Photo Transfer Made Easy: Step-by-Step Guides

Photos play a big role in the holiday season. Whether you’re taking them as family and friends gather to celebrate or gathering them for keepsake projects, such as photo books or ornaments, photos are important momentos of memories made. 

So, it’s crucial to be able to access them when you want to, with a minimal amount of hassle. And, since most people use their phones to capture photos, it’s vital to understand how to transfer images from your phone to a computer.

Below are step-by-step guides for iOS and Android users. Because, as we all know, the process is unique to each platform. 

Android to PC

• Unlock your phone and connect it to the computer using a USB cord.
• Pull the top of the screen down by swiping and select “Android System USB charging this device.”
• When prompted to make a selection on how the USB is being used, choose “Transfer files.”
• Once Windows Explorer opens, choose “This PC” from the options and then select your device under “Devices and drives.”
• Select the Android’s internal storage and then copy/paste files onto your computer.

Android to Mac

• Find the correct type of cord for the connection you’re trying to make between the phone and the computer.
• Download a file transfer app.
• Connect the phone to the computer and once the transfer program launches, drag the desired files to the desktop.
• To avoid a corded connection, photos can be stored in a Google Drive and accessed easily on any computer without the need of a transfer.

iPhone to Mac

• Connect the phone to a Mac computer.
• Confirm that the device is trusted and wait for the Photos app to launch. If it doesn’t, click it.
• Select where you’d like the photos to go in the “Import To” menu.
• Choose whether you’d like to import all photos or selected ones, and then choose whether you’d like those downloaded images to be deleted from your phone.

iPhone to PC

• Ensure the PC has the latest version of iTunes installed and connect the phone to the computer using a USB cable.
• Unlock the phone and confirm the computer is trusted.
• Open the “Photos” app, select start and choose “Photos.”
• Choose “Import from a USB device” when asked.
• When an “Import” window opens, select which items you’d like to import. 
• Click “Import” once your selections are made.

Airdrop for iPhone to Mac

Transferring photos between iPhones and Macs is made even simpler with Airdrop, a feature that allows the cordless transfer of images. To utilize this feature, choose the photos and albums you’d like to transfer and then select the “Share” icon (which looks like a box with an arrow pointing up). When the share menu appears, select the name of your Mac, and the iPhone will transfer the images within seconds. The same process can be followed when sharing between iPhones, if you want to send several photos to friends or family. Just be sure you have the correct device before you share the images. 

Contact us to learn more about how our computer experts can offer you ongoing support for any issues you’re experiencing!