Keeping your photo library updated across all your Apple devices is crucial for seamless access to your memories. While iCloud Photos offers automatic syncing, you might prefer manual control or have limitations that make it less ideal. This guide will walk you through how to update photos on your Mac using Finder, providing a reliable method to sync your precious moments to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Updating Photos on Mac via Finder: Step-by-Step
Finder, the file manager on macOS, provides a direct way to sync photos from your Mac to your iOS devices without relying on internet connectivity or cloud services. This method is particularly useful for large libraries or when you need a one-time transfer. Here’s how to do it:
Enabling Finder Syncing for Photos
To start syncing photos to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch using Finder, follow these simple steps:
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Connect your iOS device: Begin by opening a Finder window on your Mac. Then, connect your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer using a USB cable. Ensure your device is unlocked and on the home screen.
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Locate your device in Finder: Once connected, your device will appear in the sidebar of the Finder window under the “Locations” section. Click on your device’s name to select it.
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Trust this computer (if prompted): If this is your first time connecting your device to this Mac, you might see a prompt on your iOS device asking “Trust This Computer?”. Tap “Trust” to allow your Mac to access your device’s data.
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Navigate to the Photos tab: In the Finder window, below your device’s name and general information, you will see a series of tabs. Click on the “Photos” tab to access photo syncing settings.
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Initiate photo syncing: Check the box labeled “Sync Photos to your device from.” A dropdown menu will appear, giving you the choice to sync from either “Photos” (the Photos app library) or a specific “folder” on your Mac. Choose your preferred source.
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Select albums to sync: You can opt to sync “All photos and albums” or “Selected albums.” Choosing “Selected albums” allows you to pick specific albums or folders to sync, giving you more granular control over what gets transferred. You can also refine your selection by including only favorites and deciding whether to include videos in the sync.
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Apply and Sync: Finally, click the “Apply” button located in the lower-right corner of the Finder window. This action initiates the photo syncing process. If syncing doesn’t start automatically, click the “Sync” button to begin.
An iPhone screen displaying the option to sync photos to the device from the Photos application on a computer
Keep in mind that Finder syncing behaves differently with certain media types. For Slo-Mo and Time-Lapse videos to retain their effects when synced via Finder, they must be imported through the Photos app or Image Capture in OS X Yosemite or later. Live Photos imported to Photos in OS X El Capitan and later will keep their Live Photo effect, but this effect will be lost if synced back to your device via Finder. For Live Photos and seamless syncing of these special video formats, iCloud Photos is the recommended solution.
Also, Finder syncing is limited to the System Photo Library. If you maintain multiple photo libraries on your Mac, ensure that the library you intend to sync is designated as the System Photo Library in the Photos app preferences.
Disabling Finder Syncing for Photos
If you no longer wish to sync photos via Finder, or want to remove previously synced photos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, you can easily disable syncing. Finder offers options to stop syncing specific albums or all photos entirely.
Stopping Syncing for Specific Albums
To stop syncing only certain photo albums while keeping others synced, follow these steps:
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Connect your iOS device and open Finder: Repeat steps 1-4 from the “Enabling Finder Syncing” section to connect your device to your Mac and navigate to the Photos tab in Finder.
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Choose selected albums: Ensure “Selected albums” is chosen.
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Deselect albums: Uncheck the boxes next to the albums or collections you wish to stop syncing. Photos from these deselected albums will be removed from your iOS device during the next sync.
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Apply changes: Click “Apply” to save your changes and initiate the sync, which will now remove the photos from the albums you deselected.
Stopping Syncing All Photos
If you want to completely stop Finder photo syncing and remove all synced photos from your device:
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Connect your iOS device and open Finder: Again, follow steps 1-4 from the “Enabling Finder Syncing” section to connect your device and access the Photos tab in Finder.
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Deselect “Sync Photos”: Uncheck the box next to “Sync Photos to your device from.”
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Remove photos confirmation: A dialog box will appear asking “Are you sure you want to remove synced photos?”. Click “Remove photos” to confirm. This will remove all previously synced photos from your device.
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Apply: Click “Apply” to finalize the changes. Finder will now stop syncing photos, and all previously synced photos will be removed from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Exploring Alternatives: Automatic Updates with iCloud Photos
While Finder offers manual control over photo syncing, iCloud Photos provides a more automated and seamless experience for keeping your photo library updated across all your Apple devices. When you use iCloud Photos, all your photos and videos are stored in iCloud and are automatically synced across your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and even your PC. Any new photos or edits you make are automatically uploaded to iCloud when you’re connected to the internet, ensuring all your devices are always up-to-date.
If you prefer automatic updates and seamless access to your entire photo library across all your devices, iCloud Photos is the recommended solution. You can learn more about setting up and using iCloud Photos on Apple’s support website.
Conclusion
Updating your photos on your Mac and keeping them synced with your other Apple devices is essential for managing your digital memories. Whether you choose the manual control of Finder syncing or the automatic convenience of iCloud Photos, understanding these methods allows you to effectively manage and access your photo library across your Apple ecosystem. For users who prefer direct, cable-based syncing without relying on cloud services, Finder provides a robust and reliable solution.
