How to share photos between iPhone and Android
Updated by Scan & Snap
For a mixed group, the simplest choices are a Google Photos shared album, if everyone has a Google account, or a browser-based album opened with a link or QR code, if they don't. iCloud Photos links let Android users view photos, but they're built around Apple devices. Chats are quick, but may reduce quality.
Your main options
| Method | Everyone needs | Best for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Photos shared album | A Google account to add photos | Groups already on Google | Uses the owner's storage quota for their own uploads, and some people won't want another account |
| iCloud Shared Album or link | An Apple device to contribute fully | All-Apple groups | Android users can view a public web link, but it's not built for them to add photos |
| WhatsApp or Messenger group | The same app | A few quick photos | May compress photos, and they get buried in the chat. Check the app's HD or document options |
| Nearby Share or Quick Share and AirDrop | To be next to each other | Two people, in person | Not designed for a group, or for people who've gone home |
| Browser album (like Scan & Snap) | A web browser | One-off events and mixed groups | Free plans have limits: ours is 50 photos for 7 days. It isn't a permanent photo library |
We make Scan & Snap, so take that into account. Google and Apple change these details from time to time, so check their help pages if something looks different.
If you just want to send one person some photos
A link is usually the easiest. In Google Photos or iCloud, select the photos, tap share, and copy the link. Send that in any message, rather than the photos themselves, and the other person gets better quality. For a few photos between friends, that's all you need.
If you want a whole group to add photos
This is where it gets harder, because each person needs to be able to add, not just view. Decide how you'll handle people who don't have the right account, and whether you'd be happy for one person's storage to hold everything. For an event with guests you don't all know, or a group trip or holiday, it's usually simplest not to rely on anyone's account at all.
Keeping the original quality
- Sharing a link usually keeps more quality than sending the photos in a chat.
- iPhones save photos as HEIC by default, which older Android phones and some computers can't open. Some services, including ours, convert these so everyone can view them.
- Some services reduce photos on free plans. Ours stores free uploads at 2048 pixels, and paid plans keep the originals.