How to transfer photos to your phone or computer

Match two things: your camera’s memory card and the connector on the device receiving your photos.

1. Which memory card do you have?

Switch the camera off, remove the card gently and read its label. Choose a reader that explicitly supports the exact format, subtype and capacity.

SD / SDHC / SDXC: these share the full-size SD shape, but support differs. An SD-only reader cannot read SDHC or SDXC. Match the standard printed on your card to the reader’s specifications.

2GB standard SD example

SDHC / SDXC representative example

View our 2GB standard SD card · View SDHC/SDXC options. Match the camera’s supported standard and capacity before ordering.
microSD / microSDHC / microSDXC (often called TF): use a compatible microSD slot, or a suitable full-size SD adapter with a reader that supports the card’s standard. An adapter changes the size, not compatibility.

microSD example
Memory Stick: distinguish full-size Memory Stick and Memory Stick PRO from the smaller Memory Stick Duo and PRO Duo. A generic “MS” label does not confirm every variant. Duo cards may require a compatible adapter in a full-size slot; check the reader’s exact support.

Full-size Memory Stick PRO example

Smaller Memory Stick PRO Duo example

Examples shown for identification; not pictured to scale.
xD-Picture Card: needs an xD-compatible slot. Check support for the exact subtype and capacity printed on your card. It does not fit an SD slot.

xD-Picture Card example
CompactFlash (CF): needs a compatible CF reader. Check its supported CF type and capacity, and never force the card onto the reader’s pins.

Traditional CompactFlash. Identification illustration; not actual size.

2. Which connector does your device use?

Choose below. The device connector and the reader’s card slot must both match; one does not guarantee the other.

Lightning — iPhone or iPad

Choose a Lightning-compatible reader for an iPhone or iPad with a Lightning port. It will not plug into a USB-C device.

White Lightning SD and microSD card reader with attached cable, isolated on a transparent background — Lightning SD/microSD reader example. No dedicated xD, Memory Stick or CF slots.

View the Lightning SD/microSD reader — check card and device compatibility on the product page.

Insert the supported card into the reader, connect it to your Lightning port and unlock the iPhone or iPad.
Open Files → Browse. Under Locations, tap the card or reader name. If Locations is hidden, tap Browse again. Open DCIM, then the folder containing your pictures; folder names can vary.
Select the photos and tap Share → Save Image or Save Images if that option is offered for the file type. Otherwise copy them into a folder under On My iPhone/iPad in Files. Copying to Files does not automatically add them to Photos.
Open a few saved pictures to verify the transfer. Keep the originals until backed up, wait for copying to finish and disconnect the reader.

Alternative: if Photos recognizes the connected camera/card, open Photos → Import, select the pictures and import them. Which route works depends on the reader, card format and software version; not every generic reader supports both.

For xD, Memory Stick or CF, use a reader explicitly supporting that card and the device. A computer with a matching reader may be simpler. Lightning reader details.

USB-C — phone, tablet or computer

USB-C appears on newer iPhones and iPads, many Android devices and computers. The device must support the reader, its external storage and the card’s file system.

White USB-C card reader with SD and microSD slots and a USB-A port, isolated on a transparent background — USB-C SD/microSD reader example. Its USB-A socket is for compatible accessories; it is not an xD, Memory Stick or CF card slot.

View the USB-C SD/microSD reader — check card and device compatibility on the product page.

USB-C iPhone or iPad

Insert the supported card into the reader, connect it to your USB-C port and unlock the iPhone or iPad.
Open Files → Browse. Under Locations, tap the card or reader name. If Locations is hidden, tap Browse again. Open DCIM, then the folder containing your pictures; folder names can vary.
Select the photos and tap Share → Save Image or Save Images if that option is offered for the file type. Otherwise copy them into a folder under On My iPhone/iPad in Files. Copying to Files does not automatically add them to Photos.
Open a few saved pictures to verify the transfer. Keep the originals until backed up, wait for copying to finish and disconnect the reader.

Android with USB-C

On a supported device, connect the reader and open Files by Google or the file manager. Select USB storage, open the photo folder (often DCIM), and copy your pictures into device storage. Verify the copies and unmount where offered before disconnecting.

Computer with USB-C

Connect the compatible reader and copy the card’s photo folder with Finder or File Explorer, or use your photo-import app. Check the copied images, make a backup and eject before unplugging.

A USB-C SD reader does not read every vintage card. For xD, Memory Stick or CF, choose a matching reader. A USB-A reader needs a compatible USB-C-to-USB-A adapter and host support. USB-C reader details.

USB-A — computer

Use a USB-A reader with a compatible computer’s rectangular USB-A port. USB-A does not connect directly to a Lightning or USB-C phone.

6-in-1 memory card reader shown together with a close-up of its USB-A connector. — Reader body and its USB-A connection shown together. This is a multi-format reader, not a promise of universal compatibility.

View the 6-in-1 USB-A reader — check card and device compatibility on the product page.

Our 6-in-1 listing names SD/SDHC/SDXC, microSD/TF, xD-Picture Card, CompactFlash and Memory Stick. Its photo shows several marked slots. Exact Memory Stick variants, xD subtypes and capacity limits are not individually specified, so check your card before choosing it.

Insert a supported card into its matching slot. Never force the card.
Connect the reader. Open it in Windows File Explorer under This PC, or Mac Finder under Locations.
Copy the photo folder, often DCIM, into a new folder on the computer. Alternatively import with Photos. If asked to format the card, cancel; formatting can erase photos.
Open several copied photos, make a backup and eject the card before removing the reader.

Check the 6-in-1 reader’s details. A USB-C-only computer needs a separate compatible adapter.

Card missing from Files or Photos? Check reader and file-system compatibility first. Some setups need additional power through a supported powered adapter or hub; a plug that fits is not enough. Do not format the card to make it appear.

No matching card reader?

A compatible data cable can transfer photos directly from a camera that supports USB transfer. Turn it on and select its transfer mode when required. A charge-only cable cannot transfer files, and some cameras need their own software. Wireless transfer also depends on the exact camera and a compatible manufacturer app.

Not sure what your card is? Send us its label, your camera model and your receiving device model. Don’t format or delete the card while troubleshooting.

More help: read the full photo-transfer blog guide.

References: SD compatibility · Memory Stick formats · Apple import · Android USB storage.

microSD photo: Afrank99 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0, unmodified. Apple: external storage in Files.