---
title: Back Up Photos from iPhone
sidebarTitle: Back Up Photos
---

Spacedrive provides automatic photo backup from your iPhone to any Mac, PC, or NAS you own. Your photos transfer directly between devices using encrypted peer-to-peer connections, keeping them private and under your control.

This guide covers setting up photo backup, configuring automatic transfers, and managing your photo library across devices.

## Requirements

Before starting, ensure you have:

- iPhone running iOS 16 or later
- Mac, Windows PC, or Linux machine as backup destination
- Both devices on the same WiFi network (for initial setup)
- Spacedrive installed on both devices
- Sufficient storage space on destination device

<Note>
Photo backup works completely offline after initial pairing. No internet connection required for transfers.
</Note>

## Install Spacedrive on iPhone

<Steps>
<Step title="Download from App Store">
Search for "Spacedrive" on the App Store or visit [spacedrive.com/ios](https://spacedrive.com/ios) for a direct link.
</Step>
<Step title="Open the App">
Launch Spacedrive and grant necessary permissions:
- **Photos access** to read your photo library
- **Local network** to find and connect to your devices
- **Notifications** for backup status updates (optional)
</Step>
<Step title="Create Mobile Library">
Follow the setup wizard to create your library. Choose "Mobile Library" when prompted for library type.
</Step>
</Steps>

<Warning>
Without photo access permission, Spacedrive cannot back up your photos. iOS requires explicit permission for privacy protection.
</Warning>

## Set Up Your Backup Destination

Configure the computer where photos will be stored:

<Steps>
<Step title="Open Spacedrive Desktop">
Launch Spacedrive on your Mac, Windows, or Linux machine. Ensure the daemon is running (check status bar).
</Step>
<Step title="Create Backup Location">
Navigate to Settings → Locations and add a folder for photo backups. Name it clearly like "iPhone Photos" or "Mobile Backup".
</Step>
<Step title="Enable Network Discovery">
In Settings → Network, ensure "Device Discovery" is enabled. This allows your iPhone to find this computer.
</Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>
Create a dedicated folder structure like `/Photos/iPhone/[Year]` for better organization.
</Tip>

## Pair Your Devices

Connect your iPhone and computer for secure transfers:

<Steps>
<Step title="Start Pairing on iPhone">
In Spacedrive iOS, tap the devices icon and select "Add Device". Your phone begins scanning for nearby Spacedrive instances.
</Step>
<Step title="Select Your Computer">
Choose your computer from the discovered devices list. If not visible, ensure both devices are on the same network.
</Step>
<Step title="Verify Security Code">
Confirm the 6-digit code matches on both devices. This ensures you're connecting to the right computer.
</Step>
<Step title="Name the Connection">
Give this pairing a friendly name like "John's MacBook" for easy identification.
</Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
Pairing uses end-to-end encryption. Even on the same network, your photos remain private during transfer.
</Info>

## Configure Backup Settings

Customize how and when photos back up:

<Steps>
<Step title="Open Backup Settings">
On iPhone, go to Settings → Photo Backup. Toggle "Enable Photo Backup" to on.
</Step>
<Step title="Choose Backup Destination">
Select your paired computer and choose the specific folder created earlier.
</Step>
<Step title="Set Transfer Conditions">
Configure when backups occur:
- **WiFi Only**: Prevents cellular data usage (recommended)
- **While Charging**: Runs backups only when plugged in
- **Background Backup**: Allows transfers when app is closed
</Step>
<Step title="Select Photo Types">
Choose what to back up:
- Photos (HEIC/JPEG)
- Videos
- Live Photos
- RAW files (if shooting ProRAW)
</Step>
</Steps>

## Start Your First Backup

<Steps>
<Step title="Initiate Backup">
Tap "Start Backup Now" for immediate transfer or wait for automatic backup based on your conditions.
</Step>
<Step title="Monitor Progress">
View real-time progress showing:
- Photos queued
- Transfer speed
- Estimated time remaining
- Individual file status
</Step>
<Step title="Keep App Active">
For initial backup, keep Spacedrive open. Subsequent backups run in background.
</Step>
</Steps>

<Note>
First backup may take hours depending on library size. A 10,000 photo library typically transfers in 2-4 hours on WiFi.
</Note>

## Manage Ongoing Backups

Spacedrive handles incremental backups intelligently:

### Automatic Detection
The app identifies new photos since last backup. Only new items transfer, saving time and bandwidth.

### Duplicate Prevention  
Content-based deduplication ensures the same photo never backs up twice, even if edited or renamed.

### Conflict Resolution
If you organize photos on computer, Spacedrive preserves both versions without overwriting.

### Storage Management
Monitor backup status and storage usage:

```
Settings → Photo Backup → Storage

Backed up: 15,234 photos
Storage used: 45.2 GB  
Last backup: 2 hours ago
Next backup: When charging
```

## Advanced Configuration

### Multiple Backup Destinations

Back up to multiple computers for redundancy:

<Steps>
<Step title="Pair Additional Devices">
Repeat pairing process with other computers or NAS devices.
</Step>
<Step title="Configure Destinations">
In Photo Backup settings, enable multiple destinations and set priorities.
</Step>
<Step title="Choose Sync Strategy">
Select between:
- **Mirror**: Same photos on all destinations
- **Distribute**: Split photos across devices
- **Archive**: Move older photos to specific devices
</Step>
</Steps>

### Network Optimization

Improve transfer speeds:

- **5GHz WiFi**: Use 5GHz networks when available for faster speeds
- **Direct Connection**: Create device-to-device network for maximum speed
- **Quality Settings**: Adjust compression for faster transfers (preserves originals)

<Tip>
For fastest initial backup, connect devices to ethernet on same network switch.
</Tip>

### Backup Rules

Create smart backup rules:

```
Only backup:
- Photos from last 30 days
- Favorites marked in Photos app  
- Photos with faces detected
- Media larger than 1MB
```

## Troubleshooting

### iPhone can't find computer
- Verify both devices on same WiFi network
- Disable VPNs temporarily
- Check firewall allows Spacedrive
- Restart both devices

### Backup seems stuck
- Check available storage on destination
- Verify WiFi connection stable
- Force quit and reopen app
- Check job manager for errors

### Photos missing after backup
- Confirm backup completed (check status)
- Verify correct destination folder
- Check if filters excluded some photos
- Look in Spacedrive's trash for accidents

### Battery draining quickly
- Enable "While Charging Only" option
- Reduce backup frequency
- Lower transfer quality setting
- Disable background backup

## Best Practices

**Regular Backups**: Enable automatic daily backups while charging overnight.

**Verify Backups**: Periodically check destination folder to confirm photos transferred correctly.

**Organize Early**: Set up folder structure before accumulating thousands of photos.

**Monitor Storage**: Keep 20% free space on destination for smooth operations.

**Test Recovery**: Occasionally verify you can access backed-up photos from another device.

<Warning>
Photo backup is not a sync service. Deleting photos from iPhone doesn't remove backups. Manage storage separately on each device.
</Warning>

## Next Steps

With photo backup configured, explore these features:

- **[Manage Your Libraries](/guides/manage-libraries)** - Organize across devices
- **[Add and Index Locations](/guides/add-index-locations)** - Include existing photos
- **[Search and Tag Photos](/guides/search-tag)** - Organize your collection

Your photos now back up automatically and securely to devices you control. No subscriptions, no privacy concerns, just your memories safely preserved.