All the ways you can transfer photos from one iPhone to another, without using a computer
- There are nearly a half dozen ways to transfer a photo or video from one iPhone to another, and many of them require only two simple steps.
- Sharing photos among friends, family, colleagues, or even strangers is easiest when the two iPhones are in close proximity.
- The most efficient way to share photos is to create or join a shared album that can be accessed by the people with whom you most often share images.
- Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.
For many people, an iPhone is really more of a camera than it is a phone at all. Later generation iPhone cameras take such good pictures, and have so much storage capacity for those pictures, that we snap away any time anything relatively photo-worthy presents itself.
When one of those 20 pictures turns out so good you want to share it, you have lots of quick and easy options, provided the intended recipient has an iPhone as well.
And even if he or she doesn't, transferring images from an iPhone is still blissfully easy.
How to use AirDrop to share photos between iPhones
First, make sure the AirDrop feature is enabled on both iPhones. Go to the photo you wish to share, then tap the little square with the arrow pointing up out of it at the bottom left. (If you can't see that icon, just tap the image, and it should appear.) If you want to send several images at once, tap the circles on the bottom right corner of the other pictures to select them.
1. Just below the image, you will see the AirDrop icon, which looks like concentric blue circles with a white triangle poking up from the bottom. Ask the intended image recipient to turn on their AirDrop function from within their phone's settings.
2. Tap the person's name once it appears in the AirDrop space.
Steven John/Business InsiderOnce you open this menu, it will take a few moments for potential AirDrop recipients to appear.
3. Once they accept the AirDrop offer, the photo(s) will transfer.
Also see our article, "How to AirDrop a file from an iPhone to a Mac or other Apple devices," for more details.
How to share images on iPhone using iCloud
Again, go to the photo you wish to share and then tap the square with the arrow icon at the bottom left.
1. In the bottom row of apps, tap "Copy iCloud Link."
2. A window will pop up saying "Preparing."
3. Once that window closes, you can open an email or text and paste it in (tap and hold the screen until a bar with the "Paste" option appears), then send the link.
Steven John/Business InsiderYou can paste the iCloud link anywhere.
iCloud sharing is the best choice for sending many images at once.
How to send the image through iMessage or SMS
Open the picture, then tap the square with arrow icon.
1. Tap the green "Message" app.
2. Send the picture via text to the iPhone(s) or any other phone(s) of your choosing.
Steven John/Business InsiderYou can text photos to any phone, not just iPhones.
How to send the image via email
Follow the same steps as above, only this time, tap the "Mail" icon.
How to create a shared album
If you regularly share pictures on your iPhone with the same people, take a minute to create a shared album. Any time you move a photo or video into it, the others sharing the album will have instant access.
1. Open the Photos app and tap "Albums" at the bottom of the screen.
2. Tap the blue "+" at the top left of the screen to create a new album.
3. Tap "New Shared Album."
4. Name the album, then tap next.
5. Enter all of the contacts with whom you want the album to be shared, then tap "Create."
Going forward, any image you move into this album will be accessible to everyone who accepted your invite to join it.
Steven John/Business InsiderYou can post pictures to the shared album at any time.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
How to backup your iPhone to iCloud or a computer
How to sync your iPhone and iPad with your email, photos, text messages, and more
How to AirDrop a file from an iPhone to a Mac or other Apple devices
How you can easily delete all the photos on your iPhone at once