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

The best ways to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac

Because iPhone and Mac are parts of the Apple ecosystem, there are multiple means to connect them and move content effectually. Some involve using a USB cable, others work wirelessly. These methods take proven the handiest in our feel:

  1. Sync photos to your Mac using Finder (macOS Catalina or later)
  2. Move 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 nearly 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 so you lot might want to avoid dumping thousands of unneeded pics onto your Mac. We're talking blurry party selfies, multiple shots of the same sunset, taken only seconds autonomously, long-forgotten screenshots of long-forgotten conversations — those can add up to a few gigabytes.

So before y'all offset the transfer, scan your iPhone pics with Gemini Photos: Gallery Cleaner. This app will detect all the clutter y'all've accumulated over the years, such as like shots and blurry photos, and assistance you delete them in no time.

Now that you lot'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 nearly common means to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your Mac involve connecting your devices with a USB cable. But even and then, yous have options depending on which awarding y'all want to utilise. Below y'all'll read nigh four unlike apps that will help you sync your photos.

Move photos from iPhone to Mac using Finder

Starting with macOS Catalina (10.15) or afterwards, you 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, nether your Devices, click on your iPhone.
  4. At the elevation of the window, click Photos.
  5. Cheque the "Sync Photos" box.
  6. Choose the app or folder that you want to sync from.
  7. Choose to sync all photos and albums or just selected albums.
  8. Click Apply.

How to transfer photos from iPhone to calculator with AnyTrans

iCloud and Photos are obvious choices for epitome transferring, just they're not 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 drift content. Here's how you use it 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 photograph library.
  4. Get to Device Managing director > Export iPhone content to computer.

Your content will travel instantly. What'due south more than, it will sync to iCloud — so there's no need to worry your photos don't have a fill-in.


Import photos from an iPhone to a Mac using Photos

One of the quickest methods is to plug the Lightning-to-USB cablevision you lot use to charge the iPhone into one of your Mac'south USB ports. When an iPhone is connected, the macOS Photos app automatically opens and suggests importing your photos. Here'south the import process, step past step.

  1. Connect your iPhone to the Mac using a Lightning-to-USB cable
  2. If needed, unlock your iPhone and confirm it trusts the device
  3. The Photos app should load and show you lot the images from your iPhone in the main window. If that doesn't happen, select your iPhone from the left-paw card in the Photos app. At present you'll see all of the images and videos stored in your iPhone's Camera Curlicue.
  4. Click Import All New Items in the peak right-mitt corner, or go through the photos, select the ones y'all want to import, and click Import Selected

Once the import is complete, you tin enquire Photos to automatically delete the pics on your iPhone, giving yous infinite to start again and take fifty-fifty more pictures.


Upload photos from iPhone to Mac using Image Capture

Another method for transferring your pictures from iPhone to Mac is with the Paradigm 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 cablevision.
  2. On your Mac, open Paradigm Capture.
  3. In the sidebar, select your iPhone under the Devices category.
  4. At the bottom of the window, click the Import To menu to choose where to save your pictures.
  5. Select the pictures you desire to import and click the Import push or click Import All.

How to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac wirelessly

If yous don't take a USB cable nearby, don't worry. Yous can withal send pics from your telephone wirelessly. And even if you take a cable close, you might want to try one of these methods to save you the hassle of plugging your iPhone into your reckoner.

Ship photos from iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

If you demand to move just a few of your images over to your Mac, the quickest manner to practise that is by using AirDrop.

Start by switching AirDrop on your iPhone.

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap General
  3. Scroll to AirDrop
  4. Ready this to Everyone to send data via AirDrop to any device

At present switch it on on your Mac:

  1. Open up Finder
  2. Click Get in the menu bar and select AirDrop
  3. A Finder window will open, with the AirDrop icon at the lesser. It looks similar an sometime-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 observe one another.

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

  1. Open Photos on your iPhone
  2. Select the pics you desire to transfer
  3. Tap the sharing button in the bottom left-paw corner
  4. Wait till AirDrop finds your Mac and tap on information technology
  5. On your Mac you'll meet a popular-up window asking you to accept the photos. Click Accept.

Depending on your Mac's settings, yous may exist asked where you lot want to salve the photos. Once yous're done transferring, you lot can switch off AirDrop on your Mac and iPhone.


Sync photos from an iPhone to a Mac using iCloud

Some other way to motility photos from an iPhone to a Mac is with iCloud. iCloud Photo Library, a.yard.a. iCloud Photos, can do all the heavy lifting. However, if you've got over 5GB of photos and videos, you'll demand to upgrade your storage programme, paying anything from $0.99 per month for 50GB to $9.99 for 2TB of cloud storage.

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

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap on your proper noun at the top

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

Now, to set it up on your Mac:

  1. Launch the Photos app
  2. Get to the Photos menu in the bill of fare bar
  3. Click on Preferences
  4. Adjacent, click on iCloud
  5. Check the box next to iCloud Photograph Library (iCloud Photos in macOS Mojave)

Provided yous've followed both series of steps and both your devices are using the same Apple ID, your photos and videos will automatically sync between iPhone and Mac.

Remember: while you accept iCloud Photo Library on, any changes you make to photos on 1 device will automatically sync to the other. Then if you desire to delete them on your iPhone and go on them on your Mac, switch off the sync later y'all've transferred everything.


Whichever method y'all use, Apple makes it like shooting fish in a barrel to transfer photos and videos from an iPhone to a Mac. Just brand sure you lot move the pics you really need, otherwise you're just shuffling ataxia around.