Buzz
This article provides a detailed guide on sending photos from your iPhone or Android device to a Windows or Mac computer. You can use a USB cable for this purpose or transfer images via Google Drive.
Steps
On Windows
Connect your phone to the computer. Plug one end of the USB charging cable into your phone, then connect the other end to the computer's USB port.
Type photos into the Start menu to locate the Photos application.
Click on Photos at the top of the Start menu, identified by the two mountain peaks on a colored background, to open the app.
Select Import (Import) located at the top-right corner of the Photos window.
Click on the Another device (Another Device) link on the right side of the window.
Wait for your computer to locate the photos. It may take a moment for the computer to detect connected devices, such as USB drives or your phone.
Select the photos to transfer. By default, all photos and videos on your phone are selected. Click on a selected photo to deselect it, or click Clear all to uncheck all photos and videos, then manually choose the ones you want.
Click Continue at the bottom of the window to proceed.
Review import settings. You can adjust the following options before importing:
- Import folder - To change the destination folder, click Change where they're imported, select your desired folder, and click Add this folder to Pictures.
- Organization - Click the dropdown menu in the middle of the window and choose Day or Month.
- Keep photos on your phone - Check the box near the bottom to delete photos from your phone after transfer, or leave it unchecked to retain them.
Click Import at the bottom of the window. This will start transferring the selected photos to your computer.
Using iPhone with a Mac
Connect your iPhone to the computer. Plug one end of the USB charging cable into your phone and the other end into the computer's USB port.
- If your Mac lacks a USB port, you'll need to purchase a USB-C to USB-3.0 adapter.
Open Photos. Click on the Photos app, identifiable by its multicolored pinwheel icon on a white background, located in the Mac's Dock.
Click the Import tab at the top-right corner of the window.
Select the photos to transfer. Click to choose each photo you wish to send.
- Alternatively, you can click Import All New Photos at the top-right corner of the Photos window.
Click Import Selected near the top-right corner of the Photos window. This will begin copying the photos to your Mac.
- Skip this step if you previously clicked Import All New Photos.
Wait for the photos to finish transferring. The time required for this process will vary depending on the number of photos being transferred.
Decide whether to keep the photos on your iPhone. When prompted, you can click Delete Items or Keep Items. This will either remove the photos or retain them on your iPhone.
Mobile Kangaroo
Computer Repair Technician & CEO, Mobile Kangaroo
Computer Repair Technician & CEO, Mobile Kangaroo
Alternatively, use iCloud to upload to your Mac. If you use iCloud Photo Library, manual transfers are unnecessary. Photos will automatically upload to the cloud without user intervention. If you own a Mac, open the Photos app and select your phone to import the desired images.
Using Android with a Mac
Connect your Android device to the Mac. Use the Android charging cable to link your Android phone to one of the computer's USB ports.
- If your Mac lacks a USB port, you'll need a USB-C to USB-3.0 adapter.
- If your Android prompts you to select a connection type, tap Media device (MTP) on the screen before proceeding.
Download and install Android File Transfer as follows:
- Visit http://www.android.com/filetransfer/
- Click DOWNLOAD NOW
- Install Android File Transfer
Open Android File Transfer. If it doesn't launch automatically, click the spaceship icon in the Dock, then select the green Android icon.
Double-click the "Internal storage" or "SD card" folder. Depending on where your photos are stored and the type of memory on your Android device, you may notice slight differences here.
Double-click the "DCIM" folder.
Double-click the "Camera" folder. This is where all photos from your Android device are stored. Doing so will display a list of photos available on your Android.
- Depending on whether the photos are saved in an album, you may need to open another folder before proceeding.
Select photos from your Android device. Click and drag your mouse over the photos you want to transfer to your computer to select them all. Alternatively, hold the ⌘ Command key while clicking individual photos to select multiple photos at once.
- To select all photos in the folder, press ⌘ Command+A.
Click Edit in the top-left corner of your Mac screen to open the selection menu.
Click near the top of the Edit menu.
Open Finder. Click the blue face icon in your Mac's Dock.
Choose the save location. Click on a folder (such as All My Files) on the left side of the Finder window to select it as the destination for your photos.
Click Edit again. The Edit menu selection list will reappear.
Click Paste Items. This will copy the photos from your Android device to your Mac, though it may take a few minutes to transfer all selected photos.
Using Google Drive
Ensure Google Drive is installed on your phone. If you don't have Google Drive, you'll need to download the app on your iPhone or Android before proceeding. Google Drive is free to download and use.
Mobile Kangaroo
Computer Repair Technician & CEO, Mobile Kangaroo
Computer Repair Technician & CEO, Mobile Kangaroo
Android phones can automatically sync with Google Photos. With Google Drive and Google Photos, your Android device can upload photos automatically without manual intervention. You can manage and download photos by visiting www.photos.google.com.
Open Google Drive. Tap the Google Drive app with the green, blue, and yellow triangle icon. Google Drive will display once you're logged in.
- If you're not logged in, first select the Google account to use with Google Drive. Ensure this is the same account you can access on your computer.
Tap the blue + button at the bottom-right corner of the screen to open the menu.
Tap Upload (Upload) with the upward arrow icon in the menu.
Tap Photos and Videos to open your phone's Photos app.
- On Android, you'll need to select Images at this step.
Select photos to upload. Tap on an album if necessary, then tap on each photo you want to upload to select them.
Tap UPLOAD at the top-right corner of the screen.
Wait for the upload to complete. The time required will vary depending on the number of photos being uploaded and your internet connection speed.
Open Google Drive on your computer. Visit https://drive.google.com/ using your web browser. The Google Drive homepage will open if you're already logged in.
- If not logged in, click Go to Google Drive in the middle of the page, then enter your email and password.
- If logged into multiple Google accounts, ensure you're using the same Drive account as on your phone. Click your profile icon at the top-right corner of Google Drive and select the correct account.
Select the photos you uploaded. Click and drag your mouse over the recently uploaded photos. They will be highlighted in blue.
Click ⋮ at the top-right corner of the page to open the options menu.
Click Download in the options menu. This will begin downloading the selected photos to your computer.
Wait for the download to complete. Once finished, you can open the folder containing the photos to view them on your computer.
Tips
- Certain phone-specific apps, such as iCloud for iPhone and Google Photos for Android, allow you to transfer photos between your computer and phone through the app or a web browser.
Warnings
- If you choose to use Google Drive, ensure you upload photos while connected to Wi-Fi. Uploading via mobile data may result in additional charges.
