How to Transfer Photos from Phone to Phone: A Comprehensive Guide

For many, the smartphone has become the primary camera, capturing precious moments and memories. iPhones, in particular, are renowned for their exceptional camera quality, constantly improving with each new model, like the impressive cameras in the latest iPhone 14 series. With the sheer volume of photos we accumulate, ensuring these visual stories are safely transferred and accessible when upgrading devices or sharing with others is crucial.

Fortunately, moving your cherished photo library between iPhones is a straightforward process, often requiring no computer at all. Whether you’re upgrading to a new iPhone or simply want to share photos with a friend or family member who also uses an iPhone, several efficient methods are available.

This guide will walk you through the various ways to transfer photos from phone to phone, focusing on iPhone to iPhone transfers, ensuring you never lose a single memory in the process.

Transferring Photos to a New iPhone: Seamlessly Migrate Your Memories

When you upgrade to a new iPhone, you want the transition to be as smooth as possible, and that includes bringing all your photos with you. iCloud backup offers a robust and convenient method to transfer your entire photo library to your new device.

Using iCloud Backup: The All-In-One Transfer Solution

iCloud Backup is Apple’s cloud service that allows you to back up your iPhone data, including photos, videos, app data, and settings. By backing up your old iPhone to iCloud, you can easily restore this backup to your new iPhone, transferring all your photos in one go.

Steps to Back Up Photos on Your Old iPhone using iCloud:

Open Settings App: On your old iPhone, locate and tap the “Settings” app icon on your home screen.
Access Apple ID Profile: At the top of the Settings screen, tap on your name to access your Apple ID profile.

Access your Apple ID page. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Navigate to iCloud Settings: Tap on iCloud to enter the iCloud settings menu.
Enter Photos Settings: On the iCloud settings page, you’ll see your iCloud storage usage and a list of apps using iCloud. Tap on Photos, usually located at the top of the list.
Enable iCloud Photos: Ensure the toggle next to iCloud Photos is switched to the ON position (green). This activates iCloud Photo backups, automatically uploading your photos and videos to your iCloud account.

Turn on this toggle. Stefan Ionescu/Insider

Once iCloud Photos is enabled, your iPhone will begin backing up your photo library to your Apple ID account. The time it takes to complete the backup depends on the size of your photo library and the speed of your internet connection.

Steps to Restore Photos to Your New iPhone from iCloud Backup:

Start New iPhone Setup: Turn on your new iPhone and follow the on-screen setup instructions until you reach the Apps & Data page.
Choose Restore from iCloud Backup: On the “Apps & Data” page, select the option Restore from iCloud Backup.
Sign in to iCloud: Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in to your iCloud account.
Verify with Passcode: You may be prompted to enter a verification passcode sent to your other Apple devices or via SMS, depending on your two-factor authentication settings.
Agree to Terms and Conditions: Review and agree to Apple’s Terms and Conditions to proceed.
Select Backup to Restore: You will be presented with a list of available iCloud backups associated with your Apple ID. Choose the iCloud backup that contains your photos, usually the most recent backup of your old iPhone.
Wait for Restore Process: The restore process will begin, transferring your photos, videos, and other backed-up content to your new iPhone. This may take some time depending on the size of the backup and your internet speed. Once complete, your new iPhone will have all the photos from your old device.

Sharing Photos with Another iPhone User: Multiple Ways to Connect

Sometimes, you need to share photos with someone else who owns an iPhone, whether it’s a single photo or a collection from a recent trip. iPhones offer several convenient methods for direct photo sharing.

Using AirDrop: Instant Wireless Sharing

AirDrop is Apple’s proprietary ad-hoc wireless file transfer service. It allows you to quickly share photos and other files with nearby Apple devices, including iPhones, iPads, and Macs, using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

Steps to Share Photos via AirDrop:

Enable AirDrop: First, ensure AirDrop is enabled on both your iPhone and the recipient’s iPhone. To do this, open Control Center (swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen on iPhones with Face ID or swipe up from the bottom edge on iPhones with a Home button) and tap and hold the network settings card in the top-left corner. Then, tap the AirDrop icon and choose “Everyone” or “Contacts Only”.
Open Photos App and Select Photo(s): Open the Photos app on your iPhone and navigate to the photo you want to share. Tap on the photo to view it. If you want to share multiple photos, tap “Select” in the top-right corner and select all the photos you wish to share.
Tap the Share Icon: Tap the share icon, which is a square with an arrow pointing upwards, located in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

Tap the upload icon. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Choose AirDrop: In the share sheet that appears, tap the AirDrop icon. It looks like concentric circles with a triangle at the bottom.

Tap the AirDrop icon. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Select Recipient: Your iPhone will now search for nearby AirDrop-enabled devices. Once the recipient’s iPhone appears under “People”, tap on their name.
Recipient Accepts: The recipient will receive a notification asking them to accept the AirDrop transfer. Once they accept, the photo(s) will be transferred directly to their iPhone.

