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How do I download photos to my Apple iPhone?

I have a new Apple iPhone and am having fun with it, but I can't figure out how to download photographs or pictures onto it. Is there some trick or technique? Also, in case it makes a difference, I don't use iPhoto to manage my photo albums.

Dave's Answer:

Like getting photos onto a video iPod (see how to add photos to your ipod), the only way you can add pictures to your new Apple iPhone is through iTunes. But iTunes is a bit fussy about what it will and won't sync. You can choose a "roll" of pictures from iPhoto but since you -- like me -- don't use iPhoto, you'll need a workaround to get this going.

Fortunately, it's pretty darn easy!

What I do to manage my iPhone photo album is create a new folder in my Pictures folder called "iPhone Pic Sync" and then copied the photos I wanted to have on the iPhone there (you copy a file, rather than moving it, by holding down the Option key while dragging and dropping):

Mac OS X: Managing your iPhone (iPod) Photos in the Finder

Notice here that I not only have a new folder in my Pictures directory, but I also dragged the folder onto the left navigational shortcuts area in the Finder too, so the folder is easily accessible anywhere I'm working on my Mac. Saves finding that folder again, ya know!

Now you can simply drag and drop images in that you'd like to have on your phone and eventually you'll have a nice little library, as I do:

When you have a bunch of pics you like, hook up your iPhone to your computer and after it autosyncs, it'll show you the Summary view of how things are set up:

Click on the "Photos" tab here and by default it'll offer up the ability to sync your iPhoto library:

Mac OS X Finder: iTunes: Sync iPhoto photographs

You don't want that, though, you want to choose "Select Folder..." from that pop-up and select the new iPhone photo sync folder. Once you do that, it'll look like this:

Mac OS X Finder: iTunes: Sync selected folder of photographs

That's all there is to it. Click on "Sync" and you'll see that iTunes is smart, it even adjusts images to work optimally on the iPhone. The sync flies past:

Mac OS X Finder: iTunes: Synchronizing photos for iPhone

and now your iPhone has a spiffo new photo library of the images you desire.

Want to add or delete images? Just add or delete them to your new iPhone Pic Sync folder and they'll automatically be synchronized with your iPhone every time you plug it in.

Still learning about your iPhone? We have lots of iPhone help here on the site!

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Comments

If i sync a folder will it automatically erase the photos i have taken on my phone?

Posted by: Queenpish at April 17, 2008 8:38 PM

No because the synchronization only concerns your iPhone's photo library, not the camera roll.
By the way, if you want to download photos to your iPhone individually, you might consider one of these iTunes alternatives for photos:
http://manageipodphotos.wordpress.com/ipod-photos-management-alternatives

Posted by: Phil Ibert at July 17, 2008 2:55 AM

these instructions for how to synch photos from iphone to mac do not work for me. I have done these steps but then on my Finder folder under iPhone Pic Synch i get a folder created and called iPod Photo Cache and then a whole bunch of folders called F00 - F50 with this folder called Photo Database and this error Last login: Mon Jul 21 10:47:16 on ttys000
sc0102a-dhcp175:~ debbieg$ /Users/debbieg/Pictures/iPhone\ Pic\ Sync/iPod\ Photo\ Cache/Photo\ Database ; exit;
-bash: /Users/debbieg/Pictures/iPhone Pic Sync/iPod Photo Cache/Photo Database: cannot execute binary file
logout

[Process completed]

Posted by: Debbie at July 21, 2008 11:52 AM

Great! Thanks for this, was really stuck with a seemlingly simple task.

Posted by: Martin at August 29, 2008 4:34 AM

These instructions don't work for me either. Is it because I'm on a PC and these instructions are Mac? In the folder iPhone Pic Synch all I get is a folder created and called iPod Photo Cache and then a whole bunch of folders called F00 - F45 and a small file called "Photo Database". Meanwhile, the pics on the iPhone have not been updated with the pix I put in the iPhone Pic Synch folder.

Posted by: Dumbfounded at November 24, 2008 8:21 PM

Turns out it worked. The pics are on my iPhone in the "Photos" application. I was looking at the "Camera" app in the camera roll.

Thanks for the tips.

Posted by: Dumbfounded at November 24, 2008 8:49 PM

thanks for this! it worked for me the first time but the next time i plugged in my iphone and went to the photos tab in itunes to update the folder i had created i got this message, "Are you sure you want to sync photos? All existing photos and albums on the iPhone will be replaced with photos and albums from the current photo library."

i don't want to lose the photos that i have taken with my phone (the "camera roll") and it doesn't give me the option to choose the folder. any suggestions? i find it all rather confusing!

