Transferring iPhone photos and videos to your Mac can save precious space on your mobile device. Plus, it'southward 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 catechumen, resize, and organize your images in no time. In this article, we'll embrace the iv quickest ways to transfer your images over.

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

Because iPhone and Mac are parts of the Apple tree ecosystem, at that place are multiple ways to connect them and motility content around. Some involve using a USB cable, others work wirelessly. These methods have proven the handiest in our experience:

  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

Allow'due south talk nearly all these in more than particular.


Before you transfer your iPhone pictures to the Mac

Although Macs have more storage than iPhones, that storage is non infinite, then you lot might want to avert dumping thousands of unneeded pics onto your Mac. We're talking blurry party selfies, multiple shots of the same sunset, taken simply seconds apart, long-forgotten screenshots of long-forgotten conversations — those can add upward to a few gigabytes.

So earlier yous start the transfer, scan your iPhone pics with Gemini Photos: Gallery Cleaner. This app will observe all the clutter y'all've accumulated over the years, such as similar shots and blurry photos, and help you lot 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 most common means to transfer pictures from your iPhone to your Mac involve connecting your devices with a USB cable. Merely even then, you have options depending on which application you want to use. Below you'll read near four different apps that will help y'all sync your photos.

Move photos from iPhone to Mac using Finder

Starting with macOS Catalina (10.fifteen) or later, you lot tin 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. Check the "Sync Photos" box.
  6. Choose the app or folder that you lot desire to sync from.
  7. Cull to sync all photos and albums or but selected albums.
  8. Click Utilise.

How to transfer photos from iPhone to computer with AnyTrans

iCloud and Photos are obvious choices for image transferring, but they're not without flaws. If you desire to transfer all content from your iPhone without having to wait forever, and dorsum information technology up at the same fourth dimension, a third-party utility like AnyTrans for iOS makes much more than sense.

A combination of a backup tool and media downloader, AnyTrans helps y'all migrate content. Here'south how you utilize 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 photo library.
  4. Go to Device Manager > Export iPhone content to figurer.

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


Import photos from an iPhone to a Mac using Photos

I of the quickest methods is to plug the Lightning-to-USB cable you utilise 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'southward the import process, stride by pace.

  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 testify you the images from your iPhone in the main window. If that doesn't happen, select your iPhone from the left-paw carte in the Photos app. At present you'll encounter all of the images and videos stored in your iPhone's Camera Curlicue.
  4. Click Import All New Items in the superlative correct-hand corner, or go through the photos, select the ones y'all want to import, and click Import Selected

Once the import is complete, y'all can inquire 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 Image 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 cablevision.
  2. On your Mac, open up 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 y'all 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 tin all the same send pics from your phone 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 figurer.

Send photos from iPhone to Mac using AirDrop

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

Outset by switching AirDrop on your iPhone.

  1. Get to Settings
  2. Tap General
  3. Scroll to AirDrop
  4. Set up this to Everyone to send information via AirDrop to whatever 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 bottom. It looks like an old-fashioned set up of blue radio waves
  4. Beneath this icon is a dropdown. Click on information technology and select Everyone.

Requite both devices a few moments to observe one another.

Now, here's 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 y'all'll come across a popular-upward window asking you to take the photos. Click Accept.

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


Sync photos from an iPhone to a Mac using iCloud

Another manner 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. 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 $9.99 for 2TB of deject 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'll see a list of Apps Using iCloud
  5. Tap on Photos
  6. Switch on iCloud Photos

Now, to set information technology up on your Mac:

  1. Launch the Photos app
  2. Go to the Photos menu in the menu bar
  3. Click on Preferences
  4. Side by side, click on iCloud
  5. Check the box next to iCloud Photograph Library (iCloud Photos in macOS Mojave)

Provided y'all've followed both series of steps and both your devices are using the aforementioned Apple ID, your photos and videos will automatically sync betwixt iPhone and Mac.

Remember: while you have iCloud Photo Library on, any changes you make to photos on one device will automatically sync to the other. So if you desire 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 lot apply, Apple makes it easy to transfer photos and videos from an iPhone to a Mac. Simply make sure you move the pics you really need, otherwise you're merely shuffling clutter effectually.