How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone

Photos have become an integral part of our lives. Most of these pictures are records of special moments we must keep for as long as possible. So, when you upgrade to a new iPhone, it's sensible to want to take all those precious memories with you.

It's, thus, crucial to learn how to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone. This also comes in handy when sharing photos with another iPhone user.

It doesn't matter whether you want to transfer all or a few select photos from iPhone to iPhone. This article has a method that best suits your needs. Check it out below.

Recommended reading: We also have a guide on how to move apps from iPhone to iPhone. Click on the link to check out the methods.

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone Wirelessly

First things first, many have asked: Can you transfer pictures from iPhone to iPhone? Yes, you can. And you can do it wirelessly or via a USB, depending on your preference.

How do I transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone wirelessly? You can use softwares like the MobileTrans App, AirDrop, iCloud, or iMessages. Or create a shared album. You can even share the photos as email attachments.

Let's take you through each of these methods in detail below. That way, if you choose wireless, you'll choose a method that best suits your taste.

Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone Using MobileTrans App

Wondershare - MobileTrans App is your best option for data transfer between iPhones. It's the quickest and most robust method. You can even transfer an entire photo album in a moment. The App is also easy to use for anyone.

It doesn't matter whether you're using it for the first time or are a frequent user. MobileTrans App transfers data between mobile devices with only a few taps. It's also safe and secure.

Unlike other apps, MobileTrans transfers all photos without limitation. It doesn't matter whether your images are saved in Camera Roll, Photo Library, or Photo Stream. The App supports them all.

Besides, it offers two main features to accommodate your different transfer scenarios. These are the Phone Transfer and File Transfer. If you're switching to a new iPhone, you'll use the former to copy all data from the old iPhone. But you'll use the latter if you only want to send a few select photos.

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⭐Copying All Photos from Old to a New iPhone

In the following steps, you'll learn how to transfer pictures from iPhone to iPhone - switch to a new iPhone.

Download and then install the MobileTrans App on both iPhones.
Turn on Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and Location on the receiving iPhone. After that, open the MobileTrans App and tap Phone to Phone.
Confirm that the receiving iPhone is the New phone. Follow the on-screen guide to connect both devices.
Once the iPhones connect, your photo transfer process will begin immediately. Please wait until it's completed shortly.

⭐Copying a Few Specific Photos from iPhone to iPhone

You can also transfer a few specific photos from iPhone to iPhone through the App. The following are the simple steps to go about it:

Ensure you have the MobileTrans App installed on both devices.
Turn on Wi-Fi, Location, and Bluetooth on the receiving iPhone. Next, open the MobileTrans App, then tap File Transfer. Choose Receive.
Follow the on-screen instructions to connect the two iPhones and initiate photo transfer. That involves scanning a QR code on the source device.
Wait for the process to be completed in a moment. Once done, click Done or Send Files to transfer more photos.

That's how to get photos from iPhone to iPhone. As you can see, it's as easy as ABC. The time it takes to move your pictures varies, depending on the number and size. But it is generally fast!

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone Using AirDrop

As an Apple user, you can use Apple's AirDrop to move a few photos to someone else's iPhone. The method is also easy and quick. The only drawback is that you can only share images from the Photos App.

How can I transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone using AirDrop? Before you start, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both devices. If Personal Hotspot is active on either device, please disable it. After that, you’ll be all set!

Turn on AirDrop on both iPhones. To do that, slide your finger from the top of the screen to open the Control Center. Tap to expand the box containing the AirPlane mode and Bluetooth, then choose AirDrop. When you turn on AirDrop on the receiving device, select Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.
On the source iPhone, launch the Photos app and choose the pics you wish to share with the other iPhone.
Note: You can select and share multiple photos simultaneously. Just tap Select, then tap all the pictures you like.
Tap Share, then choose AirDrop. Select the iPhone with which you wish to share the photos.

(Image credit: Apple)
On the receiving iPhone, you'll be notified that someone wants to share a photo(s). Tap Accept to receive the transfer. The photo(s) will be stored in the Photos app.

If you're moving many photos, stay within range of each other until the transfer is completed. However, if both devices run iOS 17 or later, you can walk away once the transfer starts.

The photos will continue to transfer in the background over the internet. That is provided both iPhones stay online and connected to Wi-Fi. Transfers can also continue over cellular data if the feature is enabled on both phones.

