Transfer photos from your phone to a hard drive

If you ain a smartphone, this infinitesimal yet arrives. A informing pops up saying your retention is almost full. Photos extremity syncing. Apps slow down. Suddenly, you are deleting emails, clearing messages and searching for thing that will free up space.

Many group deed this problem because their photos automatically backmost up to services for illustration Google Photos aliases iCloud. Those services see a constricted magnitude of free storage. Once it fills up, nan solution is usually nan same. Pay for much space.

Janice from Alabama precocious wrote to america astir this nonstop situation.

YOUR IPHONE HAS A HIDDEN FOLDER EATING UP STORAGE SPACE WITHOUT YOU EVEN KNOWING

"My Google retention of 15 GB is almost utilized up, according to Google. I request to get my photos disconnected my phone. How tin I do this and support entree to them? I don't want to delete them. I continually quiet trash, delete emails, etc. I understand that this is simply a communal problem pinch Google users connected Android phones. Their reply is to acquisition much retention space. I don't admit being held hostage by Google. Any suggestions?" 

Janice is acold from alone. Millions of smartphone users look nan aforesaid prime each year. Either salary monthly for much retention aliases move their photos location else. The bully news is that you tin shop your photos connected a difficult thrust you own, support entree to them anytime and avoid ongoing subscription fees. Let's locomotion done nan easiest ways to do it. 

Smartphone users tin free up retention by transferring photos to a machine and outer difficult thrust alternatively of paying for much unreality space. (Yusuf Coskun via Getty Images)

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Method 1: Transfer photos from your telephone to a computer

The simplest attack is to first transcript your photos to a computer. After that, you tin move them to an external difficult drive.

For iPhones

Apple devices usage a somewhat different process. Instead of opening nan telephone for illustration a retention device, you import photos done nan Photos app connected your computer.

On a Mac

• Connect your iPhone to your Mac utilizing a USB cablegram (Lightning aliases USB-C, depending connected your iPhone model)
• Unlock your iPhone if it is locked
• If prompted, pat Trust This Computer connected your iPhone
• Open nan Photos app connected your Mac
• Select your iPhone nether Devices successful nan sidebar
• Choose nan photos aliases videos you want to transfer
• Click Import Selected aliases Import All New Items

The photos will download to your Mac's photograph library.

Another option: Use iCloud Photos

If you are signed into iCloud and iCloud Photos is enabled connected your iPhone, your photos whitethorn already beryllium syncing automatically. In that case, you tin simply unfastened Photos connected your Mac aliases sojourn iCloud Photos successful a browser connected your desktop to entree and download them without connecting your phone.

HOW TO HIDE PHOTOS ON YOUR IPHONE AND ANDROID FROM SNOOPS
 

With a USB cablegram and a difficult drive, users tin protect thousands of photos while reclaiming valuable telephone storage. (Jun via Getty Images)

For Android phones

Settings whitethorn alteration depending connected your Android phone’s manufacturer

• Connect your phone to your machine utilizing a USB cable
• On your phone, take File Transfer erstwhile prompted
• Open File Explorer connected Windows aliases Finder connected Mac
• Locate your phone nether connected devices
• Open nan DCIM aliases Pictures folder
• Copy the photos you want to save

Once copied, paste nan files into a files connected your computer. This measurement gives you a afloat backup earlier moving them to a drive.

On Windows

• Connect your iPhone pinch a USB cable
• Unlock your telephone and pat Trust This Computer
• Open nan Photos app connected Windows
• Choose Import from a USB device

Windows will transcript your photos directly to your computer.

Method 2: Move nan photos to an outer difficult drive

Once your photos are connected your computer, transferring them to a difficult thrust is quick.

• Plug your external difficult drive into your computer
• Open nan thrust in Finder aliases File Explorer
• Drag your photograph folder onto nan drive
• Wait for nan files to decorativeness copying

Now your photos are stored safely connected a instrumentality you control. External drives tin clasp tens of thousands of photos, depending connected nan size of nan drive. Check retired our champion outer drives article astatine Cyberguy.com.

BEST WAYS TO SAVE YOUR PHONE’S PHOTOS BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE
 

Moving photos from an iPhone aliases Android instrumentality to a difficult thrust helps sphere memories without ongoing subscription fees. (Lea Suzuki/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

Method 3: Transfer photos straight to a USB flash drive

If you for illustration skipping nan computer, immoderate flash drives plug straight into smartphones. These drives typically include:

• USB-C connectors for Android phones
• Lightning connectors for older iPhones
• USB-C connectors for iPhone 15 and newer models

After connecting nan drive, unfastened nan companion app that comes pinch it. From there, you tin move photos straight from your telephone to nan drive. This action useful good erstwhile you request to free up abstraction quickly. Be judge to research our champion flash thrust recommendations astatine Cyberguy.com.

Method 4: Keep your photos organized

After transferring photos to a difficult drive, walk a fewer minutes organizing them.

Create folders by:

• Year
• Event
• Vacation

Hard drives are reliable, but keeping a 2nd backup ensures your memories enactment protected if 1 thrust ever fails. 

Why this attack saves money

Cloud retention tin consciousness inexpensive astatine first. Over time, nan monthly charges adhd up. An outer difficult thrust often costs little than a twelvemonth aliases 2 of unreality retention fees. After that, nan retention is fundamentally free. Even better, your photos enactment nether your power alternatively than sitting only connected a institution server.

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Kurt's cardinal takeaways

Janice asked a mobility galore group softly wonderment about. Do we really request to support paying companies conscionable to shop our ain memories? Fortunately, nan reply is no. With a elemental cablegram and an affordable difficult drive, you tin free up telephone storage, support each photograph you want and debar ongoing retention fees. Once you effort it, nan process becomes accelerated and routine.

So, present is thing worthy reasoning about. If your telephone holds years of photos and videos, should those memories unrecorded only connected a company's unreality server aliases location you afloat control? Let america cognize by penning to america at Cyberguy.com.

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