iPhone 11 Pro Max Transferring photos from iPhone to the computer a real headache

[Micka88]

I got a new iphone and I don't want to transfer the photos from the old one the new one. I just wanted to import them to my Macbook and then erase them from the iPhone. But such a simple thing seems to be a real headache. I have about 200 GB photos and videos there (not possible for airdrop).

I connect the Phone to Macbook. The phone appears in the Finder but instead of telling if I want to transfer photos FROM iphone it asks something like to "sync photos FROM the computer folder" which absolutely does not make sense. Why such a simple thing like import photos from iPhone to the given folder in your computer is not there ??

So I had to import them to Photos, to create a new library (not very comfortable and clever way).

Now - after I will import them, I want to erase them from the old iphone since I don't want to transfer them to the new one (via copying the content from another iphone). But how, on earth, can I select ALL photos and then erase them ?? Or shall I spend half day scrolling through all of them by endless selecting ?

Any hint welcome. Thank you ... Really user extremely unfriendly, dear Apple.

PS: and now the import to photos suddenly stop in 1/5 of all the photos, stuck there and nothing imports any more

 

[now i see it]

You can’t do anything in giant leaps in iOS. A little bit at a time.
If you’ve got 10,000 pictures, you’re going to have to interact with them in groups of 100 or so to move, copy or delete.
The usability of the photos app has always been horrible and probably always will be. Accept its limitations or be frustrated forever.

 

[Micka88]

You can’t do anything in giant leaps in iOS. A little bit at a time.
If you’ve got 10,000 pictures, you’re going to have to interact with them in groups of 100 or so to move, copy or delete.
The usability of the photos app has always been horrible and probably always will be. Accept its limitations or be frustrated forever.

Any better app than this terrible Photos, or not possible to replace ?

 

[ericwn]

If you need to delete many photos in the Photos app, you can try to go by months and then select > select all. While not perfect you at least can kill a month at the time.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Use Image Capture instead.

 

[ericwn]

They probably made deliberate decision to not be able to delete all photos at once to save those who may accidentally kill all their precious memories without backup.

My guess, of course.

 

[Micka88]

Ok, but now the main question and problem is - how, on earth, I can transfer the photos from iphone to the computer ?? In some normal way ?

 

[Micka88]

They probably made deliberate decision to not be able to delete all photos at once to save those who may accidentally kill all their precious memories without backup.

My guess, of course.

Even if you delete, it is only in the trash, not deleted forever

 

[bsamcash]

You did it the hard way. Next time select the photos on the phone and share to Files. It'll create an archive of all selected photos which then you can airdrop to your Mac.

 

[Micka88]

You did it the hard way. Next time select the photos on the phone and share to Files. It'll create an archive of all selected photos which then you can airdrop to your Mac.

But how can you select 5000 photos if you have to scroll 1000 times ?

In a normal world there is a folder and sub folders, you can see the content and you can copy, drag and transfer it wherever you like. Apple wants to be special - to make things 100 times more complicated.

 

[bsamcash]

But how can you select 5000 photos if you have to scroll 1000 times ?

Was the select and drag not working for you? I have no issues selecting the oldest photo and dragging down to the most recent. It'll just take a minute or so as it automatically scrolls through them. But no scrolling necessary on your part.

 

[Micka88]

Was the select and drag not working for you? I have no issues selecting the oldest photo and dragging down to the most recent. It'll just take a minute or so as it automatically scrolls through them. But no scrolling necessary on your part.

It's working but the drag journey if you have 5000 photos may last forever (with finger there and the content slowly coming up or down). Select all - is a kind elementary function everywhere else ?

 

[bsamcash]

Select all - is a kind elementary function ?

I'm not going to argue with you there. No doubt I would find that option convenient as well. I was only saying that your initial solution of syncing via Finder isn't the best option.

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Use Image Capture instead.

 

[Micka88]

I'm not going to argue with you there. No doubt I would find that option convenient as well. I was only saying that your initial solution of syncing via Finder isn't the best option.

I am still before the process itself. It was hopeless and I had to transfer things from iphone 11 to iphone 13 which is happening now. After I do this I have still to find a way how to get the photos to the computer from there. When connected to Photos on Mac - "preparing to import" seems to be stuck there for the next few centuries ... And we tried another iphone and another computer (Macbook Pro M1 Max). The same.

 

[Micka88]

Use Image Capture instead.

Is it a mobile app ? And it can contain the same photos as in the Photos app on the iPhone ?

 

[deleon]

Is it a mobile app ? And it can contain the same photos as in the Photos app on the iPhone ?

It is in the Other folder under apps on your Mac itself. You connect your iPhone to the Mac and you can pull all the images to the computer.

 

[bsamcash]

It is in the Other folder under apps on your Mac itself. You connect your iPhone to the Mac and you can pull all the images to the computer.

I didn't know Image Capture worked with iOS devices. Good trick.

 

[Micka88]

It does not work

 

[Micka88]

Photos does not work either (this screen forever)

 

[ThisIs🐵]

Yeah, importing to Photos library from iPhone is a nightmare if you have more than 1,000 photos.
It’s a total disaster.
I hope some day they will have enough money to fix it.

 

[Micka88]

Yeah, importing to Photos library from iPhone is a nightmare if you have more than 1,000 photos.
It’s a total disaster.
I hope some day they will have enough money to fix it.

Yes, this is beyond awful and quite hopeless it seems

 

[MisterSavage]

I use

Use Image Capture instead.

Me too. Not pleasant but seems to work.

 

[erich.j.k]

Use Image Capture instead.

I've never used anything else. You can copy the photos and delete them - no hassle.

 

[Micka88]

I've never used anything else. You can copy the photos and delete them - no hassle.

Well, does not seems so (connecting iphone 13 Pro Max to Macbook Air M1)