Apple Intelligence now features Image Playground, Genmoji, Writing Tools enhancements, seamless support for ChatGPT, and visual intelligence.

Apple Intelligence has also begun language expansion with localized English support for Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, and the U.K. Learn more >

You can make a difference in the Apple Support Community!

When you sign up with your Apple Account, you can provide valuable feedback to other community members by upvoting helpful replies and User Tips.

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

User profile for user: TimKenworthy
TimKenworthy Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Albums from iPhone can’t be transferred to iPhoto on Mac

Does anyone know any kind of work-around to save albums that I’ve created on iPhone to Mac? I can’t use iCloud as it’s too expensive for the amount of photos I have. I just want to transfer directly via cable to Mac.

I can of course get all the photos themselves over, but their groupings in albums can’t be preserved as far as I can see. This is mildly-to-extremely irritating. I have literally 50,000+ photos that I need to move and having to reconstruct the albums from scratch by categorising them a second time once they are on the MacBook Air is daunting. Thanks in advance if anyone knows a way to make this work.

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 1:34 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,589 points

Posted on Jul 27, 2023 6:04 AM

There is no way to transfer the structure of the Photos Library from the iPHone to the Mac without iCloud Photos. You can only transfer the photos and videos.


The other way round it is easier - you can sync selected albums from the Mac to your iPhone.

For the future - create the albums on your Mac, then sync the finished albums to the iPhone.


Would it be possible to subscribe to iCloud just for one month, so you can transfer all your albums to your Mac? Then cancel the iCloud subscription again, once the transfer has finished?


Or you could use the free 5GB of iCloud storage to save one album at a time to a folder on iCloud Drive using the Files.app on the iPhone. Name the folder like the album.

Then import one folder at a time from iCloud Drive to Photos for Mac and add the imported folder to an album with the same name as on the iPhone. It will still be a lot of work, however.




View in context

Similar questions

3 replies
Question marked as Top-ranking reply
User profile for user: léonie
léonie
User level: Level 10
197,589 points

Jul 27, 2023 6:04 AM in response to TimKenworthy

There is no way to transfer the structure of the Photos Library from the iPHone to the Mac without iCloud Photos. You can only transfer the photos and videos.


The other way round it is easier - you can sync selected albums from the Mac to your iPhone.

For the future - create the albums on your Mac, then sync the finished albums to the iPhone.


Would it be possible to subscribe to iCloud just for one month, so you can transfer all your albums to your Mac? Then cancel the iCloud subscription again, once the transfer has finished?


Or you could use the free 5GB of iCloud storage to save one album at a time to a folder on iCloud Drive using the Files.app on the iPhone. Name the folder like the album.

Then import one folder at a time from iCloud Drive to Photos for Mac and add the imported folder to an album with the same name as on the iPhone. It will still be a lot of work, however.




Reply
User profile for user: TimKenworthy
TimKenworthy Author
User level: Level 1
7 points

Jul 27, 2023 6:56 AM in response to léonie

Thanks so much for going to the trouble of writing such an in-depth reply.


While it’s disappointing re: the one-way nature of albums (Apple, please change that. It’s completely daft that iPhone albums can’t be transferred to Mac) I think you’re right that my best option is to use my free iCloud allowance and get it transferred piece-by-piece.


Thanks léonie!


Reply

Albums from iPhone can’t be transferred to iPhoto on Mac

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.
Learn more Sign up