Send Single Photo from Phone to Desktop

Wondering if anyone can offer advice.

To transfer a single photo from my (android) phone to my desktop I usually just email it. Problem is that sometimes the Gmail app keeps bigger files in its outbox as "Uploading" or "Queued" for some indeterminate time - maybe minutes, maybe an hour - and I want it now.

Does anyone know how to force the send?

Or other apps / ways to send a single photo from phone to desktop quickly without using a cloud service, or connecting and browsing the phone's photos folder (in which case I need to look through hundreds / thousands of files to pick the right one), or running a full file server on the phone?

Comments

  • +8

    Use Google Drive / Photos or onedrive.live.com

    • Thanks but…

      Or other apps / ways to send a single photo from phone to desktop quickly without using a cloud service

      • +1

        I got that bit, but if you are worrying about privacy or whats goes in the cloud. It's only stopped by your credentials. If someone knows your credentials, they still can access your photos, no need to be in cloud. So might as well as use these features plus it comes with free backup, incase your house goes down in flames or you lose your phone.

        • Fair enough. Email is cloudy as it is. I just don't want more services running in the background, but they probably already are anyway. I might give in and go this way.

  • +6

    Dropbox.

  • +13

    Why don't you just connect it via USB and drag and drop?

    • +1

      ^^^^^^That's how I do it^^^^^^

    • Thousands of files in the folder, finding the right one takes time, also sometimes it takes ages for the list to populate simply because of the volume of files.

      • Copy/Paste or just save the photo into a new folder on the phone first.

        • -3

          I'm too lazy for that.

      • Is it an old phone and/or connected via USB 2? I don't have any of those issues.
        EDIT: I do have mine set up so photos are saved to a fast SD card rather than internal storage. Not sure how much or if that would make a difference.

  • +1

    Just go to photos.google.com on your pc login with your google account and you will see all your photos.

  • +2

    If you're using Win10 and both devices are on the same wifi network, maybe give the YourPhone app a try?

    Alternatively, bluetooth?

  • +18

    use the computer webcam to take a photo of the photo on the phone screen

    • Novel. Nice!

      • Or screenshot photo and email yourself - probably better quality than webcam.

  • Bluetooth is the easiest way, a bit slow but if it's only a few photos doesn't matter.

  • +1

    If you send it via the browser instead of the app, it might work faster?

    • Interesting idea.. I will try. Ta.

  • Look for one of those "Phone Drive" apps - you can import photos to the app and allows you to share the files over your network - pretty much an ftp server hosted on your phone which shares the files with your LAN when connected.
    I normally use it to transfer documents, pdfs, etc.

    An alternative would be to use the Gmail app - draft an email and upload all the photos but do not send it, save it as a draft and open it up on your computer. The photos should appear in the draft.

    • That's what I currently do but there are latencies.

  • email it to yourself - Scrap that, didn't read the whole thing lol

  • Dropbox

  • save it to ozbargain files.

  • I also use google photos as it autosyncs and then I can just grab whatever I need from the web portal. However you mentioned not wanting to go through the cloud.

    plugging in a USB cable would also still need you to browse through your folders. another option I use is Airdroid which is an app with a desktop/web component. With it you can wirelessly upload and download stuff to and from your phone, but you would still need to browse your files.

    If you do go with using google photos, may I suggest taking note of the date stamp on the photo you want, it'll be heaps easier to look for the specific photo in the web portal of google photos allowing you to quickly find it to download.

  • That’s the hard way. I know how to do it from a desktop to the phone. Take a photo with your phone of the screen.

  • +1

    Facebook message yourself

  • Gmail app did that for me as well, it's just the app. Get outlook instead and you can send files to your heart's content.

  • +1

    Do you require the original size file?
    I usually use WhatsAppWEB on browser.
    Send the file to yourself or wife….open up in IE or chrome. And download to computer.
    File is shrink size though.
    Can send pdf too

  • Bluetooth.
    Select the photo on your phone, choose Share (to bluetooth), select your PC from the list of Bluetooth devices.
    Then on your PC it prompts you to accept the file transfer. Done. Takes a few seconds.
    I'm making an assumption your PC has bluetooth. If it's less than 10 years old it should have it.

  • I use an app called Wifi Explorer which just does much the same job as a USB cable connect but on Wifi.
    It provides a URL which you key into a browser and that gives you access to the phone’s directory. It’s a bit clunky but it works for me.
    Have used it for a long time so there are probably better ones to be had. Free version is download only. Paid is up/down.
    Not sure how it would go if you’ve got a lot of pics.

  • -1

    Airdrop it straight to your Mac, simple. oh your android and windows. Who knows then.

    • -1

      Why don't you just get the butler to do it, Richie Rich?

  • If you're on the same network, can file copy to a Windows share with something like MiXplorer or ES File Explorer.

    Otherwise, though you'll need an internet connection something like Pushbullet or AirDroid is a fast way to transfer.
    (Portal by the Pushbullet guys does fast Wifi based file transfers, but I think it's only from PC to phone.)

    Sticking with Gmail does the file upload even though it hasn't sent? Thinking if you just leave it in the drafts folder and not send at all, then just open the draft on PC.

  • I've always found this app to be very useful for doing this: https://www.airdroid.com/

Login or Join to leave a comment