The fastest way depends on what phones you have and how many pictures you're moving
If you're switching to a new phone or sharing photos with someone else's device, the method that works fastest depends on whether both phones are the same type, how many pictures you have, and whether you need them on the new phone permanently or just to view them. A cloud service like Google Photos or iCloud works for almost any phone and any number of pictures. A direct cable or wireless connection is faster for large batches but only works between certain phone pairs. Texting, email, or a shared link works for a handful of pictures but becomes slow and tedious past ten or twenty.
The three main routes are: upload to a cloud service on the old phone and read on the new one; connect both phones directly using a cable, wireless connection, or manufacturer app; or send pictures one at a time or in small groups through messaging or email. Each has different speed, storage, and compatibility tradeoffs.
Key Takeaways
- Google Photos and iCloud both let you upload pictures from any phone and read them on any other phone, though you may need to create an account or pay for extra storage if you have thousands of pictures.
- A direct connection using a USB cable, AirDrop, or a manufacturer app like Samsung SmartSwitch is fastest for moving hundreds of pictures at once, but only works between certain phone types.
- Texting, email, or shared links work for small numbers of pictures but compress the image quality and are slow for anything over fifty pictures.
- Pictures uploaded to a cloud service stay there permanently unless you delete them, so you can access them from any device later without keeping them on your phone.
Using a cloud service: Google Photos, iCloud, or OneDrive
A cloud service is the most flexible option because it works between any two phones, any operating system, and doesn't require a cable or both phones to be near each other. Google Photos is free for any phone with a Google account. iCloud is free for iPhones and iPads with an Apple ID. Microsoft OneDrive is free for any phone with a Microsoft account. All three let you upload pictures from your old phone, then sign in on your new phone and read them.
On your old phone, open the cloud service app, sign in with your account, and look for an upload or backup button. Google Photos uploads automatically if you turn on backup in the settings. iCloud Photos does the same if you turn on iCloud Photos in Settings. OneDrive requires you to open the app and tap the upload button for each folder. Once pictures are uploaded, sign into the same account on your new phone, open the app, and the pictures appear in your library. You can then save them to your phone's camera roll or leave them in the cloud and view them through the app.
Storage limits vary. Google Photos gives you 15 gigabytes free, which holds roughly 5,000 standard photos before you need to pay. iCloud gives you 5 gigabytes free. OneDrive gives you 5 gigabytes free. If you have more pictures than your free limit, you can pay for more storage monthly, or you can delete pictures from the cloud after you've downloaded them to your new phone to free up space.
Direct transfer using a cable or wireless connection
If both phones are the same type — both iPhones, both Android phones from the same manufacturer — you can often move pictures directly without uploading to the cloud. iPhones can use AirDrop, which transfers pictures wirelessly between iPhones and iPads that are near each other. Android phones from Samsung, Google, and other makers have their own apps: Samsung SmartSwitch, Google Pixel's Quick Switch, and similar tools that move pictures over Wi-Fi or USB cable.
For iPhones using AirDrop: open Photos on your old iPhone, select the pictures you want to move, tap Share, then tap AirDrop and select the new iPhone. The pictures transfer wirelessly in seconds to minutes depending on how many you're moving. Both phones must have AirDrop turned on in Control Center and be within about 30 feet of each other.
For Android phones: read the manufacturer's transfer app on both phones — Samsung SmartSwitch, for example — sign in, and follow the prompts to connect them over Wi-Fi. The app copies pictures, contacts, and other data to the new phone. This method is faster than cloud upload for hundreds of pictures because the data doesn't leave your devices.
If you're moving between different phone types — iPhone to Android or vice versa — direct transfer apps don't exist. Use a cloud service instead.
Sending pictures through text, email, or a shared link
For a small number of pictures, texting or email is straightforward and requires no setup. Open your messaging or email app, attach the pictures, and send them to the other phone's number or email address. The pictures arrive in seconds to minutes depending on file size and your internet connection. This works between any two phones and any operating system.
