Apple Event: May 7th at 7 am PT

Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iphone photos will not import to photos app

I need to free up some space in my iphone but I cannot import photos to the Photos App on my iMac. When I open the Photos App, it does not show 90% of the photos on my iphone. It just doesn't make sense. I plug the iphone into the usb port, open Photos App, click the import "my" iphone, and there are no new photos, yet they are definitely in the Photos App on my iphone!

Posted on May 7, 2019 3:41 PM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on May 8, 2019 3:18 AM

There are two possible reasons for Photos not showing new photos to import: You can only import photos from the Camera Roll album, but your iPhone may be showing you photos that have not been saved to the Camera Roll.

  1. Please check, if iCloud Photos has become enabled on your iPhone, without you being aware of it. Check "Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Photos". Is iCloud Photos enabled? If yes, then you will get just random results, when you are trying import photos from the iPhone, because they are stored in iCloud, and only some of them will be mirrored on the iPhone.
  2. If photos have been synced to your iPhone using iTunes, or have been downloaded from other apps and not saved to the camera roll, you cannot import them from the iPhone.

Does one of these reasons apply to your iPhone?


1 reply
Question marked as Best reply

May 8, 2019 3:18 AM in response to Peter Mars

There are two possible reasons for Photos not showing new photos to import: You can only import photos from the Camera Roll album, but your iPhone may be showing you photos that have not been saved to the Camera Roll.

  1. Please check, if iCloud Photos has become enabled on your iPhone, without you being aware of it. Check "Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Photos". Is iCloud Photos enabled? If yes, then you will get just random results, when you are trying import photos from the iPhone, because they are stored in iCloud, and only some of them will be mirrored on the iPhone.
  2. If photos have been synced to your iPhone using iTunes, or have been downloaded from other apps and not saved to the camera roll, you cannot import them from the iPhone.

Does one of these reasons apply to your iPhone?


iphone photos will not import to photos app

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.