Save pictures received in iMessages

[gigatoaster]

Hello there

Is it possible to automatically save pictures received in iMessages conversations to Photos? I couldn’t find the info.

WhatsApp can but with iMessages it seems tedious and manual.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

No, automatic save is not an option.

I don't know about the kind of images you get in messages, but I'd go crazy constantly deleting them from Photos if they were automatically being saved to Photos.

When I think of an option of this sort, all I come up with is negative consequences. First; redundant/duplicate storage. If Messages images are copied to Photos they will be backed-up twice. Undoubtedly there will be those who will call the "feature" a plot by Apple to sell more iCloud storage. As a photographer, I prefer my Photos library be a catalog of images that I've taken. Oh, I have a few shots from others that I have saved from Messages or mail attachments, but for the most part, when I open Photos to show images to someone my ego is involved, and I'm just proud enough to not want them to think someone else's photos (whether worse or better than mine) are mine.

On the other hand, I have an aunt who might like the idea. For her, Photos is simply an album of memories - mostly pictures she's received of family and friends. She almost never remembers to take her own photos of loved ones - she's too in the moment to step back to document that moment (although she's done OK with the wildlife in her yard). Her technical skills are nearly none-existent. The only way she can easily find the images she wants to see (or show off) is if they're located in a single place. Knowing whether to look in Messages, Mail, or Photos is tough enough; searching through a variety of Messages threads to find the latest shot of a grandchild is nearly overwhelming. However, when she asks me to help find/save recent photos ("Where is that picture of...?") she is still selective about which are actually saved to Photos.

 

[Ruggy]

I agree it's probably not a good idea but in any case, it doesn't have to be complicated or tedious.
If you rt click (option+left click) on one of the messages in the side bar and choose 'detail' it takes you to the card of the sender.
Then if you scroll to the bottom you'll see all the images they have sent you in the chat.
You can select the ones you want or all of them using the usual controls then another rt click and find 'add to photos'.
It's only a couple of clicks.

 

[gigatoaster]

Thanks for your messages.

@ApfelKuchen: I understand this is not for you but an option to give the choice of saving or not won’t bother you, right? It is not a plot to sell more iCloud, where did you read that? A picture doesn’t take a lot of space, same for 1000s. Also what about your WhatsApp then? It is saved automatically. Also we like to display the pictures on our OLED TV, it looks nice on it.

@Ruggy:thanks I tried your tip, it’s better. Although you don’t have the same behaviour as you would expect. You can’t do “bulk-selection”, too bad.

I will save the pictures manually then.

 

[ApfelKuchen]

Thanks for your messages.

@ApfelKuchen: I understand this is not for you but an option to give the choice of saving or not won’t bother you, right? It is not a plot to sell more iCloud, where did you read that? A picture doesn’t take a lot of space, same for 1000s. Also what about your WhatsApp then? It is saved automatically. Also we like to display the pictures on our OLED TV, it looks nice on it.

@Ruggy:thanks I tried your tip, it’s better. Although you don’t have the same behaviour as you would expect. You can’t do “bulk-selection”, too bad.

I will save the pictures manually then.

It wouldn't bother me.

As to a plot - I'm just predicting typical Internet accusations... I wouldn't think that myself.

I don't use WhatsApp, so I'm not familiar with its settings.

I do display my photos on my TV, but I'm very selective - I create Albums before displaying them on the big screen.

The typical iPhone photo is about 2 MB, so on average about 500 photos per GB. Videos (which are pretty common in texts) can be many times that size. To some that's not much - I have over 800 GB of photos on my Mac, although they're more typically 20 MB each (better camera = larger files). However, to people with 16 GB iPhones or trying to stay within the free 5 GB iCloud storage plan, 1 GB of photos is not exactly small, either.

I don't think Apple would add this setting, but that's my own prediction.