Transferring iPhone photos and videos to your Mac can save precious space on your mobile device. Plus, information technology's 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 article, we'll cover the four quickest ways 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, at that place are multiple ways to connect them and move content around. Some involve using a USB cable, others work wirelessly. These methods accept proven the handiest in our feel:

  1. Sync photos to your Mac using Finder (macOS Catalina or later)
  2. Motility 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

Allow's talk most all these in more than detail.


Earlier you transfer your iPhone pictures to the Mac

Although Macs have more storage than iPhones, that storage is not space, so you might want to avoid dumping thousands of unneeded pics onto your Mac. We're talking blurry party selfies, multiple shots of the aforementioned sunset, taken but seconds apart, long-forgotten screenshots of long-forgotten conversations — those tin add up to a few gigabytes.

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

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


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

The most common ways to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your Mac involve connecting your devices with a USB cablevision. But even so, you lot have options depending on which awarding you want to use. Below you'll read about four different apps that will help you sync your photos.

Move photos from iPhone to Mac using Finder

Starting with macOS Catalina (ten.15) or later, 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 up a new Finder window.
  3. In the sidebar, under your Devices, click on your iPhone.
  4. At the peak of the window, click Photos.
  5. Check 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 Employ.

How to transfer photos from iPhone to computer with AnyTrans

iCloud and Photos are obvious choices for image transferring, but they're non without flaws. If you lot want to transfer all content from your iPhone without having to look forever, and back information technology up at the aforementioned time, a third-political party utility like AnyTrans for iOS makes much more sense.

A combination of a backup tool and media downloader, AnyTrans helps y'all drift content. Here's how yous use it to move photos and everything else from your iPhone:

  1. Launch AnyTrans and ensure both your devices are continued to the aforementioned network.
  2. Connect iPhone to your Mac's USB port.
  3. Allow AnyTrans access to your photo library.
  4. Go to Device Director > Export iPhone content to computer.

Your content will travel instantly. What'due south more, it will sync to iCloud — so there'due south no demand to worry your photos don't take 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 you use to accuse the iPhone into 1 of your Mac's USB ports. When an iPhone is connected, the macOS Photos app automatically opens and suggests importing your photos. Hither'south the import process, step by pace.

  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 the images from your iPhone in the main window. If that doesn't happen, select your iPhone from the left-hand menu in the Photos app. Now you'll see all of the images and videos stored in your iPhone's Camera Ringlet.
  4. Click Import All New Items in the superlative correct-paw corner, or go through the photos, select the ones you desire to import, and click Import Selected

Once the import is complete, you tin ask Photos to automatically delete the pics on your iPhone, giving you space to start again and take even more pictures.


Upload photos from iPhone to Mac using Prototype Capture

Another method for transferring your pictures from iPhone to Mac is with the Epitome 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 nether the Devices category.
  4. At the bottom of the window, click the Import To menu to cull where to save your pictures.
  5. Select the pictures you want to import and click the Import push 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 all the same transport pics from your phone wirelessly. And fifty-fifty if you have a cable close, you might desire to endeavour one of these methods to salve you the hassle of plugging your iPhone into your computer.

Transport photos from iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

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

Start by switching AirDrop on your iPhone.

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Tap Full general
  3. Coil to AirDrop
  4. Fix this to Everyone to ship data via AirDrop to any device

Now switch it 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 lesser. It looks like an old-fashioned set of blue radio waves
  4. Below this icon is a dropdown. Click on it and select Everyone.

Give both devices a few moments to find 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 want to transfer
  3. Tap the sharing button in the bottom left-hand corner
  4. Wait till AirDrop finds your Mac and tap on it
  5. On your Mac you'll see a pop-up window asking you to accept the photos. Click Accept.

Depending on your Mac's settings, you may be asked where y'all want to salvage the photos. Once y'all're done transferring, you lot tin switch off AirDrop on your Mac and iPhone.


Sync photos from an iPhone to a Mac using iCloud

Another manner to movement photos from an iPhone to a Mac is with iCloud. iCloud Photo Library, a.thousand.a. iCloud Photos, can practise all the heavy lifting. However, if y'all've got over 5GB of photos and videos, you'll need to upgrade your storage plan, paying anything from $0.99 per month for 50GB to $nine.99 for 2TB of cloud storage.

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

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

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

Now, to ready information technology up 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 adjacent to iCloud Photo Library (iCloud Photos in macOS Mojave)

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

Call back: while you take iCloud Photo Library on, whatever changes you make to photos on i device will automatically sync to the other. And so if you lot want to delete them on your iPhone and keep them on your Mac, switch off the sync after you've transferred everything.


Whichever method you lot utilise, Apple makes it easy to transfer photos and videos from an iPhone to a Mac. Just make sure you lot motion the pics you lot actually need, otherwise you're just shuffling clutter around.