How do I sync my iPhone Photos to my OSX photos?

Question

Level 1

4 points

How do I sync my iPhone Photos to my OSX photos?

I just spent hours organizing my OSX Photos and want it to sync my iPhone photos to look exactly the same. Is this possible without having to delete iPhone photos one by one as well.

OSX El Capitan 10.11.2

MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Late 2013)

Processor 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7

Memory 16 GB 1600 MHz DDR3

Startup Disk Macintosh HD

Graphics NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 2048 MB

Photos:

Version 1.3 (350.23.0)

Digital Camera RAW 6.18 (828)

Digital Camera RAW Support 6180 (204)

iOS:

iOS 9.2

iPhone 5, iOS 9.2

Posted on Dec 25, 2015 11:59 PM

Reply

Answer 1

léonie

Level 10

200,723 points

Dec 26, 2015 12:13 AM in response to ^o_o^

I'm not sure what you want to do?

Do you want to transfer the photos from your iPhone to your Mac?
Or do you want to sync the devices - have identical Photos Libraries both on your iPhone and your Mac?

It you want to transfer the photos from your iPhone connect it to your Mac using a USB port and import all new photos to your Photos Libtary. Then add the new imported photos from the "Recently Imported" album to your other albums. You could also enable My Photo Stream on both the Mac and your iPhone to download all new photos automatically.
If you want to sync the iPhone with the Mac and have identical Photos Libraries, sign up for enpugh iCloud storage to hold all your Photos and then enable iCloud Photo Library on your Mac and your iPhone. See; iCloud Photo Library FAQ
This way the Photos Libraries on your Mac and the iPhone will be kept in sync. Any photo you add to one library will appear in the other. Any photo you delete on one device will be removed from the other device as well. You will need to enable "Optimize Storage" on the iPhone, if the storage does not suffice to hold all photos.

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Answer 2

^o_o^ Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 26, 2015 1:00 AM in response to léonie

I will do my best to describe what I am trying to achieve.

One organized Photos library for all devices. For clarity lets pretend I have 33 files in the OSX photos library

I would like my Mac to see the 33 files (In its own directory)

I would like my iPad to see 33 files (When USB Sync'd to OSX photos)

I would like my iPhone to see 33 files (When USB Sync'd to OSX photos)

By the end of the week, lets pretend that I don't like three of the files (photos) so I delete 3 files from the library using my iPhone:

Now I would like my OSX to see 30 files (After USB Syncing to iPhone)

my iPad to see 30 files (After USB syncing to OSX)

my iPhone to see 30 files. (After USB Syncing again)

the OSX library should be the master library for all platforms without the use of iCloud

did I communicate that well enough? do you understand what I am trying to accomplish, and is this possible?

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Answer 3

léonie

Level 10

200,723 points

Dec 26, 2015 2:54 AM in response to ^o_o^

did I communicate that well enough? do you understand what I am trying to accomplish, and is this possible?

I think I understand now.

But this cannot be done with USB syncing. That is asymmetric. With a USB connection you can:

Download photos from your iPad or iPhone, but not albums.
Sync selected albums or moments to your mobile devices using iTunes Photo Sync. Sync photos to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch in iTunes - Apple Support

The only symmetric way of syncing is iCloud Photo Library. It will update anything you do on one device across all your other devices.

See; iCloud Photo Library FAQ

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Answer 4

^o_o^ Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 26, 2015 9:19 AM in response to ^o_o^

For a debates sake, let's pretend I'm a tinfoil hat wearing kind of guy who under any circumstances does not want his photos on Apple iCloud servers. Would my ideology prevent me from having organized photos?

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Answer 5

LarryHN

Level 10

106,142 points

Dec 26, 2015 9:36 AM in response to ^o_o^

yes - that is what Only means

The only symmetric way of syncing is iCloud Photo Library. It will update anything you do on one device across all your other devices.

See; iCloud Photo Library FAQ

LN

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Answer 6

léonie

Level 10

200,723 points

Dec 26, 2015 11:07 AM in response to ^o_o^

As Larry said.

While wearing your tinfoil hat do all your organizing on your Mac. Then sync albums to your mobile devices using iTunes Photo sync.

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Answer 7

^o_o^ Author

Level 1

4 points

Dec 26, 2015 4:46 PM in response to léonie

My solution,

trash ipod caches re-sync, got exactly what I was looking for.

now new problem...seeing doubles of the same file.

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Answer 8

léonie

Level 10

200,723 points

Dec 27, 2015 12:04 AM in response to ^o_o^

now new problem...seeing doubles of the same file.

Double on your Mac or on your iPad/iPhone?

On your iPhone syncing can create duplicates. iTunes Photo sync will write the synced photos not to the camera roll but keeps them separately. If you already have photos on the device in the camera roll, you may see the same same photos in the camera roll and the synced albums.

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