Transferring videos from your iPhone to your Mac can seem like a simple task, but many users find themselves stuck when trying to move their precious memories or important footage. Whether you're running low on iPhone storage or want to edit your videos on a bigger screen, knowing the right ways to upload videos from iPhone to Mac is essential.

In this guide, I'll walk you through several methods to transfer your videos quickly and easily. From using Apple's built-in tools to third-party options, you'll find the solution that works best for your needs.

Using AirDrop to Transfer Videos

AirDrop is one of the quickest ways to wirelessly transfer videos from your iPhone to Mac, especially for smaller files.

Step-by-Step AirDrop Process

1. Make sure both your iPhone and Mac have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on
2. Open the Photos app on your iPhone
3. Select the video(s) you want to transfer
4. Tap the Share button (the square with an arrow pointing up)
5. Select AirDrop from the sharing options
6. Choose your Mac from the list of available devices
7. Accept the incoming transfer on your Mac

The videos will be saved to your Downloads folder by default, unless you've changed your AirDrop settings.

Pros and Cons of Using AirDrop

Pros	Cons
No cables needed	Can be slow for large videos
Built into Apple devices	Both devices must be close to each other
No internet connection required	Sometimes connection issues occur
Simple to use	Not ideal for transferring multiple large videos

Using iCloud Photos to Sync Videos

iCloud Photos automatically syncs your entire photo library across all your Apple devices, making it a hands-off option for transferring videos.

Setting Up iCloud Photos

On your iPhone:

1. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud
2. Tap Photos
3. Turn on "iCloud Photos"

On your Mac:

1. Open the Photos app
2. Go to Photos > Preferences (or Photos > Settings in newer macOS versions)
3. Click on the iCloud tab
4. Check "iCloud Photos"

Once enabled on both devices, your videos will automatically sync to your Mac. However, this process depends on your internet connection speed and available iCloud storage.

Managing iCloud Storage for Videos

Videos can quickly consume your iCloud storage. Here's how to manage it:

• Check your current storage: Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Manage Storage
• Consider upgrading your storage plan if needed
• Use "Optimize iPhone Storage" option to save space on your device

Using a USB Cable for Direct Transfer

The most reliable method for transferring large videos is using a direct USB connection.

Transferring with Photos App

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a Lightning to USB cable
2. Unlock your iPhone and trust the computer if prompted
3. Open the Photos app on your Mac
4. Your iPhone should appear in the sidebar under "Devices"
5. Select your iPhone
6. Choose the videos you want to import
7. Click "Import Selected" or "Import All New Items"

The selected videos will be imported to your Photos library on Mac.

Transferring with Image Capture

For more control over where your videos are saved:

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac via USB
2. Open Image Capture app (found in Applications folder)
3. Select your iPhone from the devices list
4. Choose the destination folder from the "Import To" dropdown menu
5. Select the videos you want to transfer
6. Click "Import" or "Import All"

Using Finder to Transfer Videos (macOS Catalina and Later)

If you're using macOS Catalina or newer, you can use Finder to manage your iPhone and transfer videos.

Step-by-Step Finder Transfer

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable
2. Open Finder
3. Look for your iPhone in the sidebar under "Locations"
4. Click on your iPhone
5. Select the "Movies" or "Photos" tab at the top
6. Choose the videos you want to transfer
7. Click "Import to" and select a destination folder
8. Click "Import"

Troubleshooting Finder Connection Issues

If your iPhone doesn't appear in Finder:

• Make sure your iPhone is unlocked
• Check if you've trusted the computer on your iPhone
• Try a different USB port or cable
• Restart both your iPhone and Mac
• Update both devices to the latest software

Using Third-Party Apps for Video Transfer

Several third-party apps can help transfer videos from iPhone to Mac, often with additional features.

Popular Video Transfer Apps

1. Documents by Readdle

This file manager app allows for easy Wi-Fi transfers.

1. Download Documents on your iPhone
2. Open the app and tap on the computer icon at the bottom
3. Follow instructions to connect to your Mac's web browser
4. Upload videos through the browser interface

2. Google Drive or Dropbox

Cloud storage services work well for video transfers:

1. Install the app on your iPhone
2. Upload videos from your iPhone to the cloud service
3. Access the cloud service on your Mac and download the videos

3. AnyTrans

A comprehensive iPhone manager:

1. Install AnyTrans on your Mac
2. Connect your iPhone via USB
3. Use the video transfer feature to select and move videos

Comparison of Third-Party Transfer Methods

Method	Speed	Ease of Use	Cost	Additional Features
Documents by Readdle	Medium	Easy	Free	File management, PDF reader
Google Drive/Dropbox	Depends on internet	Easy	Free with paid options	Cloud backup, sharing
AnyTrans	Fast	Medium	Paid with trial	Complete device management

Using Email or Messaging Apps for Small Videos

For quick transfers of small video clips, email or messaging apps can be convenient.

Email Method

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone
2. Select the video you want to send
3. Tap the share icon
4. Choose Mail
5. Enter your own email address
6. Send the email
7. Open the email on your Mac and download the video

Note that most email services have attachment size limits (typically 25MB).

