If your iPhone is not as efficient as before due to its full storage, you may want to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac with/without USB cables to free up space on iPhone.

Learn how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC on Windows for more information if you just happen to have a Windows PC. If you have a Mac computer, you can transfer photos from iPhone to Mac with/without USB or you can also transfer photos from iPhone to external hard drive using Mac for backup.

In this guide, we will focus on how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB. Also, we will mention another go-to tool for wireless photo transfer from iPhone to Mac. Now let's talk more in-depth.

Part 1. How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to Mac Without USB

When it comes to data transfer, we always prefer some wireless transfer ways. And in the following, we will share with you four ways to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac wirelessly. Now let's get right to it!

1. AirDrop

AirDrop is a proprietary wireless ad hoc service released by Apple Inc. in 2011.

If you have a Mac computer running OS X 10.7 Lion and later, the AirDrop feature is available to transfer files from iPhone to Mac. In addition, make sure your iPhone is iOS 7 and later.

Note that when you enable the AirDrop both on your Apple devices, Bluetooth is turned on automatically. And both devices shall be connected to the same Wi-Fi.

To transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB via AirDrop, follow the steps below:

Step 1. To enable AirDrop on your iPhone, go to Settings > General > AirDrop > Everyone.

enable AirDrop on iPhone

Step 2. On your Mac, go to Finder.

Step 3. Click Airdrop in the left sidebar.

Step 4. Also, make sure your Mac can be discovered by Everyone.

enable AirDrop on Mac

Step 5. Then open Camera Roll on your iPhone and select the photos you want to transfer.

Step 6. When you're done, tap Share > AirDrop.

Step 7. On your Mac, select Save to transfer the photos from iPhone to this device.

2. iCloud

In addition to AirDrop, you can also use another official service - iCloud. It is a cloud-based service to transfer, back up, and manage data among Apple devices. iCloud offers 5 GB of free storage space for every Apple user. People always use this service to transfer temporary files and photos. With iCloud, you can transfer files from iPhone to Mac without connecting both devices via a USB cable.

To transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB cable, follow the steps below:

Step 1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos.

Step 2. Then turn on iCloud Photos. By doing so, you can upload photos to iCloud from your iPhone.

enable iCloud Photos

Step 3. Visit iCloud.com on your Mac.

Step 4. Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Step 5. Then click the Photos folder to select the photos you would like to transfer.

Step 6. Click Download to download the photos from iCloud to your local Mac.

Notice:
Learn: "iCloud Backup Not Working" for more information if it doesn't work.

3. Email

Email is a method of transmitting and receiving messages using electronic devices. This ubiquitous communication medium is widely used in business, commerce, government, education, entertainment, and other spheres of daily life.

It's quite simple to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac using Email:

Step 1. Go to Photos on your iPhone.

Step 2. Select the photos you want to transfer.

Step 3. Then tap Share > Mail to enter the basic information on this email.

Step 4. Then tap Send to email yourself.

Step 5. You can sign in with your email address, find the email and download the photos on your Mac.

transfer photos via Email on iPhone

4. SD Card

In addition to the introduction of a third service, you can also transfer the photos from your iPhone to an SD card, and then copy them to your Mac. With this method, you need a Lightning to SD Card adapter instead of a USB cable.

sd card and OTG adapter

When you're ready, follow the instructions below to learn how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac via an SD card:

Step 1. Connect an SD card to your iPhone via the Lightning to SD card adapter.

Step 2. Then open Photos, select the photos, and move them to your SD card.

Step 3. Then remove the SD card from the adapter and insert it into the proper slot on your Mac.

Step 4. Then you can access the SD card on your Mac. Select the photos to copy them to your Mac.

Tip
Click "SD and SDXC card slot on your Mac" to check if your Mac has an SD card slot. If not, you may also need a USB-C to SD Card Reader to connect your SD card and your Mac.

Bonus Tip: A Go-to Tool to Transfer Photos from iPhone to Mac with USB

We have explained four methods to help you transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB in the previous text. These solutions are already proven by us and you can use them confidently.

In this part, we will include a go-to iPhone data transfer tool to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac with USB cables. That is EaseUS MobiMover. This versatile EaseUS software is able to transfer, back up, restore, and manage iPhone data. It is also able to convert HEIC to JPG in bulk. With this iPhone data transfer software, you can transfer data between iPhone and Windows/Mac PC with ease. Now click the Download button below to use it.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to Mac with a USB cable. Run EaseUS MobiMover, choose "Phone to Mac" and click the "Next" button to continue. 

How to transfer photos from Mac to iPad without iTunes - Step 1

Step 2. Check the category/categories you want to copy from your iPhone to Mac. As you can see, you can copy other supported files together with photos from your iPhone to Mac all at once. After that, don't forget to customize the storage path for the exported photos unless you want to save them on your desktop. 

How to transfer photos from Mac to iPad without iTunes - Step 2

Step 3. Now, click the "Transfer" button to start transferring photos or other files from your iPhone to Mac without iTunes. Exporting files from iPhone to Mac with MobiMover is the right way for backup to avoid unexpected data loss. 

How to transfer photos from Mac to iPad without iTunes - Step 3

Conclusion

In this article, we have covered four tips to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB cables. Moreover, you can also use EaseUS MobiMover to move photos from iPhone to Mac or Windows PC via a USB cable if you prefer it that way.

FAQs on How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to Mac Without USB

For more information on how to transfer photos from iPhone to Mac without USB, check the following frequently asked questions.

1. What happens if iPhone storage is full?

You won't be able to do anything that requires space, including installing new apps, taking pictures, syncing media files, updating your operating system, or anything else. You need to delete or transfer some less essential content. It is recommended to transfer files to iTunes or EaseUS MobiMover for backup.

2. Can I transfer data from one iPhone to another wirelessly?

Apple's Quick Start is the simplest way to wirelessly transfer data from iPhone to iPhone. You can also use a third-party transfer tool (such as EaseUS MobiMover) to help you do that.

3. How do I erase all the data from my old iPhone?

You can perform a standard factory reset on your iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Reset, then select Erase all Contents and Settings to wipe all the data that is stored on the device.

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Updated by Daisy

Daisy is the Senior editor of the writing team for EaseUS. She has been working in EaseUS for over ten years, starting from a technical writer to a team leader of the content group. As a professional author for over 10 years, she writes a lot to help people overcome their tech troubles.

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Written by Gorilla

Gorilla joined EaseUS in 2022. As a smartphone lover, she stays on top of Android unlocking skills and iOS troubleshooting tips. In addition, she also devotes herself to data recovery and transfer issues.

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