Posted by: kali at December 5, 2008 5:30 PM

Very helpful. Thanks!

Posted by: cosmorochester at January 1, 2009 9:01 AM

With the latest 2.X firmware, you can download photos from Safari by holding your finger on any image.

The photo then appears under 'photos' on the ipod.

Posted by: Random at January 8, 2009 2:10 PM

I've had an iphone for about 4 months, and have always been able to move pictures from it to my pc by syncing phone with computer. Now, when I sync, it updates contacts, calendar, etc. but not pictures. What am I doing wrong? Thanks for any help you can give me!!!

Posted by: Nancy Goldstein at March 2, 2009 11:28 AM

How do you sync ringtones on the new iphone3g and NOT end up with duplicates on the phone itself - despite m4r files showing and playing uniquely in iTunes?

Posted by: Vince at March 11, 2009 10:58 AM

hi i have iphone 2g i cant see any pictures when i use wifi on my iphone in my mails i am having already in my inbox,

Posted by: manish at March 27, 2009 4:20 AM

I'm still confused...How can you transfer pics from my windows based pc to my 2g iphone...I have cydia, safari and installer on the phone...I'm better with stereo's than software...Thanks

Posted by: Howard Michaels at March 30, 2009 12:35 AM

how do i transfer photos from mac TO camera
thanks ??

Posted by: glen at May 21, 2009 1:54 AM

thx very much!

Posted by: shyrel enorme at May 23, 2009 11:47 AM

Ok not sure if anyone cares but I found a way to get photos not taken with iPhone to show up in camera roll. Previously to getting my iPhone I had sent an mms text to my email as the recipient, I checked my email from my iPhone (the app at the bottom) open the email viewed the photos and then had 3options 1of which wAs save files, which were 3 photos , they then were now in my camera roll. Sorry if this is old news it's just that I read somewhere that any photos not taken with iPhone u could not get to show up in camera roll, you can only access th through photos app. Not that it's that big of a deal however someone did ask how to get photos not taken with iPhone into camera roll and so eons replied if could not be done. And if photos are in roll, when u sync there is no chance of losing those photos as there is when they are in regular photos app. Ttfn

Posted by: Deja17vu at June 26, 2009 11:17 AM

My iPhone 3G has only connected in the wifi I have in my home once, did I hit some setting I should not have? It does not even see that I have a wifi any more

Posted by: Steve at August 16, 2009 4:18 PM

thanks!

Posted by: jj at August 21, 2009 5:31 PM

Another way to take photos off your iPhone is a simple app: WiFiPhoto. You can pick and download multiple photos in a single zipped file to any computer over a network in wifi. You can set compression quality to best fit your needs. Hope it helps.

Posted by: Matteo Rossi at September 15, 2009 2:07 AM

EASY!!! Thank you! I have a PC and I did not have a problem at all!

Posted by: Jennifer at September 27, 2009 6:48 AM

I like your approach, Dave, and linked to it on my blog about iPhone photo management at occmac.blogspot.com.

Posted by: Howard Corneli at October 24, 2009 5:28 PM

tring to download pics from cuddyback camera trap,SMI card directly to iphone...is it possible?
dave

Posted by: david w spellings at October 26, 2009 9:15 AM

need to transfer pics from sd card to iphone. thanks...dave

Posted by: david w spellings at October 26, 2009 9:27 AM

I have a new iphone 3gs. I did everything you said and I cannot get the folders to show up after I go to the sync summary. I don't even get the iPhoto folder. All I get is a Pictures folder. I sure hope you can help. I am lost. Here I am with this great new tool and can't figure out how to bless the grandparents with photos of the kids when we're together.

Sweet regards,
Fudge4u

Posted by: Fudge4u at October 26, 2009 3:35 PM

One additional note to my iphone dilemma of not being able to make the folders show up on the summary. I did add subfolders to my IPhone sync folder would that matter? I tried taking some of the photos out of the sub folders, but the iPhone Sync folder does not show up-NONE of them show up. ): So sad. Hope you can help! Sweet regards, Fudge4u

Posted by: Fudge4u at October 26, 2009 5:26 PM

Good news! I figured it out. I was missing the step that says "Select Folder" It actually says "Choose Folder" on my computer. As soon as I did that it gave me a window to click on the folders. Thanks so much for your very precise directions. I just had to reread it more slowly to get my answer. It is most kind of you to post these for people. Thanks for being such a nice guy.
Sweet regards,
fudge4u

Posted by: fudge4u at October 26, 2009 5:49 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!