Exporting photos from inactive (but functional) iPhone 4 to new iPad without a desktop- possible?

Apple Support sent me here due to the “vintage” device. Is this task possible? No Air Drop on the iphone4, BTW. If there were a 17 pin to USB-c cable to connect them, would this work?

Earlier iPhone models

Posted on Sep 10, 2025 10:08 AM

Reply
7 replies

Sep 11, 2025 03:11 AM in response to FrancisBuxton

iCloud currently requires a minimum of iOS 10 both for iCloud Backup and for iCloud Photos.

System requirements for iCloud - Apple Support


The iPhone 4 cannot update past iOS 7. The iPhone 4s cannot update past iOS 9. So you can't use iCloud. Your only real option is to break out your 30-pin-dock-connector to USB cable, and import photos from your iPhone 4 over USB to your Mac or PC (using Finder, Apple Devices, iTunes, or iTunes for Windows, as appropriate).

Sep 11, 2025 08:00 AM in response to FrancisBuxton

I agree with Servant of Cats' suggestion. But in remembering back to my 4s, we didn't have USB cables for charging-- it came with a dedicated wired charger. But I found this on Amazon:


So for six bucks I think you can get on with the downloading. As Matti Haveri said, you should use the Image Capture app that's in the Applications Folder.


Let us know how it goes!

Sep 14, 2025 02:39 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Ok , the 30 pin to usb c does not work when connected to my 10th gen iPad.

the iPhone 4 charges, that’s all. There’s no options to import the pics from the camera roll and there is no notice from the iPad that I’m even connected to another device (but they are indeed connected as evinced from the phone charging)

I was app shopping, but can’t find anything that addresses this specific task. Ideas?

Sep 14, 2025 04:06 PM in response to FrancisBuxton

FrancisBuxton wrote:

Ok , the 30 pin to usb c does not work when connected to my 10th gen iPad.


That's to be expected.


The system is not designed so that you can directly import photos from an iPhone to an iPad, or vice versa. To get anything off of that iPhone 4, you are gong to need a Mac or PC. It doesn't have to be a desktop – a notebook will do as well. But it needs to be a system that is running Mac OS X / macOS or Windows.

Exporting photos from inactive (but functional) iPhone 4 to new iPad without a desktop- possible?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple Account.