Using Messages App

1. Open the Photos app on your iPhone
2. Select your video
3. Tap the share icon
4. Choose Messages
5. Send the video to yourself (using your Apple ID email)
6. Open Messages on your Mac
7. Right-click on the video and select "Save"

Transferring Videos Using iTunes (for older macOS)

If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, iTunes is still your go-to for iPhone management.

iTunes Transfer Process

1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable
2. Open iTunes
3. Click on the device icon that appears in the top left
4. Select "Photos" from the sidebar
5. Check "Sync Photos"
6. Choose "Selected albums" and include the albums with your videos
7. Click "Apply" or "Sync" in the bottom right

iTunes Alternatives for Video Transfer

If you find iTunes cumbersome, consider these alternatives:

• iMazing: Offers more control over file transfers
• SyncMate: Syncs data between Mac and various devices
• Waltr: Designed specifically for media transfers

Using iCloud Drive for Video Transfer

iCloud Drive provides another way to transfer videos without physical connections.

Setting Up and Using iCloud Drive

1. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Drive and turn it on
2. Open the Files app on your iPhone
3. Navigate to iCloud Drive
4. Create a new folder for your videos if desired
5. Tap the "..." menu and select "Import"
6. Choose the videos from your Photos app
7. On your Mac, open Finder and select iCloud Drive from the sidebar
8. Find your videos in the same folder and copy them to your Mac

Dealing with Large Video Files

High-resolution videos from newer iPhones can be very large, creating transfer challenges.

Compressing Videos Before Transfer

To reduce file size:

1. Use a video compression app like Video Compress on iPhone
2. Adjust quality settings to balance size and quality
3. Save the compressed version
4. Transfer the smaller file to your Mac

Breaking Up Large Transfers

For extensive video collections:

• Transfer videos in smaller batches
• Use a direct USB connection for the fastest speeds
• Consider external storage solutions for temporary holding

Organizing Videos After Transfer

Once your videos are on your Mac, organizing them helps you find and use them easily.

Creating a Logical Folder Structure

Consider organizing by:

• Date (Year/Month)
• Event (Birthday, Vacation, etc.)
• Project (Family Videos, Work, Creative)

Using Mac Tools for Video Management

Take advantage of macOS features:

• Use Smart Folders in Finder to automatically organize videos
• Add tags to videos for easy searching
• Use Quick Look (press Space bar) to preview videos without opening them
• Create Albums in Photos app to organize imported videos

Troubleshooting Common Transfer Issues

Video transfers don't always go smoothly. Here's how to fix common problems:

When Videos Won't Transfer

• Check your connection (cable or wireless)
• Restart both devices
• Make sure your iPhone is unlocked during transfer
• Check for software updates on both devices
• Try a different transfer method

Dealing with Interrupted Transfers

If your transfer stops midway:

• Check for low battery issues
• Make sure your Mac doesn't go to sleep during transfer
• Try transferring fewer videos at once
• Use a direct connection instead of wireless methods

Backing Up Your Videos

After transferring videos to your Mac, it's wise to back them up.

Mac Backup Options

• Time Machine: Set up an external drive for automatic backups
• Cloud storage: Upload important videos to services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox
• External hard drives: Manually copy your video collection to external storage
• NAS (Network Attached Storage): Create a home media server for your videos

Creating a Backup Schedule

Protect your memories with a consistent backup plan:

• Daily: Automatic backups of new content
• Weekly: Check that backups are working properly
• Monthly: Consider moving older videos to archival storage

Quick Tip to ensure your videos never go missing

Videos are precious memories and all of us never want to lose them to hard disk crashes or missing drives. PicBackMan is the easiest and simplest way to keep your videos safely backed up in one or more online accounts. 

Simply download PicBackMan (it's free!), register your account, connect to your online store and tell PicBackMan where your videos are - PicBackMan does the rest, automatically. It bulk uploads all videos and keeps looking for new ones and uploads those too. You don't have to ever touch it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won't my iPhone videos transfer to my Mac?

This could be due to several reasons: a faulty cable connection, your iPhone being locked during transfer, software compatibility issues, or insufficient storage on your Mac. Try using a different cable, make sure your iPhone stays unlocked during transfer, update both devices to the latest software, and check your Mac's available storage.

How can I transfer videos from iPhone to Mac without losing quality?

To maintain original video quality, use a direct USB connection with either the Photos app, Image Capture, or Finder (depending on your macOS version). Avoid using methods that automatically compress videos, like some email or messaging services. When using iCloud, make sure "Download Originals" is selected in your Photos settings on Mac.

What's the fastest way to transfer large videos from iPhone to Mac?

A direct USB connection using a Lightning to USB cable is typically the fastest method, especially for large videos. Using a USB 3.0 port on newer Macs with a compatible cable can significantly increase transfer speeds. For multiple large videos, avoid wireless methods like AirDrop which can be slower for big files.

Do I need to install any software to transfer videos from iPhone to Mac?

No, you don't need additional software as macOS comes with built-in tools like Photos, Image Capture, and Finder that can handle video transfers. However, third-party apps can offer extra features or more control over the transfer process if you need those capabilities.

Will transferring videos from iPhone to Mac delete them from my iPhone?

No, standard transfer methods copy videos to your Mac without removing them from your iPhone. If you want to delete videos from your iPhone after transfer to free up space, you'll need to do this as a separate step. Some apps offer an option to delete after transfer, but this is typically opt-in rather than automatic.

Conclusion

Transferring videos from your iPhone to your Mac doesn't have to be complicated. Whether you prefer the simplicity of AirDrop, the convenience of cloud services, or the reliability of a direct USB connection, there's a method that fits your needs.

By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily move your videos to your Mac for editing, storage, or simply to free up space on your iPhone. Remember to organize your videos after transfer and create backups to ensure your memories are safe for years to come.

The best method depends on your specific situation—the number and size of videos, your available internet connection, and how quickly you need the transfer to complete. Try different approaches to find what works best for your workflow.