# PhotoBackup - Backup photos and videos via rsync > Wireless iOS photo and video backup to Mac/Linux via rsync. (iPhone/iPad app by Acrosync LLC.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photobackup-backup-photos-and-videos-via-rsync/id945026388 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Acrosync LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/428846552) - Category: Photo & Video, Utilities - Price: Free - Rating: 4.10/5 from 21 App Store ratings · 39 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.1 · 3 MB - Languages: American English, Chinese (Simplified, China) - Released: 2015-01-14 - Data updated: 2026-06-11 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photobackup-backup-photos-and-videos-via-rsync/id945026388/reviews.md ## What is PhotoBackup? With PhotoBackup, you can easily upload and backup all your photos and videos on your iOS devices to your own computers that run Mac OS X or Linux, without the need to plug iPhone/iPad into the computers via USB, and without the need to install additional software on the computers. PhotoBackup is very easy to use. You just need to select the computer from a list of available computers (alternatively you can enter directly the host name of the IP address of the computer), type in the username and password for logging into the computer , and then select the folder to backup to using a built-in remote folder browser. Once it is configured, all you need to do is to tap the green button to start the backup. On subsequent backups, only new photos and videos since last backup will be uploaded. There is no need to hand pick photos or videos one by one. PhotoBackup will backup everything in the Camera Roll, which includes those taken by the camera, those imported from a SD card, and those saved by other apps. This ensures that every photo and video will get backed up. Under the hood, PhotoBackup uses the rsync protocol to upload photos and videos. The rsync protocol is fast, efficient, and smart enough to skip photos and videos that exist on the computer. Unlike other popular file transfer protocols like ftp or sftp, the rsync protocol is to only one that verifies every transferred file with a checksum, thus file corruption can never happen. PhotoBackup also provides several very useful options for advanced users: • Select any number of photos and videos to backup instead of all photos and videos • Backup the current, rendered version if the photos have been edited. By default, PhotoBackup will always upload the original, highest quality version (for instance, RAW files if they are imported). If you like to edit photos on your iOS devices, this option should be turned on. • By default PhotoBackup skips photos and videos that have been uploaded before. So if some photos and videos are deleted on the computer, PhotoBackup will not attempt to upload them again. If you never delete photos or videos backed up to the computer, you may disable this option. • Create Time Machine style snapshots. With this option on, for every backup PhotoBackup will create an incremental snapshot on the computer that shares the same copies of old photos and videos existing in previous snapshots. Only new photos and videos will take up space. • How to connect to the computer. The default is rsync over ssh, but PhotoBackup can also connect to an rsync daemon directly. The port number is configurable as well. Public key authentication for ssh login is also supported. PhotoBackup works with most Mac or Linux computers, or Network Attached Storage devices like those made by QNAP and Synology. There is no need to install special software on these computers. For Mac computers, ‘Remote Login’ must be turned on. If it is not on already, simply open ‘System Preferences’, and then choose the ‘Sharing’ preferences, and you will see the option for ‘Remote Login’. For PhotoBackup to work with Windows computers, installing cygwin is recommended. The two required cygwin packages are openssh and rsync. PhotoBackup also officially supports online storage providers such as HiDrive, rsync.net, and Strongspace. The rsync client library used by PhotoBackup was built from scratch and recently released as an open-source project. ## Key features - Wireless backup to Mac/Linux - No computer software needed - rsync protocol for efficient transfers - Backup entire Camera Roll - Selective backup options - Time Machine style snapshots ## Recent user reviews (10 of 39) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photobackup-backup-photos-and-videos-via-rsync/id945026388/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Like, but it needs a security update *2025-03-05, version 1.8* I like this app, but it’s impossible to connect to most servers without reconfiguring them because they won’t accept the old protocol/kex which this app uses. Update please? ### 1/5 — Veraltet *2024-11-26, version 1.8* Die App ist veraltet und unterstützt keine aktuellen Verschlüsselungsmethoden. Eine Verbindung mit aktuellen SSH-Servern schlägt daher fehl. Es sei denn, man weicht die Sicherheit am Server auf. ### 4/5 — Worked well for years *2024-10-02, version 1.8* This does exactly what I need and nothing more. Sync raw uncompressed photos to a NAS or Unix like server. Recently after my latest Linux upgrades, this app stopped working. Found how to edit the sshd_config and allow older algorithms. This should keep it going for many more years. KexAlgorithms +diffie-hellman-group1-sha1,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1 HostkeyAlgorithms +ssh-dss,ssh-rsa ### 5/5 — Schnell und einfach *2023-12-09, version 1.8* Die 2023 geladene Version ist Jahre alt, funktioniert aber auf Anhieb schnell und prima. Getestet mit rsync über ssh auf Linux. 