Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

mac_audio

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Aug 4, 2018
22
0
California
If I plug my iPhone into my MacBook, can I see its contents in Finder similar to how you can plug in an external hard-drive and see the contents on the drive?
 
In Finder, no. iTunes will give you a limited view of some things but not everything. To see everything on your iPhone or iPad, I recommend using something like iMazing 2 which will allow you to see right on down to the file level. I'm in no way affiliated with them, just a user.
 
In Finder, no. iTunes will give you a limited view of some things but not everything. To see everything on your iPhone or iPad, I recommend using something like iMazing 2 which will allow you to see right on down to the file level. I'm in no way affiliated with them, just a user.

Okay, so how do I do this...

I just got my first iPhone and took a whole bunch of photos with it, and I would like to copy/move the photos from my iPhone to a folder in Finder. I do not want to transfer the photos via WiFi or into iPhoto or whatever it is called, because that makes me nervous that I will end up have photos left hanging around on my macBook and not know they are there.

If I can copy things to a folder called "MY_SECRET_PHOTOS" in Finder, then I will know where all of the evidence exists!! :D

So how can I accomplish that?
 
Okay, so how do I do this...

I just got my first iPhone and took a whole bunch of photos with it, and I would like to copy/move the photos from my iPhone to a folder in Finder. I do not want to transfer the photos via WiFi or into iPhoto or whatever it is called, because that makes me nervous that I will end up have photos left hanging around on my macBook and not know they are there.

If I can copy things to a folder called "MY_SECRET_PHOTOS" in Finder, then I will know where all of the evidence exists!! :D

So how can I accomplish that?

OK, this is a long work-around solution.
1- transfer the photos into iPhoto.
2- create a folder where you want to keep these photos.
3- select the photos you want in the iPhoto window.
4- drag the selected photos into the folder you created. Check to make sure all the ones you want copied to the folder.
5- delete the photos from iPhoto
 
  • Like
Reactions: hobowankenobi
The normal way is to turn on photo syncing through iCloud. Other than that, the next normal way is to connect the iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, and sync photos with the Photos app. There is no "normal" way beyond that. The more effort you put into trying to use your iPhone in ways for which it wasn't designed the less happy you will be, because Apple puts a lot of effort into making things as effortless as possible. If you try to color outside the lines, all bets are off.

I know that sounds harsh. Can you imagine what would happen if you decided you like to turn your car steering wheel left to go right, and vice versa? That's similar to what you're trying to do.

There is another thread on this exact topic. You might have refer to it: https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/download-iphone-photos-to-finder.2136051/
 
  • Like
Reactions: 960design
Is there any limitation on version of OS that I can trasfer photos from my iPhone to Mac?

I ask, because I would prefer to practice on my old Mac and not screw up my newer Mac.
 
Open the Photos App on Mac. All photos will already be there. We have not dongled since 1999 ( actually about 2014, but that didn't sing as cool in my head ).

FREE THE DONGLE!

He doesn’t want want to keep the photos in the Photo app. He wants to keep them in a specific folder he creates.

I still say my way is the least painless in terms of work.

Someone else said keep them in iCloud. Again, that’s not what he wants. Just because Apple lets us do something doesn’t mean we can’t do what we want.
 
The normal way is to turn on photo syncing through iCloud.

No way in hell I'm putting personal photos up on the Cloud!


Other than that, the next normal way is to connect the iPhone to your computer, open iTunes, and sync photos with the Photos app.

Knowing that I have never owned an iPhone before...

So I plug in the charging cable that came with my iPhone and plug it into the USB port on my MacBook?

You lost me on why I open iTunes which is a music player to work with photos?

You lost me on the connection between iTunes and the Photos app... Are you talking about these on my macBook?

And how do I "synch" photos again?


There is no "normal" way beyond that. The more effort you put into trying to use your iPhone in ways for which it wasn't designed the less happy you will be, because Apple puts a lot of effort into making things as effortless as possible. If you try to color outside the lines, all bets are off.

I don't like the idea of moving/copying/whatevering photos that I took on my iPhone to another application or app or whatever, because I am somewhat fearful that I will either lose the photos, or worse, that photos will be getting stored in places on my iPhone or MacBook that I don't know about.

I would be really pissed if pictures of my daughter or grand-daughter ended up someone that I dodn't know about and then wound up in the wrong hands because I didn't know those photos were there and thus couldn't delete them.

The reason for wanting to do a file transfer of photos from my iPhone to a folder in Finder is that I would maintain control of all photos on my iPhone and MacBook.

I have learned enough about computers over the years to know that computers (and presumably smart phones) have this incredible way of storing an enormous amount of personal data and caching it away in places that the user can't find them, but that a tech repair geek or hacker could find them and that worries me!

So there must be some compromise here and an *easy* way to take photos on my iPhone and keep track of all of them and move them to where I want and not have copies floating around which puts my family at risk.

Here is hoping you can help me attain this seemingly reasonable goal...
[doublepost=1536611054][/doublepost]
On a Mac? Use Image Capture, it's an included utility.

What versions of OS-X or macOS has that?

I ask because I have an old Mac with like El Capitan or maybe Mountain Lion on it and then I have a newer Mac with I think Sierra on it.

Can I do this with both?


It'll mount the phone via USB, show all the photos/videos, you can bulk copy (or drag and drop selected content) to a "secret folder", and then even delete them (from the iPhone) as part of the process. Very simple.

That sounds exactly what I am looking for, and would be similar to how I am used to now plugging in my digital camera or a card reader, seeing all of the latest photos, cutting and pasting them to somewhere on my hard-drive, and I am done.
 
On a Mac? Use Image Capture, it's an included utility. It'll mount the phone via USB, show all the photos/videos, you can bulk copy (or drag and drop selected content) to a "secret folder", and then even delete them (from the iPhone) as part of the process. Very simple.

That is pretty close to what I was looking for, so thanks!

About the only thing that would make it better is if you could "cut and paste" certain images in stead of just importing everything.

Thanks!
 
You can select only specific images, you don’t need to import all. Option click individual ones to do so.

Might be command click sorry, I can’t remember offhand.
 
You can select only specific images, you don’t need to import all. Option click individual ones to do so.

Might be command click sorry, I can’t remember offhand.

If I had 100 pictures that I took on my iPhone, and I wanted to import 75 of those pictures onto my Mac, and I option-clicked or whatever and I selected the option to dleete after importing, would that mean that I then have the 25 unselected photos still on my iPhone?

My guess is I will almost always want to dump everything off of my phone onto my computer, but it would be nice to be able to basically "cut and paste" a subset of pictures if needed.
 
You lost me on why I open iTunes which is a music player to work with photos?

The iPhone is the direct descendant of the iPod. iTunes has always been the default gateway between all iOS devices (iPods, iPads, iPhones... even to some degree AppleTVs) and the computer. The first few generations of iPhone were completely dependent on iTunes for updates, backups, imports and exports. Gradually, Apple freed up iPhone to do most of these functions independently. But there are still some advanced functions that require iTunes. In iTunes, there is a tab for each connected iOS device and within those are preference settings for how iPhone handles photos.

It agree with jagolden’s 5 step method. I’ve been doing that for years. If you’re worried about loosing photos just don’t choose to auto delete photos from the phone after export. Once you’ve verified your pictures are in the folder go back and manually delete them from the phone and the photos app. Yes, I know what you’re thinking. “That’s too time consuming and a pain.” Absolutely! But you don’t want to do things the Apple way, which is absolutely your right. I guess if you choose to swim upstream you have to swim harder.
 
Last edited:
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.