Resolved Airdropping a bunch of photos between iPhone 12 and M2 iPad Pro

[PET_2001]

I’ve recently acquired an M2 iPad Pro, and I’d like the 2721 photos and videos in my (now unused) iPhone 12 to relocate themselves onto it. I tried airdropping all of it at the same time and that sort of didn’t work, neither did groups of 500 or even 100. I decided it would be far too tedious to try the same thing in smaller subdivisions than that. This is 20GB’s worth of data, so my free 5GB iCloud storage won’t be of much use here. I want to keep the metadata and live photos alive as well. Is there a reasonable and reliable solution to this problem? Thanks in advance.

To future readers who may be experiencing the same problem: Connect the two using a cable, wait a few moments, trust the computer (in this case the iPad), then the iPhone (or whatever device you’re using) should show up in the Photos side bar. Import all photos from there.

 

[Shirasaki]

The Best solution is to find a PC or Mac with Proper software installed so you can copy the file from your iPhone to your iPad. Yes, you heard that right.

 

[PET_2001]

Right. What sort of “proper” software would you recommend for this task?

 

[sparksd]

It is a pain and sketchy. I've used a pair of USB-C and Lightning card readers to do this - copy to the card in one reader, copy from the card on the other. I also use FileBrowser Pro on both devices and copy to my laptop and from there to the other device (connection to laptop on both is SMB) - I do this mainly when I also want a copy on my laptop.

 

[PET_2001]

Sit rep: I’ve attempted to use iTunes to back my iPhone up to the computer and not iCloud. It appears that everything except my photos were sent to my iPad. My apps, my documents, everything, just not the photos.

 

[sparksd]

Sit rep: I’ve attempted to use iTunes to back my iPhone up to the computer and not iCloud. It appears that everything except my photos were sent to my iPad. My apps, my documents, everything, just not the photos.

Select the little device icon near the top of the iTunes screen - Photos is there and you have to check the Synch box.

 

[Shirasaki]

Right. What sort of “proper” software would you recommend for this task?

I use iMazing. Great software to transfer a wide range of files, including photos. paid However.
iTunes doesn’t backup your photo if iCloud photo is enabled.

 

[Shirasaki]

Select the little device icon near the top of the iTunes screen - Photos is there and you have to check the Synch box.

Well, that’ll erase ALL photos stored on target device. Do keep that in mind.

 

[sparksd]

Well, that’ll erase ALL photos stored on target device. Do keep that in mind.

True, but he said "relocate" in his original post.

 

[Shirasaki]

True, but he said "relocate" in his original post.

Oh umm yeah. If he is fine doing so then all power to him.

 

[PET_2001]

Yeah, what with this being a brand new iPad that isn‘t really an issue for me. What is an issue is that on the Sync menu there is apparently… 0 photos? Where’s the path that iTunes saves the photos to when you back up a device? Am I supposed to sync the iPhone to the PC first, even though I already backed it up?

Why can’t I just connect the two using a cable and be done with it?

Seriously, it’s easier to transfer between Apple and Samsung phones that between two Apple devices. I thought Apple’s suite was supposed to be well integrated and straightforward to use? What am I missing here?’

Oh, and yeah, I don’t have iCloud Photos enabled.

 

[one more]

What about just increasing your iCloud storage plan to 50GB, enabling iCloud Photo Library and boom… everything will be automatically synched between your Apple devices.

 

[PET_2001]

The whole point of this exercise is to not pay for iCloud+. I’ve now found another alternative solution, and I shall bring to you more sit reps as it goes.

 

[Shirasaki]

Yeah, what with this being a brand new iPad that isn‘t really an issue for me. What is an issue is that on the Sync menu there is apparently… 0 photos? Where’s the path that iTunes saves the photos to when you back up a device? Am I supposed to sync the iPhone to the PC first, even though I already backed it up?

Why can’t I just connect the two using a cable and be done with it?

Seriously, it’s easier to transfer between Apple and Samsung phones that between two Apple devices. I thought Apple’s suite was supposed to be well integrated and straightforward to use? What am I missing here?’

Oh, and yeah, I don’t have iCloud Photos enabled.

There goes the realisation of that stupid “what’s a computer” ad campaign that I still despise today.
iPad Pro is NOT designed to be desktop computer replacement. Your experience reflects that.

Anyway, back to your original issue. I actually have no idea how photo sync works, given that I have iCloud photo enabled fairly early on. However, if my memory serves, when syncing photos to iPod, I do have to point a folder where the photo is synced from, aka source folder, in PC. I suspect the same concept Applies here as well.

