Edited Photos on iPhone Won't Import to Mac

Question

Level 1

55 points

Edited Photos on iPhone Won't Import to Mac

Hello,

I sync my iPhone to my MacBook Pro via USB-C. If I edit a photo in iPhone Photos and try to import via Mac Photos with a USB, nothing happens.

How can I import edited photos from iPhone to Mac Photos via USB.

Thanks!

iPhone XR, iOS 15

Posted on Jan 6, 2022 4:54 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Best reply

Ozzie1910

Level 4

2,187 points

Jan 6, 2022 7:46 AM in response to Garrett_1

You don’t need to sync photos to your Mac after Edit them in your iPhone , once you done editing photos your iPhone will backup those photos if you are connected to a wifi and your iPhone plugged in with the charger the battery backup will started or tou can do it manually and if you want to see them on your Mac do this , open photos app on Mac , go to preferences, make sure download originals option isn’t selected , optimize your Mac storage and in your iPhone optimize your iPhone must the same , so let that your Mac update the edited photos that you did on your iPhone get download to your Mac , if you are using the same iCloud account they will work seamlessly

note, the same amount of photos that you have on your iPhone will be the same amount in your Mac no more no less if that have a difference that means some of your settings or iCloud account isn’t the same on both devices

Reply

Answer 2

Garrett_1 Author

Level 1

55 points

Jan 6, 2022 9:19 AM in response to Ozzie1910

Hi Ozzie1910,

I do not use iCloud Photo Library and I do not use iCloud Backup for my iPhone. I backup my iPhone to my MacBook using Finder and a USB-C cable. I also import my photos from my iPhone to Mac Photos within the Mac Photos app using a USB-C cable.

Thus, how can I import edited photos from iPhone to Mac Photos via USB?

Thanks!

Reply

Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

194,831 points

Jan 13, 2022 11:02 PM in response to Garrett_1

Syncing via USB will always save the originals, not the edited versions. The originals are the more important items, as they are having the best quality.

To transfer the edited versions as well you have to save a copy of the edited version as a new photo in Photos on your iPhone. Only then the syncing via USB will also transfer the edited version.

It would be much more convenient to use iCloud Photos to sync your iPhone Photos to your Mac. You made it clear that you do not want to use iCloud, but it is the only way to sync edited versions paired with the original as an entity to the Mac, so you can modify the adjustments, revert to the original. The Photos Library on your Mac will always be identical to the library on your Mac.

If you do not have enough storage on the iPhone to hold all photos from your Mac, you could create an additional new, empty library on your Mac, just for syncing with iCloud.

Reply

Answer 4

Garrett_1 Author

Level 1

55 points

Jan 14, 2022 4:50 AM in response to léonie

Hi léonie,

Thank you for your help! I know iCloud Photos would be easier, but I'm not ready to make the jump yet. I will try saving a copy of the edited version as a new photo in Photos on my iPhone before importing via USB. However, the photo isn't even importing as an original. Something is preventing it from being imported into Mac Photos via USB. In order for me to successfully import it, I have to Revert the Photo to Original on my iPhone prior to importing via USB. Do you know why I have to do that?

Reply

Answer 5

Jan 20, 2022 7:37 AM in response to Garrett_1

I have the same issue. At first I thought it was because a majority of my photos were in "LIVE" format. I disabled LIVE on a few photos thinking that would do the trick, thus far unsuccessful. Seems like recent pictures from the last 2-3 months are giving me a problem but the older ones import with no issue from my iPhone 12 Pro to my MacBook Photos app.

Reply