Transferring iPhone photos and videos to your Mac tin can save precious space on your mobile device. Plus, it's easier to edit and retouch when you lot've got a larger screen with a higher resolution, not to mention that native Mac tools allow you to convert, resize, and organize your images in no fourth dimension. In this article, we'll comprehend the four quickest means to transfer your images over.

The all-time means to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac

Because iPhone and Mac are parts of the Apple ecosystem, there are multiple ways to connect them and motion content effectually. Some involve using a USB cablevision, others work wirelessly. These methods have proven the handiest in our experience:

  1. Sync photos to your Mac using Finder (macOS Catalina or afterwards)
  2. Movement photos and other content with AnyTrans
  3. Import pictures to the Photos app
  4. Upload photos using ImageCapture
  5. AirDrop photos from iPhone to a Mac
  6. Transfer photos using iCloud

Let's talk about all these in more detail.


Before you transfer your iPhone pictures to the Mac

Although Macs have more storage than iPhones, that storage is not infinite, and then y'all might want to avert dumping thousands of unneeded pics onto your Mac. We're talking blurry party selfies, multiple shots of the same dusk, taken merely seconds apart, long-forgotten screenshots of long-forgotten conversations — those can add together up to a few gigabytes.

And then before you starting time the transfer, scan your iPhone pics with Gemini Photos: Gallery Cleaner. This app will find all the clutter you've accumulated over the years, such as similar shots and blurry photos, and help y'all delete them in no time.

Now that you've done that, here are our top ways to transfer photos and videos.


How to import photos from an iPhone to a Mac with a USB cable

The about common means to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your Mac involve connecting your devices with a USB cablevision. But fifty-fifty then, y'all have options depending on which application yous want to use. Beneath yous'll read near four different apps that will aid yous sync your photos.

Move photos from iPhone to Mac using Finder

Starting with macOS Catalina (10.fifteen) or subsequently, yous can sync your iPhone with a Mac using Finder. Follow these steps to sync photos from your iPhone to your Mac:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable.
  2. On the Mac, open a new Finder window.
  3. In the sidebar, under your Devices, click on your iPhone.
  4. At the tiptop of the window, click Photos.
  5. Check the "Sync Photos" box.
  6. Cull the app or binder that you want to sync from.
  7. Cull to sync all photos and albums or just selected albums.
  8. Click Apply.

How to transfer photos from iPhone to figurer with AnyTrans

iCloud and Photos are obvious choices for prototype transferring, only they're non without flaws. If you desire to transfer all content from your iPhone without having to wait forever, and back it upward at the same time, a third-party utility like AnyTrans for iOS makes much more sense.

A combination of a backup tool and media downloader, AnyTrans helps you migrate content. Here'southward how you use information technology to move photos and everything else from your iPhone:

  1. Launch AnyTrans and ensure both your devices are connected to the same network.
  2. Connect iPhone to your Mac's USB port.
  3. Allow AnyTrans access to your photo library.
  4. Go to Device Managing director > Export iPhone content to figurer.

Your content will travel instantly. What'south more, it will sync to iCloud — then there's no need to worry your photos don't have a backup.


Import photos from an iPhone to a Mac using Photos

One of the quickest methods is to plug the Lightning-to-USB cable y'all utilize to charge the iPhone into one of your Mac's USB ports. When an iPhone is connected, the macOS Photos app automatically opens and suggests importing your photos. Here's the import process, step by step.

  1. Connect your iPhone to the Mac using a Lightning-to-USB cable
  2. If needed, unlock your iPhone and ostend information technology trusts the device
  3. The Photos app should load and show you the images from your iPhone in the main window. If that doesn't happen, select your iPhone from the left-hand carte du jour in the Photos app. At present you'll see all of the images and videos stored in your iPhone's Camera Curl.
  4. Click Import All New Items in the top right-hand corner, or go through the photos, select the ones you want to import, and click Import Selected

One time the import is complete, you tin can enquire Photos to automatically delete the pics on your iPhone, giving you lot infinite to start again and accept even more than pictures.


Upload photos from iPhone to Mac using Paradigm Capture

Another method for transferring your pictures from iPhone to Mac is with the Image Capture app, which comes by default with macOS. Follow these steps to import pics from your iPhone:

  1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable.
  2. On your Mac, open Image Capture.
  3. In the sidebar, select your iPhone under the Devices category.
  4. At the lesser of the window, click the Import To menu to choose where to save your pictures.
  5. Select the pictures you want to import and click the Import button or click Import All.

How to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac wirelessly

If you don't have a USB cable nearby, don't worry. You can still send pics from your phone wirelessly. And fifty-fifty if you lot have a cable close, y'all might want to try one of these methods to save y'all the hassle of plugging your iPhone into your figurer.

Transport photos from iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

If you need to motility just a few of your images over to your Mac, the quickest way to do that is by using AirDrop.

Start past switching AirDrop on your iPhone.

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap General
  3. Scroll to AirDrop
  4. Fix this to Everyone to transport information via AirDrop to any device

Now switch information technology on on your Mac:

  1. Open Finder
  2. Click Go in the menu bar and select AirDrop
  3. A Finder window will open, with the AirDrop icon at the bottom. It looks like an old-fashioned set of blue radio waves
  4. Below this icon is a dropdown. Click on it and select Everyone.

Requite both devices a few moments to find ane some other.

Now, here's how you lot transfer photos from your iPhone to your Mac with AirDrop:

  1. Open up Photos on your iPhone
  2. Select the pics you want to transfer
  3. Tap the sharing push in the bottom left-hand corner
  4. Wait till AirDrop finds your Mac and tap on it
  5. On your Mac you lot'll see a pop-up window asking y'all to accept the photos. Click Accept.

Depending on your Mac'due south settings, you may be asked where you want to save the photos. Once you're done transferring, you tin can switch off AirDrop on your Mac and iPhone.


Sync photos from an iPhone to a Mac using iCloud

Another way to move photos from an iPhone to a Mac is with iCloud. iCloud Photo Library, a.k.a. iCloud Photos, can do all the heavy lifting. Even so, if you've got over 5GB of photos and videos, you'll need to upgrade your storage plan, paying annihilation from $0.99 per calendar month for 50GB to $9.99 for 2TB of cloud storage.

To set upwards iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone, follow these steps:

  1. Get to Settings
  2. Tap on your proper noun at the peak

  3. Go to iCloud
  4. Underneath the iCloud storage indicator, you'll run into a listing of Apps Using iCloud
  5. Tap on Photos
  6. Switch on iCloud Photos

Now, to set it upward on your Mac:

  1. Launch the Photos app
  2. Go to the Photos carte du jour in the menu bar
  3. Click on Preferences
  4. Next, click on iCloud
  5. Check the box next to iCloud Photo Library (iCloud Photos in macOS Mojave)

Provided you lot've followed both serial of steps and both your devices are using the aforementioned Apple ID, your photos and videos will automatically sync between iPhone and Mac.

Remember: while you have iCloud Photo Library on, any changes yous make to photos on one device will automatically sync to the other. And so if y'all want to delete them on your iPhone and keep them on your Mac, switch off the sync after you lot've transferred everything.


Whichever method you apply, Apple tree makes it easy to transfer photos and videos from an iPhone to a Mac. Simply brand sure you lot move the pics you lot actually demand, otherwise y'all're merely shuffling clutter around.