How to save iPhone photos to an external drive using a Mac

Jonny Evans

Watching Apple since 1999. I don't say what they should do. I say what they might do. They sometimes do.

5 Responses

  1. Chip says:

    I use Lightroom for my DSLR photos but find that Photos does a great job of archiving my iPhone pics. I periodically connect my iPhone to my Mac, open Photos, and click IMPORT ALL NEW PHOTOS, while clicking the box ‘Delete items after import’.

    The High Sierra version of Photos also allows you to import to a New Album or to an Archive.

    And of course you can have libraries live on external drives if you like.

  2. Emma says:

    I’m trying to use image capture to import photos straight from my phone to an external hard drive. I can see the external hard drive and it allows me to select it but then as soon as it opens the window where I get to choose it, it defaults back to pictures or photos or documents. Why won’t image capture allow me to import the photos onto the external Hard Drive?

    • Jonny Evans says:

      The image only exists once it is taken. For the purposes of image capture, the iPhone needs to capture the image to its own storage to give the image life, and that image can then be copied across once it becomes data. The device does not see an external drive (connected via another computer) as a part of the system (because it’s not), I am certain a developer can deliver a better answer. However, in iOS 12, you will be able to use your iPhone wirelessly in order to capture images to place in documents and so on. Though you’ll still need to save those elements to the external drive.

  3. zcook says:

    HELP! When I try to chose my external drive, it doesn’t allow me to chose it. I only get open and cancel…..any help would be greatly appreciated.

    • Jonny Evans says:

      There’s an easy fix for this, just disconnect the iPhone and open iOS Settings>General> and tap Reset Location and Privacy. Reconnect your iPhone and you’ll be asked if you want to trust the computer, say you do and this tip will work after that.There’s an easy fix for this, just disconnect the iPhone and open iOS Settings>General> and tap Reset Location and Privacy. Reconnect your iPhone and you’ll be asked if you want to trust the computer, say you do and this tip will work after that.

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