Using iCloud Link: Sharing via Cloud Link

If you need to share photos with someone who isn’t nearby or if AirDrop isn’t convenient, you can use iCloud Link to create a shareable link to your photos. This link can be sent via text message, email, or any messaging app.

Steps to Share Photos via iCloud Link:

Open Photos App and Select Photo(s): Open the Photos app and select the photo(s) you want to share, just like you would for AirDrop.
Tap the Share Icon: Tap the share icon in the bottom-left corner.
Choose Copy iCloud Link: In the share sheet, scroll down and tap Copy iCloud Link.

Next, tap “Copy iCloud Link.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Share the Link: A “Preparing iCloud Link” window will appear briefly. Once it disappears, the iCloud link is copied to your clipboard. You can now paste this link into a text message, email, or any other messaging app and send it to the recipient. When the recipient clicks on the link, they will be able to view the photos in their web browser.

Using Messages (iMessage or SMS): Direct Photo Messaging

For quick and easy sharing with contacts in your Messages app, you can directly send photos through iMessage (if sharing with another Apple user) or SMS (for other phones).

Steps to Share Photos via Messages:

Open Photos App and Select Photo(s): Open the Photos app and select the photo(s) you want to share.
Tap the Share Icon: Tap the share icon.
Choose Messages: In the share sheet, tap the Messages icon. It’s a green icon with a white message bubble. This will open a new message in the Messages app with the selected photo(s) attached.

Choose the Messages app to send the photo as an iMessage or SMS. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Select Recipient and Send: Choose the recipient from your contacts or enter their phone number and tap the send button to send the photo(s) via Messages.

Using Email: Sharing Photos via Email Attachment

Email remains a universal method for sharing files, including photos. You can easily email photos directly from your Photos app.

Steps to Share Photos via Email:

Open Photos App and Select Photo(s): Open the Photos app and select the photo(s) you want to share.
Tap the Share Icon: Tap the share icon.
Choose Mail: In the share sheet, tap the Mail icon. It’s a blue icon with a white envelope. This will open a new email in the Mail app with the selected photo(s) attached.

Choose the Mail app to send the photo through email. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Enter Recipient and Send: Enter the recipient’s email address, add a subject if needed, and tap the send button to send the email with the attached photo(s). Be mindful of file size limits when sending photos via email, especially if sharing many high-resolution images.

By Creating a Shared Album: Collaborative Photo Sharing

For ongoing photo sharing with the same group of people, Shared Albums offer a collaborative and organized way to share photos and videos. Anyone you invite to a shared album can view, like, and comment on the photos, and even add their own photos to the album.

Steps to Create and Use a Shared Album:

Open Photos App and Go to Albums: Open the Photos app and tap Albums in the bottom menu bar.
Create New Shared Album: Tap the plus sign (+) in the top-left corner of the screen to create a new album.

Tapping the plus sign in the top left corner will allow you to create a new album. Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Select New Shared Album: In the pop-up menu, tap New Shared Album.

In the pop-up, tap “New Shared Album.” Stefan Ionescu/Insider
Name the Album and Add People: In the next pop-up, give your shared album a name and tap Next. Then, enter the names or email addresses of the people you want to share the album with and tap Create.
Add Photos to Shared Album: Once the shared album is created, you can add photos and videos to it. Simply select the photos you want to add, tap the share icon, and choose “Add to Shared Album”. Select your newly created shared album to add the photos. Anyone who has been invited to the shared album will instantly see the new photos.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Method for Your Photo Transfer Needs

Transferring photos from phone to phone, particularly iPhone to iPhone, is a simple process thanks to Apple’s ecosystem and various sharing options. Whether you’re upgrading to a new iPhone and need to move your entire library or just want to share a few photos with a friend, there’s a method that suits your needs.

For transferring all photos to a new iPhone: iCloud Backup is the most comprehensive and efficient solution.
For sharing photos with someone nearby: AirDrop offers the fastest and most direct wireless transfer.
For sharing photos remotely via a link: iCloud Link provides a convenient way to share photos via messaging or email.
For quick photo sharing with contacts: Messages and Email are readily available and simple options.
For ongoing collaborative photo sharing: Shared Albums are ideal for groups who regularly share photos with each other.

By understanding these different methods, you can confidently transfer and share your precious photo memories between iPhones, ensuring your visual stories are always with you and easily shared with those you care about.

SJ 2 Steven John Freelance Writer

Steven John is a freelance writer living near New York City by way of 12 years in Los Angeles, four in Boston, and the first 18 near DC. When not writing or spending time with his wife and kids, he can occasionally be found climbing mountains. His writing is spread across the web, and his books can be found at www.stevenjohnbooks.com.