Import with Image Capture
Your iPhone is full of photos, the scanner just finished, and you want the files on your Mac without a cloud round-trip or a cable dance. Image Capture — the quiet app in your Applications folder — pulls photos from cameras and phones and scans from scanners, straight to the folder you choose. This guide puts it to work for both jobs. For marking up the images after import, open them in Preview shapes.
TL;DR / Quick Fix
Quick fix: open Image Capture from Applications, connect your iPhone or camera, select the photos, and choose the destination folder before clicking Import. For scanners, pick the scanner in the sidebar and set the scan size. It is faster than cloud sync for big batches.
Follow these steps
- Open Image Capture. Find it in Applications or via Spotlight. It lists connected cameras, phones, and scanners in the sidebar — no account or setup needed.
- Connect your device. Plug in the iPhone or camera with a cable and unlock it, tapping Trust if asked. The thumbnails appear in the main window within seconds.
- Choose the destination first. At the bottom, set Import To to the folder you actually want — a project folder, not the default Pictures. Choosing now beats sorting later.
- Select and import. Select the photos you want (Command-A for all) and click Import, or Import All. Large batches go faster over cable than any cloud sync.
- Use it for scanning too. Select your scanner in the sidebar. Set the scan size, resolution, and format, preview once, then scan — the file lands wherever you pointed Import To.
- Delete after import — carefully. Image Capture can delete from the device after importing. Only enable that once you have verified the files opened correctly on the Mac.
What NOT to do
- Do not import everything to the default folder forever. Point Import To at the real destination and skip the monthly sorting session.
- Do not unplug mid-import. Interrupted transfers corrupt files — wait for the progress bar to finish.
- Do not enable delete-after-import on the first run. Verify the Mac copies open correctly before letting any app delete originals.
- Do not forget to unlock the iPhone. A locked phone shows nothing in Image Capture, which looks like a broken connection.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my iPhone not appear?
Unlock it, tap Trust This Computer if prompted, and try another cable. Charge-only cables are a common culprit.
Can Image Capture import videos too?
Yes — videos from the camera roll import the same way. They are large, so expect the transfer to take a while.
Is this better than AirDrop?
For a handful of files, AirDrop is faster. For hundreds of photos or full-card dumps, Image Capture over cable wins easily.