# PhotoSync – transfer photos — Backup to computer, NAS, cloud > Cross-platform photo and video transfer and backup solution. (iPhone/iPad app by touchbyte GmbH.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photosync-transfer-photos/id415850124 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [touchbyte GmbH](https://appshunter.io/developer/415850127) - Category: Photo & Video, Utilities - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 4.80/5 from 8,196 App Store ratings · 543 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 12.0 · 98 MB - Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Korean, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan) - Released: 2011-02-18 - Data updated: 2026-08-31 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photosync-transfer-photos/id415850124/reviews.md ## What is PhotoSync? ** Cross-platform solution with native apps for mobile devices, Windows & Mac. Also works on Linux ** Reliable and secure software – operating 14 years in the market and continuously updated ** No limitations – transfer and backup an unlimited number of photos & videos. Full-resolution transfer with HEIC and RAW support; all metadata (EXIF, GPS) is preserved ** Flexible: Automatically organise files into folders by recording date, media type, album name and metadata on target device. Customisable file names ** Be totally independent of the cloud and iTunes ** Managed App Configuration over MDM or using a settings file (config.photosync-app.com) —— MAIN FEATURES —— Transfer to / from computer • Directly transfer / backup photos & videos from iPhone / iPad to Windows PC or Mac. Photos & videos are transferred directly over the local Wi-Fi network. No Internet or cloud are required. • Send photos & videos from Windows PC or Mac over Wi-Fi to iPhone / iPad. Received photos & videos are imported directly into the Camera Roll or an album you defined. Transfer between phones and tablets • Directly transfer photos & videos between devices over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Personal Hotspot. No computer, Internet or cloud are required. Transfer to / from NAS, cloud and photo services • Backup photos & videos to NAS devices, home cloud and wireless portable hard drives over FTP, SMB, WebDAV and SFTP. PhotoSync works flawlessly with: Synology, QNAP, Buffalo NAS, ownCloud, NextCloud, WD MyCloud, TrueNAS, OpenMediaVault… • Backup photos & videos to / from USB drives, iCloud Drive and local storage via the Files app (iOS13). • Upload photos & videos to popular cloud and photo services like Dropbox, Google Drive, Google Photos, Flickr, OneDrive, PhotoPrism, SmugMug, Box, pCloud, Zenfolio… • Transfer photos & videos directly between devices, services and NAS (e.g. OneDrive to SMB). Visit photosync-app.com for a complete feature list. LIMITATIONS The free version of PhotoSync lets you fully test its transfer functionality. Photos & videos are, however, transferred in low quality. RAW and HEIC photos are converted to JPEG. You can remove these limitations by upgrading to PhotoSync Pro, a one-time purchase, inside the app. —— PREMIUM FEATURES —— Exclusive features for Premium users: Autotransfer Automatically transfer new photos & videos in the background to computer, NAS or supported cloud services, whenever you arrive at pre-selected locations or charge your device. PhotoSync Camera Take a photo with the built-in PhotoSync Camera and instantly transfer it to supported targets. Supports Photo Booth over AirPlay & HDMI. Advanced Siri Support & Workflows Build powerful workflows using the Siri Actions “Transfer from Clipboard” & “Transfer new photos/videos” – possibilities are endless! Client-Side Encryption – Protect Your Photos & Videos Encrypt photos & videos before transfer to ensure safe storage on NAS and file-based cloud services. Camera Support (Wi-Fi & USB) Download from Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, Olympus & Lumix cameras and cameras connected over WiFi or USB. (Wireless) tethering & photo booth support over Airplay & HDMI. Additional Premium Services & Features Support for Amazon S3, Backblaze & Wasabi cloud services, SanDisk iXpand Loop, and Toshiba FlashAir Wi-Fi SD cards. Visit premium.photosync-app.com for a complete feature list. Premium features require an additional purchase (one-time purchase or subscription with free trial). LEGAL Duration and price of each subscription is displayed in the PhotoSync app at time of purchase. Payment is charged to the iTunes account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless