Best Ways to Transfer Videos/Photos from iPhone to Mac

NK January 19, 2023

iPhones come with gigabytes of storage space in multiple options, from 64GB to 512GB and recently 1TB came into market as well but still there are limitations when it is compared to Macbooks . You can’t get an Apple smartphone with more than one terabyte of storage space. As for MacBooks, some models offer up to 8TB of flash storage.

Both Macs and iPhones can deftly handle image and video editing tasks. However, there may come a time when you need to transfer the photos and videos to your Mac so you can edit them using more robust software. Or because you need more space on your iPhone. You might also need to transfer from your phone to your computer because you are planning to purchase a new iPhone and trade in or sell your old smartphone.

This guide shows you how you can quickly and effectively transfer photos and videos from your iPhone to your Mac. Take a look.

Import Using AirDrop

AirDrop is a feature in macOS and iOS that allows physically close Apple devices to send and receive files wirelessly. It uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to transmit the files. The files can be images, videos, text or locations, and playlists. There’s no size limit.

So turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your iPhone and Mac. Then, follow these steps to AirDrop videos and photos between your devices.

Switch on AirDrop on your Mac by going to Finder > Go > AirDrop and then enable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Check the Allow to be discovered option and select Everyone or Contacts only.
Switch on the feature on your iPhone by swiping up from the bottom of the screen to open the Control Center. Then, tap on AirDrop and set your phone to be discovered by Contacts only or everyone.
Launch the Photos application on your phone and choose the images or videos you wish to transfer to your computer.
Tap the Share icon on the screen’s bottom.
Choose AirDrop on the Share menu and then select your Mac’s name.
Wait for your phone to confirm a successful transfer. You will see a Sent message on the screen and your Mac’s toolbar.

Import Via iCloud Photos

Thanks to iCloud Photos, it is possible to sync all your videos and photos across your Apple devices. However, there’s a small problem. iCloud comes with free but limited storage of 5GB. To expand storage space, you must upgrade your plan and pay a fee.

iCloud is a syncing and backup service. Therefore, you can quickly transfer photos and videos from your phone to your Mac. Before doing this, ensure all your devices have iCloud Photos enabled.

Go to Settings on your phone > tap Photos > toggle the switch to turn on iCloud Photos. Then, launch the Photos app on your Mac > click Preferences > iCloud > enable iCloud Photos.

Now, you can view all the photos and videos on all your Apple devices.

Send Videos or Photos from iPhone to Mac Using the Photos app

The Photos application on your phone and computer is the central location for all videos and photos. That’s why the application is one of the most organized and fuss-free ways to transfer photos and videos from your iPhone to your Mac.

For this method to work, you must connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB-C or USB cable and open the Photos application. The application on your Mac will display an Import screen with all the videos and images on your iPhone application.

You must choose the name of your phone in the Photos sidebar if you cannot see the import screen. Then, it would be best if you unlocked your phone, and you may see the Trust This Computer notification. It would be best if you tapped Trust to continue. Select Import Selected to transfer specific images/videos, or click Import All New Photos if you want to transfer your entire Camera Roll.

Transfer Using the Files Application

You can think of the Files application as your phone’s file manager. Cnn to cloud services like Google Drive, Dropbox, and Microsoft OneDrive to use them and transfer files between devices. With this utility, you can organize the image and video transfers, compress them if required and send them to your Mac using any cloud service.

On your phone, open the Files application and tap the Browse tab. Next, tap the ellipsis icon and select Edit. Finally, enable the third-party app or service from the list under the Locations option and tap done.

Now that your chosen cloud service is enabled, you can transfer photos and videos from your phone to your computer via the Files application.

You must choose the photos or videos you wish to transfer from your phone and tap on the Share icon. Next, choose Save to Files and select the cloud service. Finally, tap Save and go to your computer to view your photo or video in iCloud Drive or any other cloud service.