How to Move Your Photos From iPhone to Android

The fastest way to transfer photos between iPhones and Android phones

The simplest method is to use Google Photos, which works on both iPhone and Android. You upload your photos to Google Photos on your iPhone, then download them on your Android phone. The whole process takes about 10 minutes if your photos are already backed up, or 30 minutes to an hour if you need to upload them first.

If you have only a few photos, you can also email them to yourself, use a cloud service like OneDrive or iCloud, or transfer them through a computer. Each method has trade-offs: Google Photos is fastest for large batches, email works for a handful of photos, and a computer gives you the most control over which photos move.

Key Takeaways

Google Photos is the fastest method for most people because it backs up automatically on iPhone and syncs instantly when you sign in on Android.
You can transfer photos through email, OneDrive, iCloud, or a computer if you prefer not to use Google Photos.
Transferring through a computer lets you pick exactly which photos move and organize them before they land on your Android phone.
All methods preserve your original photo quality, though cloud services may compress very large files depending on your storage plan.

Using Google Photos (fastest for most people)

Open Google Photos on your iPhone and sign in with your Google account. Tap your profile picture in the top right, then tap Photos settings. Turn on Backup and sync. Google Photos will begin uploading all your photos and videos to your Google account. This happens in the background, so you can close the app and come back later.

Once your photos are backed up, go to your Android phone and download the Google Photos app from the Google Play Store. Sign in with the same Google account. Your photos will appear automatically. You can then save individual photos to your Android phone's internal storage by opening a photo, tapping the three dots, and selecting Download. If you want all your photos on the Android phone permanently, you can turn on Device folders in settings, which saves them locally.

The main limitation is storage: Google Photos gives you 15 GB free, which holds roughly 5,000 photos at standard quality. If you have more photos, you will need to pay for additional storage or delete some after they transfer.

Transferring through email or messaging apps

This method works well if you have fewer than 20 photos. Open the Photos app on your iPhone, select the photos you want (tap Select in the top right, then tap each photo), and tap Share. Choose Mail and send them to your own email address. On your Android phone, open that email and download the attachments.

You can also use WhatsApp, Telegram, or other messaging apps the same way: select photos, tap share, choose the app, and send them to yourself. The advantage is speed for small numbers of photos. The disadvantage is that email and some messaging apps compress photos, so they may lose quality. Also, if you have hundreds of photos, this becomes tedious quickly.

Using OneDrive or iCloud

OneDrive works similarly to Google Photos and works on both iPhone and Android. On your iPhone, open the OneDrive app, sign in, and turn on camera backup. Your photos upload automatically. Then on your Android phone, download OneDrive from the Google Play Store, sign in with the same account, and your photos appear in the app. You can download them to your phone's storage from there.

iCloud is trickier because Apple does not make an iCloud app for Android. You can access your iCloud photos through iCloud.com on your Android phone's web browser, download them one by one or in batches, but this is slower than using Google Photos or OneDrive. If you use iCloud on your iPhone, Google Photos or OneDrive is usually the better choice for moving to Android.

Transferring through a computer

Connect your iPhone to a Windows or Mac computer with a USB cable. On a Mac, open the Finder and click your iPhone in the sidebar, then click Photos. On Windows, open File Explorer, find your iPhone, and navigate to the DCIM folder. Select the photos you want and copy them to a folder on your computer.

Then connect your Android phone to the same computer. On Windows, open File Explorer and drag the photos into your Android phone's storage (usually under Internal storage or DCIM). On Mac, you will need Android File Transfer, a free app from Google, to move files to your Android phone. Once the photos are on your Android phone, they will appear in your phone's gallery app.

This method gives you the most control: you can pick exactly which photos move, organize them into folders first, and avoid uploading anything to the cloud. The trade-off is that it takes longer and requires a computer and cables.

What happens to photo quality during transfer

Google Photos, OneDrive, and iCloud all compress photos slightly when you back them up at standard quality settings. The compression is usually not visible on a phone screen, but if you print large photos or zoom in closely, you may notice. If you want to keep original quality, you can pay for additional storage on any of these services, or use the computer method, which does not compress at all.

Email and messaging apps compress more aggressively, so photos may look noticeably softer or less detailed. If photo quality matters to you, avoid email for large batches and use Google Photos, OneDrive, or a computer instead.

Transferring videos along with photos

Google Photos, OneDrive, and the computer method all move videos at the same time as photos. Email and messaging apps can send videos too, but they compress heavily and may fail if the video is longer than a few minutes. If you have videos to move, Google Photos or OneDrive is usually the best choice.

Keep in mind that videos take up much more storage than photos. A one-minute video can be 100 MB or more, so if you have many videos, you may hit your free storage limit quickly on Google Photos or OneDrive. The computer method avoids this problem entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer photos without using the cloud?

Yes. The computer method lets you move photos directly from iPhone to your computer to Android without uploading to Google Photos, OneDrive, or iCloud. You need a USB cable and either a Windows or Mac computer, but your photos stay private and do not count against cloud storage limits.

Will my photos stay on my iPhone after I transfer them?

Yes, no matter which method you use. Transferring copies your photos; it does not remove them from your iPhone. If you want to delete them from your iPhone after the transfer is complete, you have to do that manually in the Photos app.

What if I have thousands of photos?

Google Photos or OneDrive are your best options because they handle large batches automatically. The computer method works too but takes longer. Email is not practical for thousands of photos. Be aware that you may need paid storage if you exceed the free limits.

Do I need the same Google account on both phones?

Yes, for Google Photos to work. You sign in on your iPhone with your Google account, back up your photos, then sign in on your Android phone with the same account. If you use a different account on Android, you will not see the photos you backed up from your iPhone.

Can I transfer photos if my iPhone and Android phone are not connected to the same Wi-Fi?

Yes. Google Photos, OneDrive, email, and messaging apps all work over any internet connection. The computer method does not need internet at all. Only the cloud services require both phones to be online at some point, but they do not need to be online at the same time.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.