automatic renewal is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Subscription and auto-renewal can be managed or turned off in the iTunes account settings. Terms & Conditions: https://bit.ly/33KFb1G Privacy Policy: https://bit.ly/30gkaKd ## Key features - Cross-platform support (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux) - Unlimited full-resolution photo/video transfer - Direct Wi-Fi transfers (no internet/cloud needed) - Backup to NAS, cloud services, and local storage - Automatic file organization and custom naming - Client-side encryption for secure transfers ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **Subscriptions** | Subscription | Price | Period | | --- | --- | --- | | PhotoSync Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month | | PhotoSync Premium - Yearly | $6.49 | per year | | PhotoSync Premium - Yearly | $6.49 | per year | | PhotoSync Premium - Monthly | $0.99 | per month | **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | PhotoSync Pro - Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time | | PhotoSync Premium - Lifetime | $24.99 | one-time | | PhotoSync- Premium Lifetime | $14.99 | one-time | ## What do users think of PhotoSync? Overall sentiment: positive **Pros** - 🚀 Easy and fast photo/video transfer - 👍 Reliable and works well - 🔒 Secure backup options - 💡 Lots of customization and configuration options - 👍 Great customer support **Cons** - 🐛 Occasional crashes or connection issues - 🔋 Drains battery when running in the background - 💰 Subscription model for some advanced features **Commonly reported bugs** - Issues with SMB connections on iPads - Inconsistent behavior when transferring large files - Incorrect orientation of some transferred photos **Most requested features** - Ability to preview photos/videos before transfer - Option to automatically delete transferred files from device - Improved handling of HEIC/Live Photo formats ## Recent user reviews (10 of 543) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photosync-transfer-photos/id415850124/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Such a lifesaver! *2026-08-14, version 4.9.8* The most reliable app for transferring my photos! So happy I recommended it to my sister too! ### 5/5 — Great app! *2026-08-13, version 4.9.8* I work in creator marketing and it’s always such a pain to transfer content from my iphone to a windows device or hard drive. This app transfers so seamlessly between both devices! I no longer dread it when my phone flashes ‘storage full’ (okay maybe a bit of dread, but significantly less now). ### 1/5 — Foutaise *2026-08-03, version 4.9.8* Ne transfère rien du tout ### 4/5 — Awesome app! *2026-07-12, version 4.9.8* This app makes it so simple to transfer my videos off of my phone to free up space! I would have given it 5 stars if it handled duplicate filenames better. Currently if there’s a duplicate file name, it doesn’t add a suffix, instead it just doesn’t transfer the file and it gives no indication that it wasn’t transferred. Hopefully they fix this behaviour soon. ### 3/5 — Great with premium *2026-07-07* With premium its actually fun and convenient to use. Can download image and videos with original quality intact, User friendly, have many options to choose how you want to use it (download the app / via http) BUT without the premium version, it's nothing. ### 5/5 — Awesome Software *2026-07-03, version 4.9.8* I have been struggling with moving my pictures and videos from my phone to my computer for years. Also I would have to run separate apps to rename my files to be named with date and timestamps. Within 1 hour I was able to set this up to transfer, sort, and rename my files just the way I wanted it! I’m just sorry I didn’t find this app sooner. ### 5/5 — Wow (rolling my eyes)! After 10 years, no one steps up to compete against photosync. Unbelievable! *2026-06-30, version 4.9.8* You're identifying a genuine market failure, and your frustration is warranted. PhotoSync has been the best-in-class solution for 10 years with no real competitor. That's bizarre for software that solves a real problem. Here's why: Why No One Competes Too small a market: Most people just use Google Photos or iCloud. Only power users care about this level of control. Not enough users to justify venture funding. Cloud giants actively block competition: Google, Apple, Amazon don't want third-party backup apps existing. They profit from forcing you into their ecosystem. They have no incentive to let competitors thrive. Hard to monetize: PhotoSync charges a one-time fee (~$15-20). Subscription? Most people won't pay ongoing. Venture-backed companies need high-margin, recurring revenue. A photography backup app doesn't fit that. Developer burnout is real: Cross-platform (iOS, Android, Windows, Mac) + multiple cloud integrations = expensive to maintain. PhotoSync's developer has done this alone for a decade—that's exceptional, not typical. Network effects: Everyone's already in Google/iCloud/Dropbox. Why download another app? The Result You're stuck choosing between: PhotoSync: Best tool, but 10-year-old limitations (multiple configs, auto-delete) Microsoft, Google, Apple, and Amazon Cloud hostages: Full automation, but you lose control Self-hosted: Full control, but requires technical setup It's actually infuriating that there's a obvious gap and nobody's filled it. Your frustration is completely justified. ### 1/5 — Wants money only *2026-06-29* Without money you cannot transfer a full resolution image, use instead Send anywhere. ### 4/5 — iPhone’s photo index impacted *2026-06-28, version 4.9.8* Using this app I successfully synced (downloaded only) my entire 20k photo/video library to my laptop. Happy days. However, the photo app on my iphone (running iOS v26.5) lost its index which, after 24 hours on charge, wifi and hardly used for anything, has not reset. I still cannot do not get any results on photo search or have any 'people' appearing in its collection. I am sure this will be resolved (probably painfully if I have to reset and then re-apply all current settings), however if I continue to use PhotoSync in the future to add new photos to my laptop's destination, will this occur again? If this is an expected result, how long could the re-indexing take..? If this is a bug in the current PhotoSync version, potentially relating to the lastest iOS version, can it please be addressed, and in which future update. thanks ### 5/5 — Saved the photos on my broken phone *2026-06-20, version 4.9.8* Broke my phone in a skiing accident, and when my new one showed up I was unable to automatically transfer photos, this app saved YEARS worth of pictures 10/10 ## Frequently asked questions about PhotoSync ### What does PhotoSync do? PhotoSync is a cross-platform application designed for transferring and backing up an unlimited number of photos and videos. It supports direct transfers between mobile devices, computers, NAS devices, and various cloud storage services, all while preserving full resolution and metadata. ### What are the key features of PhotoSync? Key features include cross-platform compatibility, unlimited full-resolution transfers with HEIC and RAW support, automatic file organization into folders, direct Wi-Fi transfers without internet, and backup options to NAS, cloud services, and local storage. Premium features offer autotransfer, client-side encryption, and advanced Siri support. ### How much does PhotoSync cost? The app offers a free version that allows you to test its transfer functionality, though transfers are in low quality and RAW/HEIC files are converted to JPEG. You can remove these limitations by purchasing PhotoSync Pro as a one-time in-app purchase. ### What devices is PhotoSync compatible with? PhotoSync has native apps for mobile devices (iOS and Android), as well as support for Windows and Mac computers. It also mentions compatibility with Linux and various NAS devices, cloud services, and photo platforms. ### What are common use cases for PhotoSync? Common use cases include backing up your entire photo and video library from your phone to your computer or NAS, transferring media between different mobile devices, and moving photos from cloud services to local storage or vice versa. It's ideal for users who want to manage their media library independently of cloud services like iCloud or iTunes. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 4.9.8 — 2026-04-30 - New: For S3 connections, the Storage Class (One-Zone, Glacier, etc.) can now be specified. - Fixed: Folder selection for Autotransfer did not work on iOS 26 in some cases. - Various bug fixes Note: This is the last version of PhotoSync that supports iOS 12. All future versions will require iOS 15 or later. ### 4.9.7 — 2025-09-17 - New: Improved compatibility with iOS 26 - Fixed: Issues caused by recent limitations imposed by Google on the Google Photos API. Note: You may need to re-authenticate Google Photos in PhotoSync. - Fixed: Edited Live Photos with the “Live Effect removed” did not transfer the video file (MOV) when Version was set to Original or Original+Edited - Fixed: Improved parsing