This article will teach you how to copy or move photos from a computer to a cell phone. You can do it with iTunes for iPhone or you can connect with your phone via the USB charging cable if you have an Android device (although you will need a program to open the device if you do this on a Mac). You can also use a cloud storage service like iCloud for iPhone or Google Photos for Android.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Use iTunes
Step 1. Connect the iPhone to the computer
Use the iPhone charging cable to connect it to one of the computer's USB ports.
If you are using a Mac that does not have a USB port, you will need to purchase a USB C to USB 3.0 adapter
Step 2. Open iTunes
If iTunes doesn't open automatically, double-click the iTunes program icon to open it. The iTunes icon is a multi-colored music note on a white background.
Step 3. Click on the iPhone icon
This icon is shaped like an iPhone and is at the top of the iTunes window. Doing so will open the iPhone page.
Step 4. Click Photos
This tab is in the sidebar on the left and under the heading "Settings".
Step 5. Check the "Sync Photos" box
It's at the top of the Sync Photos page. Doing so will allow you to add photos from the computer to the iPhone.
Step 6. Click the "Copy photos from:
". You'll find this option at the top of the Sync Photos page. Clicking here will open a drop down menu.
Step 7. Click Choose Folder…
It's at the top of the drop-down menu.
Step 8. Select a folder
Click the folder where you want to upload photos, then click Select folder.
Step 9. If necessary, select subfolders
If the folder for the image you've selected has one or more folders where you don't want photos from, check the "Selected folders" check button and then check each folder you want to use for uploading photos.
Step 10. Determine if you want to include videos
Check the "Include videos" box in the middle of the page to upload videos to the selected folder or leave the box unchecked to upload only images.
Step 11. Click Apply
The selected photos will start uploading to the iPhone. When this process is done, the images will appear on the iPhone.
Method 2 of 5: Use a USB Cable for Android in Windows
Step 1. Connect the phone to the computer
Connect one end of the charger cable to your Android device and the other to your computer's USB port. This method will only work with an Android phone, as an iPhone requires iTunes to transfer photos using a USB cable.
- Press Multimedia device (MTP) on the Android device screen if prompted.
Step 2. Open Start
Click on the Windows logo in the lower left corner of the screen.
Step 3. Open File Explorer
Click on the folder-shaped icon in the lower left of the Start window.
Step 4. Click on the images folder
This will normally be the folder Images which is in the sidebar on the left, but if you want to transfer images from a different location, click on that folder in the sidebar.
Step 5. Select the images you want to move
Click and drag your mouse across the group of images you want to select or hold Ctrl and click each image you want to select individually.
Step 6. Click Start
This tab is in the upper left corner of the window. A toolbar will appear below the tab area Beginning.
Step 7. Click Copy to
It's the folder-shaped icon in the "Organize" section of the toolbar. Doing so will open a drop-down menu.
Step 8. Click Choose Location…
This option is at the bottom of the drop-down menu. A pop-up window will appear.
Step 9. Click on the name of your Android device
You'll find it in the middle of the window, although you may need to scroll down first.
Step 10. Click on the DCIM folder
It's under the name of the Android device. Doing so will expand the folder DCIM to display its content.
Step 11. Click on the Camera folder
It's under the folder DCIM. Click here select the folder Camera as the destination of the copied images.
Step 12. Click Copy
It's a button in the lower-right corner of the pop-up window. This action will start transferring the selected photos to the internal storage of the Android device. When they are there, they will be visible from the Android Photos app.
Method 3 of 5: Use a USB Cable for Android on a Mac
Step 1. Connect the Android device to the Mac
Use the Android device's charging cable to connect your phone to one of the computer's USB ports.
- If your Mac doesn't have a USB port, you will need to purchase a USB C to USB 3.0 adapter.
- If your Android device prompts you to select a connection type, tap Multimedia device (MTP) on your screen before proceeding.
Step 2. Download and install Android File Transfer
To do this, do the following:
- Go to
- Click on DOWNLOAD NOW.
- Install Android File Transfer.
