SharedClipboard

How to transfer photos and files from an iPhone to a Chromebook

A Chromebook has no AirDrop, and Apple doesn’t make an iCloud app for ChromeOS.

SharedClipboard works in Chrome on both sides: open one link on the iPhone and the Chromebook, and photos and files go straight across, end‑to‑end encrypted.

Free, no account.

Start on this device

You get a private link and QR code to open on your other devices.

or

Have a code?

Enter the 6‑digit code shown on your other device.

Send photos from your iPhone to your Chromebook

  1. Get a private link on your Chromebook. Open sharedclipboard.com on your Chromebook and click Get a private link. A QR code appears.
    A new private clipboard on a computer, with a QR code and a 6-digit code
  2. Open it on your iPhone. Point the camera at the code and tap the link. The same clipboard opens in the browser, with nothing to install.
    The same clipboard open on a phone after scanning the QR code
  3. Add your photos and files. Tap Add files on your iPhone and pick what you want to send. It shows up on your Chromebook a moment later, and Download saves it.
    A photo and a PDF added on the phone, ready to view or download on the computer
    A photo and a PDF added on the phone, ready to view or download on the computer

Other ways to get photos onto a Chromebook

Google Photos

Back up the iPhone with the Google Photos app, then open photos.google.com on the Chromebook. Good for photos, slow for a single file.

iCloud.com

Sign in at icloud.com in Chrome to download photos that are already in iCloud Photos.

Email

Fine for one or two photos if you’re signed in on both.

Good to know

  • Both devices need to be online at the same time. Files go straight from one to the other and are never stored on our servers.
  • Each file can be up to 100 MB. For a whole photo library, a cable is faster.
  • Some work and school networks block direct connections between devices. If a file doesn’t arrive, put both devices on the same Wi‑Fi or use your phone’s hotspot.
  • It works both ways: files you add on the Chromebook show up on the iPhone.
  • HEIC photos that won’t open? The free HEIC to JPG converter turns them into JPG in the browser.

Questions

Can you AirDrop to a Chromebook?

No. AirDrop only works between Apple devices. Use a browser tool like SharedClipboard, Google Photos or iCloud.com instead.

How do I transfer photos from my iPhone to my Chromebook without a cable?

Open the same SharedClipboard link on both, tap Add files on the iPhone, and download the photos on the Chromebook.

Do I need to install anything?

No. It runs in Safari on the iPhone and Chrome on the Chromebook.

Updated September 27, 2026

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