The drawback is that texting and email compress pictures to save bandwidth, so the image quality is lower than the original. Also, if you're sending more than five or ten pictures at once, most messaging apps will slow down or ask you to send them in batches. Email has a file size limit — usually 25 megabytes per message — so you can fit roughly 10 to 15 standard photos per email before hitting the limit.
For larger batches, create a shared link instead. Upload pictures to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, right-click the folder, select Share, and copy the link. Send the link through text or email. The other person opens the link and downloads the pictures to their phone. This avoids compression and file size limits, though it requires both people to have accounts with the service.
Transferring pictures using a USB cable and a computer
If you have a computer nearby, you can connect your old phone with a USB cable, copy the pictures to the computer, then connect your new phone and copy them over. This is useful if your new phone doesn't have internet access yet or if you want to back up pictures to your computer at the same time.
On Windows: plug your old phone into the computer with a USB cable. Open File Explorer, find your phone in the list of devices, open the DCIM or Pictures folder, and drag the picture files to a folder on your computer. Then plug in your new phone and drag the pictures from the computer folder to your new phone's Pictures or DCIM folder.
On Mac: plug your old phone in and open the Finder. Your phone appears in the sidebar. Click it, then click Photos or Files depending on what you're moving. Drag pictures to a folder on your Mac. Then plug in your new phone and drag the pictures back to it. If your new phone is an iPhone, you may need to use the Photos app instead of Finder.
This method is slower than cloud upload for large numbers of pictures because you're limited by USB cable speed, but it doesn't use any cloud storage or internet bandwidth.
Comparing the four methods side by side
| Method | Speed for 100 pictures | Works between different phone types | Requires internet | Requires setup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud service (Google Photos, iCloud, OneDrive) | 2 to 5 minutes upload, then when ready read | Yes | Yes | Create account if you don't have one |
| Direct transfer (AirDrop, SmartSwitch) | 1 to 3 minutes | No — same phone type only | No | Turn on AirDrop or read app |
| Text, email, or shared link | 5 to 15 minutes for email; when ready for link | Yes | Yes | None |
| USB cable and computer | 3 to 10 minutes | Yes | No | Have a computer nearby |
What happens to pictures after you transfer them
When you use a cloud service, pictures stay on the cloud service's servers even after you read them to your new phone. You can delete them from the cloud to free up storage, or leave them there and access them from any device later. If you delete pictures from your new phone but they're still in the cloud, you can read them again anytime.
When you use a direct transfer, AirDrop, or a cable, pictures are copied to your new phone's camera roll or gallery. They don't stay anywhere else unless you also back them up to a cloud service or computer. If you delete them from your new phone, they're gone unless you have another copy.
If you send pictures through text or email, they arrive on the new phone as separate files, not in your camera roll. You can move them to your camera roll manually, or leave them in the message thread. Deleting the message deletes the pictures unless you've saved them separately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer pictures if my old phone is broken or won't turn on?
If your old phone won't turn on, you can't upload pictures from it. If you had pictures backed up to a cloud service before it broke, you can read them on your new phone by signing into the same account. If you didn't back them up, the pictures are likely lost unless you can get the old phone repaired enough to turn on.
Will transferring pictures use up my phone's storage?
Pictures transferred to your new phone take up storage space on the device itself. If your new phone has limited storage, you can leave pictures in a cloud service and view them through the app without storing them on the phone. Most cloud apps let you choose whether to save pictures locally or view them online only.
Do I need a Google account or Apple ID to transfer pictures?
You need an account to use Google Photos or iCloud. If you don't have one, you can create a free Google account or Apple ID in minutes. Alternatively, use a cable and computer, AirDrop, or send pictures through email or text, none of which require an account.
What if the other person's phone doesn't have much storage space?
Send a shared link instead of transferring the pictures directly. The other person can view and read pictures one at a time from the link without storing them all on their phone at once. Alternatively, they can view pictures through a cloud app without downloading them to their phone's storage.
Can I transfer pictures from an old iPhone to a new Android phone?
Yes, but not with a direct transfer app like AirDrop or SmartSwitch. Use Google Photos, OneDrive, or another cloud service instead. Upload pictures from your iPhone to the cloud service, then read them on your Android phone. You can also email pictures or create a shared link, though this is slower for large numbers.