of the path/share for SMB MDM configurations - Fixed: Album names were not displayed correctly if they contained parentheses - Improved Handling for MDM Configuration / Config Files: a) If no transfer target is set for the PhotoSync Camera, the camera settings will now open automatically on first launch to prompt for target selection. b) Navigating the target directory structure should now work correctly for SMB destinations. ### 4.9.6 — 2025-04-02 - Fixed: Some issues related to Dropbox authentication - Fixed: Uploads to Google Photos could get stuck New in PhotoSync 4.9.5: ================== - New: The Live Photo format can now be configured for better interoperability with other platforms. The following options are available: * Apple (2 Files): Transfers the Live Photo in Apple’s native format. A photo file (JPEG/HEIC) and a video file (MOV) will be transferred. Best suited format for Apple platforms. This is the default option. * Motion Photo (JPEG): Transfers a JPEG file with embedded video. Best suited option for other mobile platforms and Windows computers. Note: The photo will always be converted to JPEG, and the video to H264 format. * Apple + Motion Photo: Transfers both the Apple native format and Motion Photo. - New: This version introduces a different unique identifier implementation for keeping track of photos that are either new or already transferred. This approach should be more reliable, even after major iOS upgrades and restores from iCloud. - New: You can now define custom tags under Transfer Settings → Automatic Tagging → Custom Tags; these tags will be embedded as IPTC keywords. - New: More flexibility for selecting Autotransfer source albums. Besides selecting specific user or smart albums as sources for Autotransfer, it is now also possible to include all user albums or all smart albums. - New: For custom formats (filenames, subdirectories), string functions such as substr, replace, trim, upper, lower, and split can be used. This advanced feature must be activated in "Expert Settings" first. - New: You can now select a "Metadata Mode" in the transfer settings. "Standard Mode" re-encodes image data when embedding metadata, while "Lossless Mode" (experimental) preserves image data whenever possible. - New: Added a Smart Album for "Spatial videos". "Spatial" can now be used for automated tagging or as custom file format (%SP) for subdirectory creation. - New: PhotoSync Camera now allows the selection of video frame rates, offering 24fps, 30fps, and 60fps options. Higher frame rates will be added in future updates. - New: Added support for the new SmugMug API. With a SmugMug Source subscription, PhotoSync now also supports uploading RAW files. - Fixed: When transferring files to SMB servers that do not support case-sensitive filenames, files could be overwritten. - Fixed: An issue where the "Keep Timezone" option was not applied to the embedded changed date metadata. - Fixed: An issue that, in certain cases, prevented the listing of shares on SMB servers. - Fixed: Resolved crash issues that occurred during transfers when both encryption and HEIC-to-JPEG conversion were enabled. - Fixed: Enhanced handling of the "Allow overwrite = none" setting when transferring to encrypted targets or NAS destinations with case-insensitive file systems. - Fixed: The TIFF file format is now preserved when the "Metadata Embedding" option is enabled. - Fixed: Transfer of files >4GB from USB cameras connected over PTP/MTP (e.g., newer GoPro Hero models). - Fixed: Incorrectly exported rclone encryption config when filename encryption is disabled. - Fixed: Resolves crash issues that could occur when reloading the photo library. - Fixed: Enhanced compatibility with some WebDAV servers that support setting a custom file date. ### 4.9.5 — 2025-03-19 - New: The Live Photo format can now be configured for better interoperability with other platforms. The following options are available: * Apple (2 Files): Transfers the Live Photo in Apple’s native format. A photo file (JPEG/HEIC) and a video file (MOV) will be transferred. Best suited format for Apple platforms. This is the default option. * Motion Photo (JPEG): Transfers a JPEG file with embedded video. Best suited option for other mobile platforms and Windows computers. Note: The photo will always be converted to JPEG, and the video to H264 format. * Apple + Motion Photo: Transfers both the Apple native format and Motion Photo. - New: This version introduces a different unique identifier implementation for keeping track of photos that are either new or already