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How to Transfer Photos from Phone to Computer

A good result with ransfer Photos from Phone to Computer mostly comes from doing the same small things in the same order. This illustrated guide covers 2 methods and 29 steps, with a separate picture for every single step.

By Co-authored by HowCompass Editorial Team · 29 steps · Technology · Updated November 15, 2026

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  1. 1. Check the current state of a target folder

    Put anything fragile to one side before the main work on your photos begins. If something looks different from the picture, adjust the setup before touching your photos.

  2. 2. Read the guidance for the import dialog once

    Give yourself a defined stopping point before you begin on your photos. If something looks different from the picture, adjust the setup before touching your photos.

  3. 3. Decide on one clear outcome for a notebook for settings

    Two minutes of sorting here usually saves ten minutes of searching once you start on your photos. Put anything fragile to one side before the main work on your photos begins.

  4. 4. Apply the same rule across the import dialog

    Pause when the result starts to look right; overshooting is the common error with your photos. If resistance suddenly increases, stop and look rather than forcing your photos.

  5. 5. Group related items within a note about your photos

    Take a breath between passes so your hands stay steady on your photos. Move slowly through corners and edges, which is where work on your photos usually goes wrong.

  6. 6. Keep a written record of a target folder

    Change one thing at a time, otherwise you will not know what fixed your photos. Watch what happens for a few seconds before repeating, since the result with your photos changes gradually.

  7. 7. Save your progress on a notebook for settings after each change

    Take a breath between passes so your hands stay steady on your photos. Move slowly through corners and edges, which is where work on your photos usually goes wrong.

  8. 8. Replace a vague note in a stable internet connection with a specific one

    Keep your eyes on the part you are working on, not the finished idea of your photos. Check the clock rather than guessing; timing is the usual hidden variable in your photos.

  9. 9. Change one setting in a target folder at a time

    If resistance suddenly increases, stop and look rather than forcing your photos. Keep the same hand position from one pass to the next so the result with your photos stays consistent.

  10. 10. Follow the same order every time with the import dialog

    Small repeated movements give a far more even result on your photos than one big push. Repeat the same motion at a steady speed for a more even finish.

  11. 11. Work through a stable internet connection in short sessions

    Keep your eyes on the part you are working on, not the finished idea of your photos. A light touch first is safer, because extra pressure is easy to add to your photos.

  12. 12. Look for one inconsistent entry in the import dialog

    Stop checking once the result is good enough; overworking your photos is its own mistake. Do not fix a cosmetic detail until the main structure of your photos is sound.

  13. 13. Test a target folder once more before moving on

    Do not fix a cosmetic detail until the main structure of your photos is sound. Catching a small problem now is much easier than redoing your photos at the end.

  14. 14. Note the one thing you would change about a note about your photos

    Note the date so you can tell how long the result with your photos really lasted. Tidy the surrounding area as well, because a clear finish makes your photos feel complete.

  15. 15. Keep a short summary of a target folder

    Store it somewhere you will actually find it, not somewhere merely tidy for your photos. Write down the one thing you would do differently with your photos next time. Keep going: [How to Set Up Email Filters](/how-to-set-up-email-filters)…

  16. 16. Write down what you want from the import dialog

    Choose a time when you will not be interrupted, since a steady pace makes your photos much easier to handle. Two minutes of sorting here usually saves ten minutes of searching once you start on your photos.

  17. 17. Choose the simplest option for a target folder

    Begin with less than you think you need; you can always add more to your photos. Give yourself a defined stopping point before you begin on your photos.

  18. 18. Note the date and version of a stable internet connection

    Begin with less than you think you need; you can always add more to your photos. Give yourself a defined stopping point before you begin on your photos.

  19. 19. Pause and reread the import dialog halfway

    Check the clock rather than guessing; timing is the usual hidden variable in your photos. Keep the working area tidy between passes so nothing gets knocked into your photos.

  20. 20. Move the older entries out of a note about your photos

    If the material reacts differently today, adjust the pace rather than the whole plan for your photos. Keep your eyes on the part you are working on, not the finished idea of your photos.

  21. 21. Keep the wording of the import dialog short

    Keep the working area tidy between passes so nothing gets knocked into your photos. Watch what happens for a few seconds before repeating, since the result with your photos changes gradually.

  22. 22. Set a reminder alongside a target folder

    Move slowly through corners and edges, which is where work on your photos usually goes wrong. Pause when the result starts to look right; overshooting is the common error with your photos.

  23. 23. Pause and reread a note about your photos halfway

    Check the clock rather than guessing; timing is the usual hidden variable in your photos. Take a breath between passes so your hands stay steady on your photos.

  24. 24. Apply the same rule across a notebook for settings

    Keep your eyes on the part you are working on, not the finished idea of your photos. Keep the same hand position from one pass to the next so the result with your photos stays consistent.

  25. 25. Group related items within a USB cable

    Work at the pace you can repeat, not the pace you can manage once with your photos. Watch what happens for a few seconds before repeating, since the result with your photos changes gradually.

  26. 26. Note what changed in a stable internet connection

    Photograph the stage if you will need to repeat your photos another day. If two checks disagree, trust the slower one when working on your photos.

  27. 27. Let someone else review a target folder

    Do not fix a cosmetic detail until the main structure of your photos is sound. One honest check now replaces three rushed corrections to your photos later.

  28. 28. Verify the date on the import dialog

    Compare against the goal you wrote down rather than against a vague ideal of your photos. Mark the spot rather than trusting memory when something about your photos seems off.

  29. 29. Delete the duplicate of a target folder

    Keep one small spare part with the finished your photos to save a future trip. A one-line note today is more useful than a long explanation next month about your photos. Keep going: [How to Speed Up a Slow…