How to AirDrop Photos Between iPhone, iPad, and Mac Easily

Clara Prescott Published on November 11, 2025Transfer Data3-min reading

Have you ever tried sharing pictures and wondered how to AirDrop photos without losing quality or speed? This guide walks you through sending images between Apple devices, finding where AirDropped photos are saved, handling large transfers efficiently, and fixing common issues. Plus, you will discover a faster, more stable alternative for moving thousands of photos securely between your iPhone, iPad, and computer.

In this article:

Part 1. How to AirDrop Photos
Part 2. Where Do Airdropped Photos Go?
Part 3. How Many Photos Can You AirDrop at Once?
Part 4. Most Stable & Fastest Way to Transfer Plenty of Photos
Part 5. How to Fix AirDrop Photos Not Showing Up

Part 1. How to AirDrop Photos

1. From iPhone/iPad to Any Apple Device

AirDropping images among Apple gadgets is one of the quickest and simplest methods to transmit quality images.

Step 1

Access the Control Center by swiping down from the top right corner of your iPhone or iPad. Activate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. For AirDropping, click the AirDrop button and choose either Contacts Only or Everyone to make your device discoverable.

Step 2

Select the Photos app and pick the picture or pictures to transfer. For multiple selections, tap and hold one of them and tap the rest to add.

Step 3

Select the Share button located on the bottom left of the screen.

Step 4

Select the AirDrop option from your sharing selections. You will see other Apple devices with AirDrop enabled that are nearby. Choose the one you want to receive the pictures.

Step 5

On the other device that is receiving the pictures, click Accept when asked. The images will transfer instantly and automatically save to the receiving Photos app.

2. From Mac to iPhone/iPad

If you want to send photos from a Mac to your iPhone or iPad, and those photos are stored on the Mac, here is what you need to do.

Step 1

Switch on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth by selecting their buttons on the upper right menu. Then go to Finder and select AirDrop. AirDrop has a feature where you can select your visibility settings. Choose between Contacts Only or Everyone at the bottom of the AirDrop window.

Step 2

In Finder or Photos on your Mac, select the photos you wish to send. You may select multiple photos at once by holding the Command (⌘) key.

Step 3

Choose one of the photos and right-click, or select the Share button at the top of the window, and click AirDrop. Choose the desired iPhone or iPad from the available devices.

Step 4

Your iPhone or iPad will show a pop-up. Choose Accept, and your photos will instantly save to the Photos app.

Part 2. Where Do Airdropped Photos Go?

After photos have been sent or received through AirDrop, it is important to know where the photos are kept. Each Apple device automatically saves received AirDropped photos in a specific location.

Device	Default Save Location	How to Access
iPhone / iPad	Photos app > Recents album	Open the Photos app, then go to the Recents album to find all AirDropped pictures automatically added to your gallery.
Mac	Finder > Downloads folder	Open Finder, select Downloads from the sidebar, and your AirDropped photos will appear in chronological order by the time received.

Part 3. How Many Photos Can You AirDrop at Once?

Apple has not enforced a maximum number of photos you can AirDrop in one batch. A good number of users, however, have great experiences sending smaller batches of photos. People with larger batches have reported interruptions, slow transfers, or not completing the transfer.

Stability and speed can be compromised when trying to transfer over a hundred photos.
Users have a range of experiences with the AirDrop limits, with some having problematic transfers when streaming more than 50–70 photos or videos, and others sending several hundred with no problems. Using AirDrop on Mac can sometimes provide a more stable connection for larger transfers.
The total file size and quality of the Wi-Fi, the distance from the devices, the receiver’s device specs (CPU/RAM, storage), and other open apps can all contribute to problematic transfers.

Part 4. Most Stable & Fastest Way to Transfer Plenty of Photos

Stability and speed of transfer become essential when sending a large number of photos. With frequent advanced options, imyPass iPhone Transfer allows users to send large, uninterrupted, organized collections of photos to and from iPhones, computers, and iTunes wired.

imyPass iPhone Transfer

4,000,000+ Downloads

Transfer thousands of photos between iPhone and computer at once without lag.

Preserve original photo quality and format with no detail lost.

Create, delete, and organize albums directly on your computer.

Automatically convert HEIC images to JPG or PNG for easy viewing.

Transfer photos both ways without overwriting existing data.

Free Download Free Download

Step 1

Download and Install the Tool

Get imyPass from the official website and install it quickly.

Step 2

Connecting the iPhone to the Computer

Open imyPass iPhone Transfer. After this, use a USB cable to attach your iPhone. The software will then recognize your device automatically.

Step 3

Choose the Photos Section

Click on the Photos section on your scanner app. It will fetch your iPhone and create a list of all your photo albums. This includes your Camera Roll, Favorites, and other albums you created.

Step 4

Select Photos to Transfer

Review the albums and mark the photos for transfer. Simply tap the Check All button to transfer all the photos at once, or you can even decide to choose a few photos manually.

Step 5

Start the Transfer

Click Export to PC to add the photos to your computer or Import to Device to add photos on your computer to your iPhone to begin the transfer. It will start immediately, and you will see a progress bar on your screen that will show you how much of the transfer is completed.

Part 5. How to Fix AirDrop Photos Not Showing Up

If the photos you AirDrop do not show on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, the most common reasons are connection issues, misconfigured settings, or a lack of storage. Here are some of the best ways to fix system problems and transfer photos from iPhone to computer so you can access them safely.

1. Check the Photos App: Look for the photos you AirDropped in the Recents album since AirDropped photos are automatically saved there.
2. Restart Both Devices: A simple restart will usually fix a temporary system issue. This will also refresh the system connections.
3. Verify Storage Space: Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage and free up space if your device is nearly full.

4. Toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Turn both off and back on to re-establish a stable connection.
5. Update iOS or macOS: Install the latest software version to avoid compatibility issues.
6. Reset Network Settings: Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings to restore default connectivity settings.

Conclusion

Sharing memories across Apple devices becomes effortless once you understand how AirDropped photos work. From sending and locating them to fixing common issues, mastering these basics ensures a smooth transfer every time. With the right tools and methods, you can keep your photo-sharing experience fast, organized, and trouble-free.

Clara Prescott

Clara is an editor from imyPass. She specializes in data recovery. You can find professional tutorials and solutions for recovering lost data from any device. Many users reported that his tutorial is easy and useful.