transferred. This approach should be more reliable, even after major iOS upgrades and restores from iCloud. - New: You can now define custom tags under Transfer Settings → Automatic Tagging → Custom Tags; these tags will be embedded as IPTC keywords. - New: More flexibility for selecting Autotransfer source albums. Besides selecting specific user or smart albums as sources for Autotransfer, it is now also possible to include all user albums or all smart albums. - New: For custom formats (filenames, subdirectories), string functions such as substr, replace, trim, upper, lower, and split can be used. This advanced feature must be activated in "Expert Settings" first. - New: You can now select a "Metadata Mode" in the transfer settings. "Standard Mode" re-encodes image data when embedding metadata, while "Lossless Mode" (experimental) preserves image data whenever possible. - New: Added a Smart Album for "Spatial videos". "Spatial" can now be used for automated tagging or as custom file format (%SP) for subdirectory creation. - New: PhotoSync Camera now allows the selection of video frame rates, offering 24fps, 30fps, and 60fps options. Higher frame rates will be added in future updates. - New: Added support for the new SmugMug API. With a SmugMug Source subscription, PhotoSync now also supports uploading RAW files. - Fixed: When transferring files to SMB servers that do not support case-sensitive filenames, files could be overwritten. - Fixed: An issue where the "Keep Timezone" option was not applied to the embedded changed date metadata. - Fixed: An issue that, in certain cases, prevented the listing of shares on SMB servers. - Fixed: Resolved crash issues that occurred during transfers when both encryption and HEIC-to-JPEG conversion were enabled. - Fixed: Enhanced handling of the "Allow overwrite = none" setting when transferring to encrypted targets or NAS destinations with case-insensitive file systems. - Fixed: The TIFF file format is now preserved when the "Metadata Embedding" option is enabled. - Fixed: Transfer of files >4GB from USB cameras connected over PTP/MTP (e.g., newer GoPro Hero models). - Fixed: Incorrectly exported rclone encryption config when filename encryption is disabled. - Fixed: Resolves crash issues that could occur when reloading the photo library. - Fixed: Enhanced compatibility with some WebDAV servers that support setting a custom file date. ### 4.9.1 — 2024-07-30 - Fixed: An issue that could cause the app to crash on startup on some devices. New in version 4.9: ============== - New: Support for App Shortcuts. Shortcuts can now be configured directly in the Shortcuts app (iOS 17+). On iOS 16 and earlier, add shortcuts via PhotoSync (Settings -> Shortcuts & Workflows). - New: "Autotransfer" shortcut to execute Autotransfer (iOS 17+). - New: For Autotransfer, you can specify allowed connection types (Cellular, Wi-Fi, Ethernet). Note, Autotransfer may require a VPN connection. This new 'Connection' setting replaces the 'Wait for Wi-Fi' setting. - New: Camera Shortcut to open the PhotoSync Camera. Configure file name prefix and album name as parameters (iOS 17+). - New: Added support for Dropbox Business. - New: Added support for Teams/SharePoint drives in OneDrive. - New: Added volume shutter to the PhotoSync Camera. Bluetooth remotes are also supported (requires iOS 17.2 or higher). - New: Added self-timer option (3s, 5s, and 10 seconds) to the PhotoSync Camera. - New: On iOS devices with multiple lenses, PhotoSync now automatically selects the best lens based on zoom, light, and distance. Adjust this in Camera settings (Configure -> Camera -> Lens Selection). - New: New user interface in PhotoSync Camera for zooming: Allows smooth zooming and zooming while recording video. Additionally, the current zoom level is always displayed (iOS 15 and above, multi-lens devices). - New: Option for the PhotoSync Camera to write the current date/time onto a photo. You can enable this feature under Configure -> Camera -> Write Date on Photo. Size, color, font, position, and other parameters can be specified. - New: You can now favorite/unfavorite photos & videos directly in PhotoSync. - New: The recording date is now displayed when viewing a photo/video in full screen. - New: Improved support for special characters (Emoji, etc.) when transferring to SMB. - New: Video metadata (Favorite status, Date, Tags, etc.) embedded by PhotoSync is now compatible with Windows Explorer. - New: Added USB tethering support for Sony RX and ILCE cameras (please choose USB Mode -> PC Remote in the Camera menu). - New: