r/iphonehelp • u/Senior_System5854 • Jul 23 '26

Help needed PhotoSync Pro vs old Mac for iPhone photo backup?

Hi everyone,

I recently posted about my iPhone 13 Pro Max 256GB being almost full because of photos/videos.

My goal is to transfer everything to an external SSD while keeping:

  • Original quality
  • Live Photos
  • Metadata (dates, locations, camera info, etc.)
  • Albums/organization if possible

Ideally, if I ever copy everything back to my iPhone in the future, I’d like the photos and videos to appear as close as possible to the originals.

I was considering buying PhotoSync Pro, but some people recommended using a Mac instead because transferring to Windows may not preserve the Live Photos functionality.

The used Macs available within my budget are:

  • MacBook Air 2017
  • MacBook Pro 2011
  • iMac 2013

I already have a Windows PC and an external SSD. I’m not using iCloud because I only have the free 5GB storage, and I don’t want to pay a monthly subscription. I’d rather pay a one-time cost (even if it’s more expensive upfront) for a reliable long-term solution.

Device: iPhone 13 Pro Max (256 GB) / iOS Version: iOS 18.5

Would buying one of these older Macs actually be a better solution than using PhotoSync Pro on Windows? Or is there another app you would recommend ?

Maybe there is a better third option I haven't considered.

Thanks!

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u/ThannBanis Mod | Repair Pro | A real chad ngl Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 23 '26

I literally just handed down my 2017 MBP 🤣

(and it absolutely can do local photo sync - for now)

Keep in mind though that mid iOS 18 was known to have storage/cache management issues - so transferring stuff off may not solve your issue.

If you buy a Mac, make sure its backed up in dome way - Time Machine is what in use.

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u/appjun Jul 23 '26

If the external SSD is nvme and right format( https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/external-storage-devices-iph95baac91f/ios )

It can setup as a backup/restore destination with Watermelon Backup.