iPhone photos not importing to your Mac? Check the USB connection first

Choose View → Show Sidebar in Finder if the sidebar is hidden. If the phone still does not show up, try another USB port and a cable that you know transfers files. A charging indicator alone only tells you the phone is receiving power. Check both screens for prompts after reconnecting. Trust only a computer you recognize and control.

Open Photos manually and click the iPhone in its sidebar. This brings up Import if it did not appear when you connected. If you accidentally tapped Don’t Trust and the prompt will not return, follow the trust-reset instructions linked from Apple’s device recognition guide. That reset also clears other location and privacy choices, so try the cable and port first.

On the Import screen, select one photo and choose Import Selected. Check that you can open the imported copy in the Mac Photos library before importing a larger batch. Leave the phone connected until Photos finishes. If you want to copy photos straight to a folder, Apple also lists Image Capture as an option.