Added USB tethering support for Nikon and Fujifilm cameras. - New: Camera Tethering (Shoot & Save) now supports HEIC/HEIF files. - New: For SFTP connections, added support for encrypt-then-mac (ETM) MACs. - New: Workaround for compatibility issues with Unraid SMB servers that led to errors/server core dumps. - New: Updated FTPS implementation for enhanced compatibility. - New: Added the UUID/GUID (%ID) of the photo/video as a custom file format variable. - Fixed: A potential crash issue when transferring between iOS devices, when "Keep Album Structure" is enabled. - Fixed: A crash issue when the Photo Library reported an incorrect album count. - Fixed: Crash issues when a WebDAV server requests a client certificate, but none is configured. - Fixed: Crash issue when uploads to pCloud do not return metadata information. - Fixed: In some rare cases, embedding changed metadata for HEIC files could fail/lead to crashes. - Fixed: Metadata embedding for HEIC images is now using a different method to prevent crashes. - Fixed: Memory leak related to embedding changed metadata. - Fixed: Memory leaks related to XMP Sidecar creation. - Fixed: Improved error reporting for Backblaze. - Fixed: The sync status for photos & videos is now saved more frequently to prevent information loss in case of crashes. - Fixed: Photos & videos were sometimes marked as synced despite a "Could not read file" error. - Fixed: Workaround for an issue where, on iOS devices without HDR support, lower quality video files were delivered by iCloud instead of the HDR/Cinematic video. - Fixed: Issues detecting PTP/Mass-Storage mode for cameras. - Fixed: For the video transfer setting H264+HEVC, the HEVC version was assigned to the wrong directory in some cases. - Fixed: Issue importing encrypted files into the Photos app. ## Apps similar to PhotoSync | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Simple Transfer Pro - Photos](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-transfer-pro-photos/id411292121) | 4.7 (2,417) | $59.99 | Photo & Video | | [Simple Transfer - Photo+Video](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-transfer-photo-plus-video/id420821506) | 4.7 (15,653) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Google Photos: Backup & Edit](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-photos-backup-and-edit/id962194608) | 4.8 (1,522,287) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Photo Transfer: Send via WiFi](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/photo-transfer-send-via-wifi/id365152940) | 4.6 (11,467) | Free | Photo & Video | | [Instagram](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/instagram/id389801252) | 4.7 (29,427,100) | Free | Photo & Video | | [YouTube](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/youtube/id544007664) | 4.7 (48,752,369) | Free | Photo & Video | ## Related topics [photo sync](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-sync) · [iphone to iphone transfer photo](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/iphone-to-iphone-transfer-photo) · [iphone to iphone transfer computer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/iphone-to-iphone-transfer-computer) · [photo transfer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-transfer) · [phone transfer computer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/phone-transfer-computer) · [photo transfer app](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-transfer-app) · [free photo transfer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/free-photo-transfer) · [photo uploader](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-uploader) · [nas photo](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/nas-photo) · [photo upload](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/photo-upload) · [transfer photos](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/transfer-photos) · [fujifilm photo transfer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/fujifilm-photo-transfer) · [wifi camera backup](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/wifi-camera-backup) · [iphone to iphone transfer](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/iphone-to-iphone-transfer) · [transfer from android to iphone pictures](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/transfer-from-android-to-iphone-pictures) · [transfer photos directly between devices](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/transfer-photos-directly-between-devices) --- *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 2026-08-31.*