How do you find this option to move pictures from iPhone to iPhone over mobile data in AirDrop ? Go to Settings > General > AirDrop > Use Cellular Data.

use cellular data to transfer photos from iphone to iphone over the internet

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone with iCloud

iCloud lets you sync photos from iPhone to iPhone or across all your Apple devices. It's a perfect tool if you're switching to a new phone. iCloud replaced the Photo Stream and Camera Roll options with an All Photos section. That makes it possible to access all your photos on any device using the same Apple ID.

However, this method demands an internet connection to upload photos. The two iPhones also must be iOS 8.3 or later. Your iCloud storage space is also limited to only 5GB. But you can take out a monthly subscription to get more space.

⭐Transferring Photos Between iPhones with iCloud

So, how do I transfer pics from iPhone to iPhone using Apple iCloud? Follow the simple steps below:

Go to Settings > [your name] > tap iCloud on the source iPhone.
Tap Photos at the top of the apps list. Next, turn on the iCloud Photos.
Turn on the receiving iPhone. Go through the standard set-up process until you reach the Apps & Data page. Here, tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
Sign into iCloud using the same Apple ID you used to sync the photos. Once you're signed in, you'll see a list of all your backups. Choose a backup that contains your photos to restore. Wait as the images are transferred to the new phone.

That's how to transfer a picture from an iPhone to an iPhone using the iCloud Backup & Restore feature. However, when iCloud Photos is enabled, you can share full-quality photos via an iCloud Image name. The iCloud Image name remains accessible for 30 days, and anyone can view it.

⭐Transfer Photos with iCloud Image name

You can also share it using any app like Mail or Messages. The following are the steps to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone using the iCloud.

On the sending iPhone, open the Photos App.
Locate the photo you wish to send, then tap the upload icon. Choose Copy iCloud Image name.
A window will appear saying Preparing iCloud Image name. Once the window closes, open a text or Email, paste the Image name, and send it.

Note: To paste the Image name, tap and hold the screen until a bar pops up with the Paste option.

Transfer Pics From iPhone to iPhone Using Messages (SMS)

You can use iMessage (SMS) to share a picture to someone else's iPhone. However, this method is only suitable if you share only one or two pictures. It can be slow and ineffective for multiple photos.

Follow these steps to know how to share photos from iPhone to iPhone through SMS:

Launch the Photos App on your source iPhone.
Find the photo you want to transfer, then tap the Share/Upload icon.
Tap Messages (the green icon with a text bubble on the inside) to launch the messaging app.
Tap the Send button to share the picture through text to your target iPhone.

Transfer Images from iPhone to iPhone via a Shared Album

Do you regularly share photos on your iPhone with the same people? You can create a shared album to make your work easier.

Any time you add a photo to the album, the other person sharing the album will immediately see it. Follow the steps below to learn how to send pictures from iPhone to iPhone by creating a shared album:

Launch the Photos app on the sending iPhone, then tap Albums in the menu at the bottom.
Tap the Add (plus) icon in the top left section of the screen, then choose New Shared Album.
Name the album in the popup, then tap Next.
Enter the contacts with whom you wish to share the album, then tap Create.

After that, an invite will be sent to your chosen contacts to join the album. They will instantly access any image you add to the album upon acceptance.

How to Share Pictures from iPhone to iPhone via Email

Email used to be many people's favorite method of sharing data when there were only a few options. You can still use it today, especially if you're sending one or a few photos. Like iCloud, transferring photos through Email requires a stable internet connection.

Here's how to send pic from iPhone to iPhone with Email:

Launch the Photos App on your source iPhone.
Go to the pic you wish to share, then tap the Share (Upload) icon. You can select more photos by tapping the circles in the bottom right section of each image.
Choose Mail (the blue icon with a closed letter on the inside) to open the email app.
Send the pic via Email to the email address you choose.

Alternatively, you can share a pic through Email using the following steps:

Open the email app on the sending device. Tap Compose a new Email.
Add your recipient's Email when the compose email screen appears. Next, tap on the option to include an attachment.
Add the photos you wish to share to the other iPhone.
Tap the Send button once the photos have been attached.
Open the same email inbox on the receiving iPhone to download the attachments.

