How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to External Hard Drive

If you are looking for a guide on how to transfer photos from iPhone to an external drive, then this one is for you. iPhone is a pride possession for its user and is a proprietary product.


Unlike Android & other OS, iPhone has unique features of Apple. It has quite a robust security system and is less prone to malware. It has one of the best camera allowing the user to capture precious moments in still picture & video mode. On the other hand, the iPhone has its design limitation.


The size of the internal memory is limited, and it does not provide a slot for external memory.


Once the memory exceeds the specified memory capacity, the phone becomes slow. Probably you would want to transfer the pictures to an external hard drive and free the memory space. You may choose to use the Google drive or any other external media to store the information for future use.

On Windows 8, 10, and Mac, OS X10.10.3 or later version, there is an app called photos. This photos app allows the user to transfer photos, videos & other files to your PC. After these files can be stored to an external drive connected to the PC or workstation.

Important note: You cannot transfer photos from an iPhone/iPad to an external hard drive without using a computer!

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to External Hard Drive

There are several ways by which you can transfer your photos from iPhone to an external hard drive, they are

Transfer photos from iPhone to external hard drive on Windows

Follow the steps to Transfer photos from the iPhone to an external hard drive on Windows.
  • Step 1: Unlock the iPhone and connect it to the PC through a USB cable. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. Make sure the PC can detect both the external devices.
  • Step 2: A prompt appears on your iPhone, seeking your permission. Click on the “Allow” tab.
  • Step 3: On your PC, open the “Photos” app and click on the “ Import”>” From a USB device” to let Photos find the files on your iPhone.
  • Step 4: “Photos” will search your iPhone for pictures & videos. Once found, it will ask you to select the files to be imported. Select the files you choose to import.
  • Step 5: Then click on the “Import settings”>” Change the import destination”. Choose a location on your external hard drive and select “Done."
  • Step 6: Click on the “Import selected” to start the transfer of photos from your iPhone to the external hard drive.

  iPhone to  external drive on Windows PC via File explorer

Windows OS has a complete solution in “File Explorer” for Windows 10 and Windows Explorer on Windows 7/8. Furthermore, using File Explorer, you can transfer photos directly to an external hard drive without installing any software.


You can only share pictures on the “DCIM” folder, which contains the photos taken by the iPhone camera only. Also, images from other sources cannot be imported using the File Explorer.

Transfer Photos from iPhone
  • Unlock the iPhone and connect it to the PC through a USB cable. Connect the external hard drive to your computer. Make sure the PC can detect both the external devices.
  • A prompt appears on your iPhone, seeking your permission. Click on the “Allow” tab
  • Go to “This PC”> “Apple iPhone”>” Internal Storage”>” DCIM”>”100APPLE”. You can view all the photos taken using your iPhone camera here.
  • Copy the photos on your iPhone and paste them to the external hard drive. This helps you to backup photos from your iPhone & save substantial memory space.

 iPhone to external drive on Mac

  • Connect your iPhone and the external hard drive to the Mac through a USB cable. Ensure the Mac detects both the external devices.
  • Run “Photos for Mac’. Go to the “Devices” section and select your IOS device
  • Click the “Import to” option and choose to save the imported photos to the external drive.
  • Click “Import All New Photos” or select the photos you want to import to the Mac and click “Import (Number) Selected”.

iPhone to external drive on Mac via image capture

Image capture is an exclusive program for Mac users to take pictures and upload photos to Mac from iOS devices, digital cameras, and other devices that have cameras. Using Image capture on the iPhone/iPad, you can move pictures and videos to an external storage drive.

  • Connect your iPhone/iPad to the computer.
  • Unlock the iPhone and trust the computer.
  • Open “Image Capture” on your Mac station and choose your iPhone from the “Devices” tab.
  • Click on the “Import To” pop-up menu and choose to save the images to the external drive.
  • Select “Import All” to transfer all the items or select the photos you want to transfer. Click “Import” to complete the transfer to the external hard drive.

iPhone to an external drive using iCloud

The other suitable way for both Windows and Mac OS users is to use iCloud photos. By enabling the iCloud photos on both the computer and the iPhone, you can transfer your iPhone photos to the computer. These photos then can be shared on to an external hard drive through iCloud for future use.

  • Step 1: Turn on the “iCloud Photos” on iPhone. Go to “Settings”> (your name)>”iCloud”>” Photos” and switch on “iCloud Photos.”

  • Step 2: Turn On the “iCloud Photos” on the computer, then

  • Download and install iCloud for Windows
  • Sign-in with the Apple ID you use on the iOS device (ensure you are using the same Apple ID on the iPhone and the PC)
  • Click the “Options” button next to Photos and check the “iCloud photo library” and the “Download New Photos and Videos to my PC” option. Then click “Change” under “Download New Photos and Videos to my PC” to change the default location as your external hard drive.
  • Click “Done”>” Apply.”
  • Step 3: Once the Syncing is complete, the photos from the iPhone can be transferred to the external hard drive.
Transfer Photos from iPhone

Conclusion

Take all advantage of our step by step guide for resolving your storage issues. Say goodbye to your storage problems and transfer your files to your external hard drive with ease. I hope this article on how to transfer photos from iPhone to external hard drive, sounds interesting and useful. Comment your views about in the comment section.

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Peter
 

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