the desired only.
    6. Start the synchronization process.

    Besides that, if you also do not know how to transfer videos from iPhone to Mac, you can select the necessary option in the settings as well and enjoy the fact and easy importing.

    How to import photos from iPhone to Mac without iTunes

    The last but not least, there is one more app that allows you to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without iTunes, and namely the default Image Capture app. If to compare it to the Photos, Image Capture is very convenient for organizing and sharing photos, and especially for folders.

    To export photos from iPhone to Mac, you need:

    1. To connect your device to a Mac and run Image Capture.
    2. Select your iPhone from the Devices list and define the output image folders, then click the “Import” or “Import All” button. Also, like in Photos, you can select “Delete after import” to free up storage on the iPhone.

    How to transfer photos from iPhone to computer via Photos

    In Mac OS X and later, Apple introduced the Photos application as a replacement for iPhoto to systematically manage, edit, and share images between iOS and Mac devices. By default, Photos is set to automatically copy iPhone photos to your Mac when connected via USB cable. If not, follow these steps:

    1. Connect your iOS device to your Mac and wait for the Photo app to automatically open. If not, click the Photos icon.
    2. Select "Import" in the top menu bar. If you no longer need these photos after the transfer, check the box "Delete items after import."

    How to download photos from iPhone to Mac via Airdrop

    Like email, you can use Airdrop to add images to a Mac from your iPhone. However, keep in mind that this iPhone to Mac Wi-Fi transfer method of photos will require Mac OS X Yosemite and later. Also, do not forget to enable a Wi-Fi connection.

    1. To get started, turn on Airdrop on your iPhone and select “All.”
    2. Then open Finder on your Mac and launch Airdrop.
    3. When connected, tap the Photos app and select the images to transfer to your computer using the share icon.

    Please note that, if the Wi-Fi connection is not stable, the entire transfer process will take a long time. And besides that, do not forget to turn off Airdrop after synchronization.

    How to transfer pictures from iPhone to computer via email or iMessage

    If you just need to transfer a few photos to your MacBook or iMac, a good choice for such kind of operations is either email or iMessage. In this article, we will show how to download photos from iPhone to Mac with the help of email.

    1. Open the Photos application on your iPhone and select the photos you want to import to your Mac computer.
    2. Click the share icon in the lower left corner and select "Mail" from the provided menu.
    3. Enter the email address and send the desired photos. All that is left is to download them to your Mac and freely view iPhone photos on Mac.

    How to download photos from iCloud Photo Library

    If you want to know how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB, then you can use ICloud Photo that allows you to seamlessly import images from iPhone to Mac using Wi-Fi. To do this, you need to configure iCloud on iPhone and Mac and make sure that you log in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on both devices.

    1. Open the iPhone Settings menu. If on your iOS device version 10.3 and above – tap your name, then iCloud, otherwise, immediately select the iCloud section.
    2. Go to the section "Photos" – activate the slider "Media Library iCloud".
    3. File uploading will start immediately. It will take longer, the more your media library. Please note that not only photos but also videos will be transferred to the cloud.
    4. Open iCloud on a MacBook, using the same Apple ID as on the iPhone, and you will see the photo in the appropriate section.

    This variant also works great if you want to know how to transfer photos from Mac to iPhone. Just perform the same operations.

    How to transfer photos from iPhone to MacBook via Commander One

    how to transfer photos from mac to iphone

    In fact, there are many ways how to transfer photos from iPhone to laptop as well as there are a lot of apps to assist you. Our choice is Commander One – the best app to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac computer as well as a great file manager. All the photos made by your phone can be easily transferred to your Mac with just the help of a simple USB cable. You can decide whether to transfer multiple or single images to the computer. After connecting your iPhone to your Mac via USB cable on one of the Commander One's panels you will be able to access the User / Media folder of your device to quickly move or view recently captured photos and videos.

    Choose one of the methods or maybe several according to your needs and let the problem like “I can’t import photos from iPhone to Mac” disappear from your life.

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