How to Transfer Photos from Android to Computer

Method1

Using Google Photos

1. 
   1
   Open Google Photos on your Android. This app resembles a red, yellow, green, and blue four-point star. Doing so opens your Android's photos that are currently saved in Google Photos.

   • If you aren't signed into Google Photos, you'll first enter your email address and password when prompted.
2. 
   2
   Tap ☰. It's in the top-left corner of the screen. A pop-out menu will appear.
3. 
   3
   Tap Settings. You'll see this near the bottom of the pop-out menu.
4. 
   4
   Tap Back up & sync. It's near the top of the Settings menu.
5. 
   5
   Make sure the switch is set to "On" 

   

    . If it isn't, tap the switch to turn on backup for your photos. This will ensure that your Android's photos are uploaded to Google Photos.
6. 
   6
   Open the Google Photos website on a computer. Go to https://photos.google.com/. This will open a page with your Android's photos if they are backed up.

   • As with your Android, you may have to sign into your Google account with your email address and password if this is your first time opening Google Photos.
7. 
   7
   Select photos to download. Click the checkmark in the top-left corner of each photo you want to select, or click an individual photo if you only want to download one.

   • You can also click the checkmark to the left of a month or an album name here.
8. 
   8
   Click ⋮. It's in the top-right corner of the Google Photos page. A drop-down menu will appear.
9. 
   9
   Click Download. This option is at the top of the drop-down menu. Clicking it prompts the selected photos to begin downloading to your computer.

   • Once the photos finish downloading, you can delete them from your Android.

Method2

On Windows

1. 
   1
   Connect your Android to your computer. Use the Android's charging cable to connect your Android to one of your computer's USB ports.

   • If your Android prompts you to select a connection type, tap Media device (MTP)on its screen before continuing.^[1]
2. 
   2
   Open Start 

   

    . Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. 
   3
   Open File Explorer 

   

    . Click the folder-shaped icon in the lower-left side of the Start window. This will open the File Explorer program.
4. 
   4
   Click your Android's name. Do so in the sidebar on the left side of the File Explorer window. You may have to scroll down on the left side of the File Explorer in order to find the Android's name.

   • You can also click This PC in the left-hand sidebar, and then double-click your Android's name below the "Devices & drives" heading in the middle of the window.
5. 
   5
   Double-click the "Internal storage" or "SD card" folder. Depending on where the photos you want to transfer are stored and what kind of storage is available on your Android, the folder you open may vary.
6. 
   6
   Double-click the "DCIM" folder. This will open to another folder.
7. 
   7
   Double-click the "Camera" folder. It's where your Android's photos are stored. Doing so will bring up a list of your Android's photos.

   • Depending on whether or not your photos are in an album, you may have to open another folder before continuing.
8. 
   8
   Select your Android's photos. Click and drag your mouse across the photos you want to move onto your computer to select them. You can also hold down the Ctrlkey while clicking individual photos to select them independently.
9. 
   9
   Click Home. This tab is in the upper-left side of the File Explorer window. Doing so brings up a toolbar below the Home tab.
10. 
    10
    Click Copy. It's an image of two sheets of paper in the "Clipboard" section of the Home toolbar. This will copy your selected photos.

    • You can also click Cut, which is next to an icon resembling a pair of scissors, to remove the photos from your Android after transferring them.
11. 
    11
    Select a destination folder. Click a folder on the left side of the File Explorer window. This should be a folder in which you want to store the photos.
12. 
    12
    Click Home again, then click Paste. The Paste icon resembles a clipboard, and is directly to the right of the Copy icon. This will transfer your copied photos into into your selected folder.

    • If you clicked Cut instead of Copy, your photos will disappear from your Android as well.

Method3

On Mac

1. 
   1
   Connect your Android to your Mac. Use the Android's charging cable to connect your Android to one of your computer's USB ports.

   • If your Mac doesn't have a USB port, you will need to purchase a USB-C to USB-3.0 adapter.
   • If your Android prompts you to select a connection type, tap Media device (MTP)on its screen before continuing.
2. 
   2
   Open a browser on your Mac. Since Androids don't automatically synchronize with Mac computers, you will need to download an official program to help your Android interface with your Mac.
3. 
   3
   Open the Android File Transfer page. Go to http://www.android.com/filetransfer/. This will open the download page.
4. 
   4
   Click DOWNLOAD NOW. It's a green button in the middle of the page. Doing so prompts the Android File Transfer setup file to begin downloading.

   • Depending on your browser's settings, you may first have to confirm the download or select a download location.
5. 
   5
   Install Android File Transfer. On MacOS Sierra and up, this will entail double-clicking the DMG file, verifying the file in your System Preferences, and then clicking and dragging the Android File Transfer icon onto the blue "Applications" shortcut.

   • On pre-Sierra versions of MacOS, you'll just click and drag the Android File Transfer icon onto the blue "Applications" shortcut.
6. 
   6
   Open Android File Transfer. If Android File Transfer doesn't automatically open, click the Launchpad spaceship icon, then click the Android File Transfer icon, which resembles a green Android mascot.

   • You can also click Spotlight 
     
      in the top-right corner of the screen, type in android file transfer, and then click the Android File Transfer icon.
7. 
   7
   Double-click the "Internal storage" or "SD card" folder. Depending on where the photos you want to transfer are stored and what kind of storage is available on your Android, the folder you open may vary.
8. 
   8
   Double-click the "DCIM" folder. This will open to another folder.
9. 
   9
   Double-click the "Camera" folder. It's where your Android's photos are stored. Doing so will bring up a list of your Android's photos.

   • Depending on whether or not your photos are in an album, you may have to open another folder before continuing.
10. 
    10
    Select your Android's photos. Click and drag your mouse across the photos you want to move onto your computer to select them. You can also hold down the ⌘ Command key while clicking individual photos to select them independently.
11. 
    11
    Click Edit. This menu item is in the upper-left side of your Mac's screen. A drop-down menu will appear.
12. 
    12
    Click Copy. It's near the top of the Edit menu. This will copy your selected photos.

    • If you want to remove the files from your Android while transferring them to your Mac, click Cut here instead.
13. 
    13
    Open Finder. Click the blue, face-like app in your Mac's Dock. A new window will open.
14. 
    14
    Select a save location. Click a folder (e.g., All My Files) on the left side of the Finder window to select it as your photos' destination.
15. 
    15
    Click Edit, then click Paste Items. This will copy the photos from your Android onto your Mac.

    • If you selected the Cut option instead of Copy, this will also remove the photos from your Android