In today’s digital age, we capture countless photos and videos on our iPhones. While storage may seem endless, it’s easy to run out of space quickly. Plus, losing your phone or damaging it can result in losing all your precious memories if they’re not backed up properly. So how do you make sure the photos you capture on your iPhone are saved permanently?
Using iCloud Photo Library
The easiest way to save iPhone photos permanently is using iCloud Photo Library. This syncs your photos and videos with iCloud so they’re safely stored online. Here’s how to set it up:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap on your name at the top of the screen (Apple ID banner).
- Tap on iCloud.
- Toggle on iCloud Photo Library.
With iCloud Photo Library enabled, any new photos or videos you take on your iPhone will automatically upload to iCloud. They’ll be viewable on all your devices logged into the same iCloud account.
The amount of iCloud storage you get for free is fairly limited (just 5GB), so you may need to purchase additional storage if you take a lot of photos and videos. But it’s worth it for the peace of mind of knowing your memories are permanently saved online.
Backing up to a computer
If you don’t want to use iCloud, you can back up photos from your iPhone to a computer. Here are some options:
Back up with iTunes (or Finder on macOS Catalina)
Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable it came with. Then open iTunes (or Finder if you’re on macOS Catalina or later). Select your iPhone and go to the Photos section. Check “Sync photos” and select “Selected albums, events, and Faces” or “All photos, albums, events, and faces.” Click Apply to back up your iPhone photos to the computer.
Import using the Photos app on Mac
Open the Photos app on your Mac. Connect your iPhone and click Import when it pops up. This will transfer all the photos on your iPhone to the Photos library on your Mac.
Download from Google Photos
The Google Photos app can back up your iPhone photos to your Google account. Install the app, then go to the app’s Settings. Enable backup and choose whether to back up items in their original quality or high quality (smaller file size). Photos and videos will now continuously back up from your iPhone to Google Photos.
Use third-party apps
There are many apps you can use to download photos from your iPhone to a computer, such as CopyTrans Photo or iMazing. These let you export photos in bulk or based on albums. The advantage over the manual methods above is convenience – the apps do the work for you over a direct connection.
Backing up locally on your iPhone
If you don’t want to rely on online or computer backups, you can take matters into your own hands and back up iPhone photos right on the device itself. Here are some options for local backups.
Import photos to a storage device
Connect a flash drive, SD card, or other external storage device to your iPhone using the appropriate adapter or reader. Open the Photos app and select the photos you want to transfer. Tap the Share icon, choose Save to Files, then pick the storage device to export the photos.
Transfer photos to a computer wirelessly
On your computer, download an app like Documents by Readdle. Open the app on your iPhone, tap Browse, then enable WebDAV Server. Get the WebDAV URL. Enter this URL into Documents on your computer. You can now wirelessly transfer photos and other files from your iPhone to your computer.
Use a third-party photos app
Apps like PhotoSync and PicBackMan allow you to wirelessly transfer your iPhone photos to another device like a computer or external hard drive on your local network. You can browse your entire iPhone library and selectively back up certain photos without needing a cable.
Key takeaways
Here are some key points to remember when permanently saving your iPhone photos:
- Use iCloud Photo Library for easy wireless backups to the cloud.
- Back up locally to a computer with iTunes or the Photos app on Mac.
- Leverage apps like Google Photos and PhotoSync for more backup options.
- Store photos on external storage like flash drives and SD cards.
- Back up often to avoid losing photos due to device issues or loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I back up my iPhone photos?
It’s good practice to back up your iPhone photos at least once a month. If you take a lot of photos, consider doing it more frequently, such as every couple of weeks. Backing up regularly prevents you from losing a large batch of photos if something happens to your phone.
Will my photos still be deleted from my iPhone if I back them up?
Backing up photos doesn’t delete them from your iPhone; it just creates a secondary copy. If you want to remove photos after backing up, you’ll need to manually delete them within the Photos app.
Do I need to pay for extra iCloud storage to back up photos?
The free 5GB of iCloud storage can fill up fast if you’re backing up a lot of photos and videos. So you’ll likely need to purchase additional storage. The minimum tier after the free one is 50GB for $0.99 per month.
What’s the easiest way to export all my photos?
The simplest method is using the Photos app on a Mac computer. Connect your iPhone to the Mac, open Photos, and click “Import all new items” to transfer every photo on your iPhone over to the computer.
How do I save photos directly on my iPhone storage?
Any photos you take with the iPhone Camera app are automatically saved to your device’s internal storage. To save photos from apps or the internet, tap the Share icon and select “Save Image.” The photo will be saved to your Photos app.
Tips for managing your growing photo library
As your iPhone photo collection grows, here are some tips for keeping it organized and maintained:
- Review old photos regularly and delete blurry or unwanted ones.
- Use Albums to categorize photos by date, event, people, etc.
- Turn on iCloud Photo Library and Optimize iPhone Storage to limit local storage used.
- Use the Photos search to easily find photos by location, person, objects, etc.
- Tag your favorite photos as favorites for quick access.
- Leverage intelligent albums like People, Places, and Selfies to see photos grouped.
Conclusion
It’s essential to have backups of your iPhone photos to keep them permanently safe and secure. Regularly back them up to cloud storage like iCloud, computers, external drives, and photo apps. Follow best practices like frequent backups and library management to prevent photo loss. With proper effort, you can rest assured knowing your precious memories are here to stay.