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone with USB

Can you transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone using a USB? Yes, you can. It's quick and effective, even for multiple images or large-sized albums. Softwares like Wondershare MobileTrans and iTunes make this possible. Check out the details below:

Share Pictures Between iPhones with MobileTrans - Phone Transfer

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The following are the steps to move pictures between iPhones with the MobileTrans:

Install MobileTrans - Phone Transfer on your computer. Next, connect your iPhones to the PC using functional USB cables.
Open the MobileTrans software and click Phone Transfer from the home screen. Next, choose the Phone to Phone option.
MobileTrans will display the iPhones as either source or destination. Use the Flip button to set the sending iPhone as the source and the receiving iPhone as the destination. Select Photos and other data from the data types the MobileTrans supports. Click the Start button.
The transfer process will begin immediately. Wait for the photos to be transferred from your iPhone to the target iPhone.

How to Transfer Pictures from iPhone to iPhone Using iTunes/Finder

Apple discontinued iTunes from MacOS Catalina on Mac. If you're using such a system, use the Finder app instead.

You can only share photos from the Camera Roll on the iPhone. Syncing pictures from iTunes can overwrite your iPhone's current photo library. You can prevent that by turning off iCloud Photos. That way, only photos stored in iCloud will be deleted - not the ones stored on your phone.

But you can avoid all those complications by using this method. You must first copy photos from the source iPhone to your computer. After that, the images are synced from the computer to the receiving device using iTunes/Finder.

First, follow steps below to move iPhone photos to your computer using a USB:

Unlock your iPhone and connect it to the computer using the correct USB cable. Click Allow on the iPhone to trust the computer if prompted.
On your computer, choose what to do with the device. Choose Import Photos and Videos. Choose a destination for the iPhone photos, then click Import.
On Mac, open the Photos app, click your device, then choose the photos you want to transfer. Click Import Selected. Alternatively, click Import All New Items to import fresh pictures to the Mac.
Wait while the photos are being imported. Disconnect your iPhone when the process is complete.

Now, check how to sync photos from iPhone to iPhone with iTunes. That is, move the pictures from the computer to target iPhone on Windows or MacOS Mojave or earlier:

Ensure you've installed the latest iTunes version on your Windows PC or Mac. Connect the target iPhone to the computer with a USB cable.
Open iTunes, click the device icon and then go to Photos. Click the Sync Photos option, then choose the pictures you wish to transfer. Select All folders for those asking how to transfer all photos from iPhone to iPhone.
Click Apply to begin syncing the photos to your other iPhone.

Implement the following steps if your Mac runs on MacOS Catalina or later:

Connect the receiving iPhone to the Mac with a USB cable.
Open Finder and click on your device.
Click Photos, then the "Sync photos to your device from:" option.
Choose a folder or application, then click Apply.

Transfer Photos with a Specialized USB Cable and Adapter

You don't have to use a computer to move photos from iPhone to iPhone with USB. If you're switching to a new iPhone, you can copy all your pictures with a USB alone. You only need to find the correct type.

For example, suppose you want to transfer photos from an iPhone 14 or earlier to an iPhone 15. In that case, you'll need a USB-C to Lightning Adapter and a Lightning Cable. Follow these steps:

Connect your USB-C to Lightning Adapter to the iPhone iPhone 15.
Connect the Lightning Cable to the iPhone 14 or earlier and USB-C to the Lightning Adapter.
Turn on both iPhones and follow the instructions on the screen.
Connect the iPhone 15 to a Wi-Fi network or the device's cellular network.
Set up your Face ID, then wait for the photo transfer process to be completed.

What if you need to transfer photos from an iPhone or earlier to another iPhone 14 or earlier? You'll need a Lightning to USB Cable and a Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. Then follow these steps:

Connect your Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter to a power outlet through the Lightning port.
Plug your Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter into the sending iPhone.
Connect the Lightning to the USB Cable to the receiving iPhone. Then, connect the other end of the USB cable to the USB 3 Camera Adapter.
Turn on both iPhones, then follow the on-screen instructions.
Connect the receiving iPhone to Wi-Fi or its cellular network.
Set up Touch/Face ID, then wait for the transfer process to be completed.

Conclusion

You now know how to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone. This article has explored different options to get it done. We've mainly classified them into wireless and USB cables (wired).

It doesn't matter whether you choose to go wireless or wired. We're confident that you've found your ideal method. Now, transfer the photos like a pro!