Posted 3 October 2022

Best way to copy 18,000 iphone photos/videos

Hello. I need help please.
My 64gb is almost full up. My photos are backing up to iCloud so are saved. However I can’t recall my iCloud password at present. As I rarely use it.

What is the best/easiest way to backup 18,000 photos/videos to my external drive?

I’ve tried connecting my iPhone to my computer via usb lead on but my computer only sees the photos I’ve taken today. About 6.

Desperately need help please. Thanks all.
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  1. theRainMan's avatar
    I wanted to download and backup my 55GB of photos. They are uploaded to iCloud but I wanted to take back some of the space. As I didn't fancy downloading 1000 at a time, I started hunting around on YouTube on what to do. I found one video and only one I could find that mentioned the Apple Data and Privacy site - Data & privacy (apple.com)

    I was able to download my iCloud photos in 10GB chunks. My request took a few days as they have to make sure I made the request and prepare the downloads.

    Like the Google Takeout this allows you to get a copy of all the data Apple has.

    48365451-V7ceX.jpg48365451-0pvUA.jpg
    Now I know you mentioned you cannot remember the password for the Apple ID but you may still be able to get in if you call Apple Support, they will confirm you are who you say you are and could help you get back in, or at the very least allow you to download your data.

    Hopefully this helps someone.
    mxttkeep's avatar
    Seems like he has got access to his Apple ID/iCloud account back. But the issue still exists that he doesn't have enough local storage to download all of the photos.

    However your advice is top notch and I did not know you could do what you suggested. Thanks for helping the community.
  2. Azwipe's avatar
    This is exactly why i ditched Apple and went back to Android. They make it so difficult to move picture and video files to PC in the hope you will just buy more storage.
    bobdylan's avatar
    Exactly this ^
  3. steve765's avatar
    Author
    Thanks.
  4. dipsylalapo's avatar
    From your settings, your phone will only have lower resolution pics and the full resolution ones will be in iCloud.

    The only way you're able to get back your full resolution photos is going to be via iCloud. There must be a way to recover your password so I'd try that.

    I've just logged into iCloud and I can use CMD + A (or Ctrl + A) to select all photos and then I have the option to download. Not sure if this will work with your numbers. If it doesn't, another way to get the pics is via a data request to Apple. The photos may be strange (different names, different metadata etc) but you should be able to get the full resolution copies.
  5. mxttkeep's avatar
    If you have access to the email that's associated with the iCloud that would be the best place to start.

    1.Reset your password - support.apple.com/en-…487
    2. Log in to iCloud - Select photos - then you can download ALL at once into a massive .zip file. It will take time depending on your internet speed but that's the best idea.
    steve765's avatar
    Author
    Seems to be a max size (GB). Says 1000 photos max but download failed when tried 1000 exactly. (edited)
  6. BadMF's avatar
    3uTools, did a backup recently of over 400GB. Took while even over USB3.0
    steve765's avatar
    Author
    Never used this. I see it’s file management.Will it allow me to download photos/videos then?

    Use as app on phone OR on PC ? (edited)
  7. BadMF's avatar
    3uTools so much easier. Literally select image folder, tell it where you want them copying too, click next and a progress bar pops up showing you how many files is remaining.

    Job done
    steve765's avatar
    Author
    Using 3utools now. Connected to my phone. Odd photo I can see properly but most of them have a cloud with downward arrow icon. When I click on them getting the message -
    This photo hasn’t been downloaded from the Apple Photo Server stream yet, it cannot be previewed or exported now. You are recommended to open it on your iDevice first and then you can download it.

    Any ideas how I can download photos pls??

    Opening a photo on my phone didn’t do anything. I’m also connected to iCloud photos.

    If I use the Files icon on the left hand side (3utools) I can navigate to photos but can only see approx 150 photos.
    Thanks (edited)
  8. aLV426's avatar
    Best way? Get someone to do it for you...
  9. sussexroyal's avatar
    There must be loads you could delete.
    steve765's avatar
    Author
    Photos of special times with dtr. Contact times. Very special. Am separated from the mother. Very special. So not as many as you would think. (edited)
  10. rofiquel's avatar
    Does your iTunes on your PC have the password saved?

    If so try, iFunBox
    steve765's avatar
    Author
    I rarely uses iTunes. Have a Windows PC not a mac.
  11. steve765's avatar
    Author
    Am trying this.

    Concerned about this but though.
    If you have iCloud Photos turned on, you need to download the original, full resolution versions of your photos to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch before you import to your PC.
    markoUK's avatar
    Those taken by the phone and on the Phones Hard Drive will be the full versions.
  12. Backinamo's avatar
    Tried to transfer a similar number of photos from iphone and icloud to external hard drive and failed. Will follow this for tips. Theoretically, it says you can drag and drop 1,000 photos at a time, this didn't work for me.
  13. steve765's avatar
    Author
    Not getting anywhere fast. Updated iTunes. Think this is going to take a while to sort.

    Maybe I should stop taking photos for the time being.
  14. Russ2626's avatar
    You should just be able to view all of the photos by connecting your iPhone to computer with USB and copy them to an external drive.

    Are you sure the rest of them are not in another folder? (use the standard file explorer to find them rather than trying to import using another program) (edited)
  15. steve765's avatar
    Author
    After updating iTunes managed to update my iCloud password. Can get into iCloud now on my pc

    Says I can only download 1000 at a time. Other user said it didn’t work for him though. Will try.

    Don’t want to get in this situation again.
    Think my phone is taking backups of backups (very likely).

    Not sure what best way to have things backing up. Any suggestions pls? (edited)
    Backinamo's avatar
    Let me know if you can drag and drop multiple photos. I failed. (thanks). I tried 1,000, it failed........slowly did less and less until i was drag and dropping about 5 photos a go. I quit. (edited)
  16. steve765's avatar
    Author
    Thanks all for your help. One step at a time. Going to try tackle again another day.
  17. TheBigLebolchski's avatar
    1) If you don't know your password, rest your password
    2) Download the official Apple iCloud for Windows
    3) Login to iCloud for Windows
    4) Copy/paste images to your external storage

    48356899-IQEiP.jpg (edited)
    Backinamo's avatar
    Wish it was that simple. They state you can copy and paste 1,000 at a time. Its only allows about 10 photos at a time when i tried to drag and drop to external hard drive.
  18. 43tr's avatar
    I don't have much to add as the others seem to know more about this then me but I recently did something similar with my Google photos. I had around 50k photos and had to use the Google takeout method. It was a major pain in the ass. Google duplicated every image but I'm glad I have my photos out of there
  19. madoka_ayukawa's avatar
    Makes my head hurts now just thinking about the same thing over my wife's 110,000 photos on her iPhone😵
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