Step 3. Open the Finder
It's the blue face icon in the Mac's Dock.
Step 4. Select the location of the images
Click on the image folder in the left column of folders. This action will open the folder in the Finder window.
Step 5. Select the images you want to transfer
Click and drag your mouse across the group of images you want to select, or hold down Command and click each image you want to select individually.
Step 6. Copy the images
Click on the menu item Edit, then click Copy in the drop-down menu that appears.
Step 7. Open Android File Transfer
If Android File Transfer doesn't open automatically, click the Launchpad spaceship icon, then click the Android File Transfer icon, which is Android's green mascot.
- You can also click Spotlight
Macspotlight In the upper right corner of the screen, type android file transfer and then click the Android File Transfer icon.
Step 8. Double click on the Internal Storage folder or SD card.
This step may vary depending on where you want to store the photos.
Step 9. Double click on the DCIM folder
This action will open another folder.
Step 10. Double click on the Camera folder
It is where the photos of the Android device are stored.
Step 11. Paste the images into this folder
Click anywhere in the folder, then click Edit and then click Paste elements in the drop-down menu. The copied photos will start to transfer to the Android device. When this process is finished, you will be able to view the photos in the Android Photos app.
Method 4 of 5: Use iCloud
Step 1. Open the iCloud site
Go to https://www.icloud.com/ on your computer.
Step 2. Sign in to iCloud
Enter your Apple ID and password that you use for iPhone, then click →. This will log you into your iCloud account.
If you are already signed in, skip this step
Step 3. Click Photos
It's a multi-colored pinwheel icon on a white background. Doing so will open the iCloud Photos app.
Step 4. Click the "Upload" button
This icon is a cloud with an arrow pointing up. Clicking here will open a File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window.
Step 5. Click on the photo storage folder
Click on the folder where the photos are stored. You will find a list of folders on the left of the window, find the relevant folder here.
Step 6. Select the photos you want to upload
Click and drag your mouse across the group of images you want to select, or hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each image you want to select individually.
Step 7. Click Open
It's in the lower-right corner of the window. This action will cause the photos to start uploading to iCloud.
Step 8. Wait for the photos to finish uploading
This will take some time depending on how many photos you want to upload. When the process is done, you will be able to access the photos on the iPhone.
For photos to appear on iPhone, you must have iCloud Photo Library turned on on iPhone
Method 5 of 5: Use Google Photos
Step 1. Open the Google Photos web page on a computer
Go to https://photos.google.com/. This action will open a page with your Android photos if they have a backup.
You may need to first sign in to your Google account with your email address and password if this is your first time opening Google Photos
Step 2. Click UPLOAD
This blue button is at the top right of the page. Clicking here will open a File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window.
Step 3. Click on the location of the photos
Click on a folder containing photos on the left side of the File Explorer or Finder window.
Step 4. Select the photos you want to upload
Click and drag your mouse across the group of images you want to select, or hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac) and click each image you want to select individually.
Step 5. Click Open
It's in the lower-right corner of the window.
Step 6. Select an upload quality
Check one of the following options:
- High quality. Upload photo (s) in high quality resolution and reduced file size. This does not lower your Google Drive storage limit.
- Original size. Upload the photo (s) in the original resolution, which may be higher than the "High quality" option. This action lowers the Google Drive storage limit.
Step 7. Click CONTINUE
This option is in the lower right corner of the quality window. This action will cause the photo (s) to start uploading to your Google Photos account.
Step 8. Open Google Photos on the Android device
This app is a red, yellow, green and blue four-pointed star.
If you are not signed in to Google Photos, you will first need to enter your email address and password when prompted
Step 9. Press ☰
It's in the upper-left corner of the screen. A pop-up menu will appear.
Step 10. Press Settings
You'll find it at the bottom of the pop-up menu.
Step 11. Press Backup & Sync
It's at the top of the menu Setting.
Step 12. Make sure the button is in the "On" position.
If not, press the button to activate backup for your photos. This action will activate the synchronization between your Google Photos account and the Google Photos application, which will put the photo (s) that you just uploaded in Google Photos on the Android device.