5 Sterne, sowas habe ich lange gesucht und nun gefunden ### 5/5 — Useful!!! *2023-11-26, version 1.8* Dear Creator, First of all, I would like to thank you for the PhotoBackup app for iOS. It is a simple yet highly useful solution that I appreciate. However, I’ve encountered an issue when trying to back up a large number of files. The app consistently closes itself, and I notice a ‘photobackup.partial’ file on the server. The same result occurs when using SSH or Rsync. How can I assist you in identifying and resolving this bug? ### 1/5 — Almost perfect but an issue makes it unusable *2023-11-20, version 1.8* This app only support the key exchange algorithms diffie-hellman-group14-sha1,diffie-hellman-group-exchange-sha1,diffie-hellman-group1-sha1. These are weak and no longer supported by almost all SFTP servers, so this app can no longer backup files. If this gets fixed it would 5 stars from me. Fingers crossed for the future! ### 2/5 — Not up to date *2022-10-07, version 1.8* Won’t connect to my distribution’s sshd. Complains that it can’t exchange keys. This is because it uses outdated diffie-helman-xxxx-sha1 while more recent distros enforce xxxx-sha256 for security. I couldn’t make my sshd accept the kex that this program offers so unfortunately I won’t be using it. ### 3/5 — rsync *2021-08-08, version 1.8* Vergesst die ganzen sync-apps. Einfach per rsync photos backuppen. Schnell, effizient, sicher. 3 Sterne weil die App scheinbar nicht mehr gemaintained wird und inzwischen öfter mal abstürzt und nicht mehr alles backupt. ### 5/5 — Simply brilliant *2020-12-01, version 1.8* Updated 01/12/2020: I’m still using this app weekly to sync my now 8000+ photo camera roll to my Synology NAS (and saving a small fortune on an iCloud storage subscription in the process). I’m currently on iOS 14.2 and the app continues to run without issue despite there being no updates to it in ~3 years. Will continue to recommend this app! Original review from 2 years ago: A simple little app that backs up all the latest photos in my camera roll to my Synology NAS. SSH and rsync are perfect for this purpose and the new images since last run are transferred blinding quickly. No more mucking about with iTunes to get the photos off my phone and backed up to my home server. Simply brilliant! ### 2/5 — No longer works with IOS 14.1 *2020-11-01, version 1.8* No longer works with IOS 14.1 ## Frequently asked questions about PhotoBackup ### How does PhotoBackup ensure my photos and videos are transferred without corruption? PhotoBackup utilizes the rsync protocol, which verifies every transferred file with a checksum. This robust method prevents file corruption, ensuring the integrity of your backed-up media. ### Can I choose which photos and videos to back up with PhotoBackup? Yes, PhotoBackup offers advanced options allowing you to select specific photos and videos for backup, rather than backing up the entire Camera Roll. This provides flexibility for managing your storage. ### What is the 'Time Machine style snapshots' feature in PhotoBackup? This feature creates incremental snapshots on your computer with each backup. Old photos and videos are shared across snapshots, and only new media takes up additional space, optimizing storage. ### Does PhotoBackup require any software to be installed on my Mac or Linux computer? No, PhotoBackup is designed to work without requiring any additional software installation on your Mac or Linux computers. It connects wirelessly using standard protocols. ### What devices are compatible with PhotoBackup? PhotoBackup is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It can back up to most Mac or Linux computers, or Network Attached Storage (NAS) devices. ### What is the update frequency for PhotoBackup? The app was last updated on February 27, 2017, with version 1.8. While the last update was some time ago, the core functionality of rsync-based backups remains reliable. ### What is the age rating for PhotoBackup? PhotoBackup has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for users of all ages. It is a straightforward utility for media backup. ### How does PhotoBackup handle edited photos? By default, PhotoBackup uploads the original, highest quality version of photos. However, an option allows you to back up the current, rendered version if you prefer to save edited images. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.8 — 2017-02-27 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. • Fixed a bug that caused photos and videos to be uploaded again after having been marked as favorites. ### 1.7 — 2016-06-29 Fixed a bug in SSH host key check. ### 1.6 — 2016-03-09 Fixed a bug that caused wrong video files to be uploaded. ### 1.5 — 2016-02-09 Fixed a bug that causes the indexing dialog to stall ### 1.4 — 2015-10-19 Fix a bug where large video files cause upload failures. ## Apps similar to PhotoBackup | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [WiFi Album Photo Transfer App](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wifi-album-photo-transfer-app/id465587383) | 4.2 (251) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photo Transfer - Upload and download photos and videos wireless via WiFi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-transfer-upload-and-download-photos-and-videos-wireless-via-wifi/id672205608) | 3.8 (40) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photo Scanner by PhotoScan](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-scanner-by-photoscan/id1437259759) | 4.2 (19) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Fuji-Fi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fuji-fi/id1441309889) | 2.5 (21) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photo Tagger by QNAP](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-tagger-by-qnap/id1304913130) | 2.2 (5) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photomigrate - Easily transfer photos & videos to camera roll](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photomigrate-easily-transfer-photos-and-videos-to-camera-roll/id1089434020) | 3.7 (6) | Free | Photo & Video | ## More apps by Acrosync LLC - [Acrosync - private cloud drive powered by rsync](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/acrosync-private-cloud-drive-powered-by-rsync/id428855722) All apps by Acrosync LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/428846552 ## Related topics [rsync](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/rsync) · [dropbox free](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/dropbox-free) --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-11.*