How Do I Download Pictures from My Cell Phone

Being able to snap beautiful photos with your cell phone provides would prove to be fairly useless if you weren't able to download those phones to your computer. The way in which the download occurs depends on the type of provider you use. Some providers ask that you 'upload' your photos to an online gallery, from which you may then download the photos to your computer. Other providers simply require that you connect your phone to your computer via USB, after which you merely drag and drop the photos from your phone's folders to your computer's folders.

iPhones

Transferring files from an iPhone to your computer requires simply connecting one to the other and then following a few directions, depending on your operating system of choice.

iPhone to Mac

1. Plug your iPhone into your MAC using the included USB cable.
2. Wait for the iPhone application on your Mac to launch the "Import" window on your Macintosh.
3. Individually select photos and click "Import Selected" or click the "Import All" option.

iPhone to Windows 7 PC

1. Plug your iPhone into your Windows 7 PC using the included USB cable.
2. Wait for the "AutoPlay" window to appear and then click "Import pictures and videos".
3. Click "Import Settings" and use the "Browse" button to choose an import folder.
4. Click "OK" and then click "Import."

Windows Mobile Phones

Importing photos from a Windows Mobile device requires only that you have Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 installed on your PC.

1. Plug your Windows Mobile phone into your PC using the included USB cable.
2. Start the Windows Mobile Device Center on your PC.
3. Click the "Pictures, Music and Video" option.
4. Click the "Import" button.

Android Smartphones

Smartphones also allow you to simply transfer files via a cable. The difference is that you must first set up the connection on your phone.

1. Connect your Android smartphone to your PC using the included USB cable.
2. Wait for a USB icon to appear in the "Notification" area of your Android phone.
3. Drag the "Notification" bar down and then tap it.
4. Tap the "USB Connected" option and then "Mount".
5. Open "My Computer" on your PC or "Finder" on your Mac.
6. Double-click the "Removable Disk" option to open your phone.
7. Open the "DCIM" and "Camera" folders, and then drag and drop the photos onto your PC.

Non-Smartphones

Non-smartphones typically feature an integrated application for handling picture transfers. For instance, Verizon Wireless hosts an online picture gallery known as VZWPix for its non-smartphone users. You may upload photos directly to the gallery for free and then download them to your phone.

If you are using VZWPix, the steps are:

1. Bring up the "My Pictures" menu from your phone.
2. Select the picture you would like to transfer.
3. Click to "Send" it and then select the "To Online Album" option.
4. Transmit the photo and then log into VZWPix to retrieve it.

If you don't use Verizon, you'll need to contact your provider for specific instructions on how to access and use their proprietary download application.

Phones With Removable Memory Cards

Numerous modern phones contain removable memory cards. These include Secure Digital (SD) cards, miniSD cards, microSD cards, memory sticks and many more. if you have a compatible memory reader on your computer, you can easily download your photos by just following the steps below. Keep in mind these steps apply to both smartphones and non-smartphones.

1. Remove the memory card from your phone and plug it into your computer's memory card reader.
2. Open "My Computer" on your PC or "Finder" on your Mac.
3. Double-click the "Removable Disk" option to open your phone.
4. Locate your photos and then drag and drop them onto your computer.

Alternative Paid Method

The last method entails simply emailing the photo or photos to your email address. The problem with this method is that your provider may charge you for the data transfer. However, this option is available for every single phone with texting or email capabilities. Simply text or email the photo directly to your address.

Staying Abreast of the Curve

There is some good news and bad news. The good news is that downloading photos from a phone to a computer is becoming easier every year, what with the fast pace of technological advancements. The bad news is that you'll need to stay abreast of these changes, especially if you intend to carry the latest cell phone with you. Keep mind that the best place to find the answer to this question is and will ultimately always be your provider.