How to get the edited and original versions of an iPhone photo

Did you edit a photo on iPhone or iPad but now want to get its original version too? This guide shows you two ways to have both the edited and non-edited variants of the same image. You will need a Mac for the first method, and you can follow the second one right from your iPhone.

How to get edited and original versions of an iPhone photo

How to import both edited and non-edited images from iPhone to Mac without reverting the change

After you edit an image in the iPhone Photos app, iOS automatically makes the edits on a duplicate file so that changes can be reversed. And the Photos app only shows you the edited version. The original file is hidden. But the Image Capture app (which comes pre-installed on all Macs) shows both the files and lets you import them. Here’s how.

  1. Unlock your iPhone and connect it to the Mac using a Lightning cable.
  2. Open Image Capture app on Mac. You can do this by pressing Command + Space Bar and typing the app name.
  3. You should see all your iPhone images here. Scroll down, and you will find both the edited and non-edited versions of the same image. Tip: The edited image will have the word E in the file name.
  4. Press the Command key and select both versions of the image.
  5. Finally, click Import. Now you will have the edited and non-edited images in Mac’s Downloads folder.
Using Image Capture on Mac to import edited and non-edited versions of same image from iPhone

If you do not see your iPhone images inside the Image Capture app, make sure iPhone is unlocked and you are on the Home Screen or inside the Photos app. Also, ensure your phone and Mac are correctly connected via the cable. In case you only see older iPhone images inside the Image Capture app and not the latest ones, unplug the Lightning cable and insert it again.

How to get both edited and non-edited versions of the same image on iPhone

Whenever I have to edit an important picture on my iPhone or iPad, I tap the share icon > Duplicate and then edit the second image. But even if you have already edited the image, you can follow the steps mentioned in the above heading. However, if you do not have a Mac, you can follow the below steps on your iPhone to get both edited and original versions of the same image.

  1. Open the Photos app and go to the edited image.
  2. Tap the share icon and tap Duplicate. This will make a second copy of the edited image.
    Making duplicate of an edited image on iPhone
  3. Now go to the second image in the Photos app and open it.
  4. Tap Edit > Revert > Revert to Original. Now, you have the same picture in both edited and non-edited versions.
    Reverting the edits of an image on iPhone and restoring it to original

You may also like: