How to Transfer Photos from Android to iPhone in 3 ways

Got yourself a new iPhone? Take your Android photos with you!

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There are various ways to transfer photos from Android to iPhone, but we recommend only a few to most people. You can use Apple’s Move to iOS app, or upload all your photos to iCloud from any browser. Alternatively, using your computer to move all your photos is also possible.

Moving from Android to iPhone can feel like a daunting task—but it’s really not that bad. Photos are probably one of the most important things to transfer in the migration. We’ll show you a few ways to do it.

How to transfer photos from Android to iPhone

Method 1: Transfer photos from Android to iPhone without computer during setup

My go-to method for file transferring is Apple’s own Move to iOS service. Move to iOS makes it very simple to transfer photos from Android to iPhone without computer.

In order to transfer photos from Android to iPhone using Move to iOS app, you’ll have to be in the iOS Setup Assistant, which is the startup page when you first turn on your new iPhone — the one that cycles between "Hello" in different languages. If you’ve already set up your iPhone and can access the home screen, you’ll have to factory reset it to use Move to iOS. Otherwise, use other methods discussed in this guide.

Let’s show you how to move photos from Android to iPhone using Move to iOS tool.

1. Download and install Move to iOS from the Google Play Store on your Android device.
2. Open the Move to iOS app and follow the instructions to get it ready. Steps include agreeing to terms and allowing certain permissions.
3. You will eventually reach a page that asks you for a code. When you get here, put down the Android device and move to the iPhone.
4. During the iOS initial setup, you will reach a Quick Start page. Select Set Up Manually.
5. Pick Move Data from Android.
6. This is where your iPhone will provide the code we mentioned in step three. Please make note of it.
7. Grab your Android phone and enter the code.
8. During this step, the iPhone will create a temporary Wi-Fi network, and the Android phone will look for it. Hit Connect to continue.
9. Ensure that Photos has a check next to it and tap Continue.
10. Your Android device will now begin transferring the photos over to your iPhone. Depending on the number of photos that are being transferred, it could take a couple of minutes for the entire process to complete. It took me less than 10 minutes.
11. Move to iOS will transfer photos into the Photos app on your iPhone. When the success message displays, tap done.

Method 2: Transfer Photos from Android to iPhone using iCloud

Move to iOS does a good job of transferring photos from Android to iPhone, but the method only works if your iPhone is brand new and is being set up for the first time. If you’ve already set up your iPhone, you can transfer photos from Android to iPhone is using iCloud. You can upload all your images using any browser, including Chrome for Android, which should already be on your Android device. Let’s walk you through the process.

1. Using your Android device, open your browser and go to iCloud.com. Log in with your Apple ID and password.
2. Tap on the Apps icon, which looks like a four-by-three app grid. It’s in the top-right corner.
3. Select Photos.
4. Locate the Upload button at the bottom and tap on it.
5. Find the photos you want to upload and select them. Then, tap on done.
6. Your photos will upload.

Once you do this, all your Photos will be on your iCloud account, which will also sync to your iPhone. If you don’t see your pictures in Photos app, make sure iCloud Photos is syncing on your iPhone. Head to Settings > Photos > iCloud Photos and toggle the option on.

Method 3: Transfer photos from Android to iPhone on a computer

If you prefer taking matters into your own hands, you can always transfer everything manually, using a computer. You will essentially have to transfer your photos from the Android device to the PC, then move them to the iPhone. Let’s walk you through the steps.

1. Plug your Android device into the computer using a USB cable.
2. On your Android phone, pull out the notification area and tap where it says Charging this device via USB. Tap on it again.
3. Under Use USB for, select File transfer / Android Auto.
4. On the PC, navigate to your Android device under This PC and locate your photos. They are usually in a folder labeled DCIM.
5. Select, right-click, and copy the images you want to transfer and paste them into a temporary folder on your computer. I like using the desktop to keep files handy.
6. When the files are in your computer, unplug the Android device
7. Plug your iPhone into the computer.
8. Your iPhone will ask for permission for the computer to access your files. Hit Allow.
9. Now, you need to download and install iTunes. Do so, if you haven’t.
10. After iTunes is set up, you will need to Trust the connection between the iPhone and the PC.
11. Go to iTunes and click on the iPhone button.
12. In the left sidebar, you’ll see the Settings section. Select Photos.
13. Check the ”Sync Photos” box. Then select the dropdown menu under ”Copy photos from” and select Choose folder.
14. Select the temporary folder you created and hit Select Folder.
15. Click Done, and then Apply.
16. The iPhone will now sync. All the photos will be on your iOS handset when the process is finished.

FAQs

Can I use the ‘Move to iOS’ app even if I already set up my iPhone?

No, unfortunately, you cannot use the file-transfer service if you already completed the iOS Setup Assistant. My best advice is to back up anything on your new iPhone that you’d like to keep, factory reset the iPhone, use the Move to iOS service, and then retrieve what was backed up. Again, just make sure you have enough storage to hold everything.

What is the fastest way to transfer photos from Android to an iPhone?

Apple’s Move to iOS service is the most seamless and efficient transferring service that I’ve used, especially when I’m still going through the initial phase of setup.

Can I transfer photos from Android to an iPhone after setup?

Sure. The best method is to use iCloud. You can upload all your images using any browser, including Chrome for Android, which should already be on your Android device.

Conclusion

With Apple’s "Move to iOS" app and iCloud access from the browser, it’s not terribly difficult to move your photos from Android to iPhone. While you’re here, you may want to learn how to transfer data from android to iPhone with computer.