Some third party tools such as iMazing handles these tasks a bit better than iTunes. Maybe you should give a shot.

 

[sparksd]

There goes the realisation of that stupid “what’s a computer” ad campaign that I still despise today.
iPad Pro is NOT designed to be desktop computer replacement. Your experience reflects that.

Anyway, back to your original issue. I actually have no idea how photo sync works, given that I have iCloud photo enabled fairly early on. However, if my memory serves, when syncing photos to iPod, I do have to point a folder where the photo is synced from, aka source folder, in PC. I suspect the same concept Applies here as well.

Some third party tools such as iMazing handles these tasks a bit better than iTunes. Maybe you should give a shot.

+1 on the iMazing recommendation. I prefer even the free version over iTunes.

https://imazing.com/guides/how-to-transfer-iphone-ipad-or-ipod-photos-to-your-mac-or-pc-computer

 

[PET_2001]

There goes the realisation of that stupid “what’s a computer” ad campaign that I still despise today.
iPad Pro is NOT designed to be desktop computer replacement. Your experience reflects that.

Anyway, back to your original issue. I actually have no idea how photo sync works, given that I have iCloud photo enabled fairly early on. However, if my memory serves, when syncing photos to iPod, I do have to point a folder where the photo is synced from, aka source folder, in PC. I suspect the same concept Applies here as well.

Some third party tools such as iMazing handles these tasks a bit better than iTunes. Maybe you should give a shot.

About the “plugging in” thing, Samsung has a utility for bringing all data (including Photos, texts, contacts and whatnot) from both Android and iOS devices through a USB cable directly connecting the two devices, and it works every time. Then there’s Apple trying to do this cloud wizardry that requires you to pay for a subscription for it to work with any meaningful amount of data, and if you don’t pay for this subscription then the alternative is to experience this trainwreck.

I’m now in the process of copying my photos directly from the iPhone to the PC via the Photos program; then I’ll try to sync those to the iPhone. I’m also giving iMazing a shot per your recommendations; I have no idea how far this free trial version will get me, but there’s only one way to find out, I suppose.

 

[FeliApple]

I’ve AirDropped a lot of stuff and it’s always worked. I don’t know why it doesn’t work in your case. At most, full libraries failed. After delivering the items in batches, it always ends up working.

 

[PET_2001]

Sit rep #3: Well screw this, the free trial doesn’t let me export more than 50 photos nor restore backups. I suppose it’s back to iTunes for me.

 

[kitKAC]

Back up the 12 to iCloud and then restore on the M2?

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212732

 

[one more]

[deleted]

 

[sh65746153]

i would do the following:

select 500 pictures
save the pictures in a specific folder in files via the share button
zip the folder via files context menu
airdrop the zip archive
unpack the archive
and save the pictures in photos via the share button

repeat

 

[Shirasaki]

i would do the following:

select 500 pictures
save the pictures in a specific folder in files via the share button
zip the folder via files context menu
airdrop the zip archive
unpack the archive
and save the pictures in photos via the share button

repeat

That sounds cumbersome and I am concerned the iOS would just freeze every time these actions are performed.

 

[Shirasaki]

Sit rep #3: Well screw this, the free trial doesn’t let me export more than 50 photos nor restore backups. I suppose it’s back to iTunes for me.

That’s not good. I paid iMazing very Quickly because of how good it is. I am not aware of another free program that can do the task you are asking.
Another solution is to find a somewhat modern MacBook since there are more options to copy photos, such as importing photos from iPhone to Mac using photos app, Or via image capture, though that one Hasn’t been maintained for quite some time.

 

[rui no onna]

The whole point of this exercise is to not pay for iCloud+. I’ve now found another alternative solution, and I shall bring to you more sit reps as it goes.

Iirc, 1 month of 50GB iCloud is $0.99.

Personally, I’d rather pay that $1 for a month and then unsubscribe when everything’s synced rather than go through all the hassle you’re experiencing trying to copy photos to your new $800-1000+ iPad.

 

[rui no onna]

P.S. Have you tried simply connecting your iPad and iPhone with USB-C to Lightning cable?

I just tested with my Air 5 and iPhone SE 3. I got a message on the iPhone asking to trust this computer, then after selecting trust, it asked for my PIN.

After that, the iPhone showed up on the Photos app on the iPad under Devices (it seems to treat the iPhone as a camera). It scanned the iPhone photo library and then gave me an option to Import (you can select specific photos or Import All).