How to Download Photos Onto Your Phone

A step-by-step guide to downloading your photos to your phone.

Adam avatar
Written by Adam
Updated over a week ago

The best way to download a ZIP file of images is to do so on your computer and then share the images with your mobile device using iCloud or Google Photos. Here's how to do this:

  1. Start with your computer.

  2. Click the Download link in the email from your photographer and download the photos onto your computer.

  3. Uncompress (extract) the zip file containing your photos.

  4. Now you can upload the images from your computer to your device's cloud service:

Add Images to iCloud (Apple)

  1. Sign in to icloud.com.

  2. Click Photos.

  3. Click the Upload Photos icon.

  4. Select all your photos and press Enter.

  5. Go to your iPhone or iPad.

  6. Connect to Wi-Fi.

  7. Open the Photos app.

  8. Your photos will automatically sync to your iPhone or iPad.
    Note: This may take some time, depending on the number of photos and the speed of your connection.

  9. After syncing completes, your photos will be available in your Photos gallery.

Add Images to Google Photos (Android)

  1. Sign in to photos.google.com.

  2. Click Upload.

  3. Select all your photos and press Enter.

  4. Go to your Android Phone or Tablet.

  5. Connect to Wi-Fi.

  6. Open the Photos app.

  7. Your photos will automatically sync to your phone or tablet.
    Note: This may take some time, depending on the number of photos and the speed of your connection.

  8. After syncing completes, your photos will be available in your Photos gallery.


⬇️ Don't Have a Computer? ⬇️

If you do not have access to a computer, you can also download photos directly to your mobile device. Just keep in mind these downloads may take longer and will fill more storage on your device. Select your device from the options below and follow the steps to download directly to your mobile device:

iPhone or iPad

Before You Start

  1. Ensure that you are connected to reliable Wi-Fi.
    Note: Downloads will fail if you use cellular data.

  2. Ensure that your screen does not turn off (Tap Settings > Display & Brightness > Auto-Lock > Never).
    Note: Downloads will fail if the screen locks.

Download Your Photos

  1. Tap the Download link in the email from your photographer. A new Safari window opens.

  2. Tap the Download icon.

  3. Tap the Down Arrow inside the search bar.

  4. Once your download has completed, tap the file that is shown.

  5. Your iPhone will open up Files, a pre-installed iOS app. Or, it will prompt you to re-download Files.

  6. Tap the "ZIP" file. The app will automatically unzip these items for you.

  7. Tap the new Folder that appears.

  8. View your images.

Save Your Photos

  1. Tap "Select" in the top right-hand corner when viewing your images.

  2. Tap "Select All" in the left-hand corner.

  3. Tap the Box with an Up Arrow in the bottom right-hand corner.

  4. Select "Save Images" to save your images to your camera roll.


Android Phone or Tablet

Before You Start

  1. Ensure that you are connected to reliable Wi-Fi.
    Note: Downloads will fail if you use cellular data.

  2. Install the Files by Google app (free).

  3. Open Files by Google, tap Skip, and then tap Allow to accept the requested permissions.

Download Your Photos

  1. Tap the Download link in the email from your photographer. A new window opens.

  2. Tap the Download button. Wait for the download to complete.

  3. After the download completes, open the Files by Google app.

  4. Tap the Compressed icon.

  5. Tap the downloaded file with your photos.

  6. Tap Extract.

  7. Enter a name for the new folder with your photos, and then tap OK. Wait for the photos to extract from the downloaded file.

  8. After a list of your photos appears, press and hold the first photo listed until a check box appears next to the selected photo.

  9. Tap the select all icon.

  10. Tap the menu icon and select Share.

  11. Tap the Upload to Photos button.

  12. Confirm that the Google account displayed is correct, and then tap Upload.
    Note: This may take some time, depending on the number of photos and the speed of your connection.

  13. After the upload completes, open the Photos app. Your photos are available in your Photos gallery.

Did this answer your question?