4 Simple Steps to Save, Organize, and Print Photos

Last Updated on January 12, 2024 by Stacy Averette

I’m going to show you my favorite way to save, organize, and print your lovely photos in four simple steps using your phone. This method is one I’ve used once a month for several years and has saved me from lots of frustration. My photos are safe and organized on my phone and I even have prints to display in my home and office.

Three Important Reasons to Save, Organize, and Print Phone Photos

1. So you can find a photo when you need it without endless scrolling

As a homemaker, wife, and mother, I love being the primary memory-maker and record-keeper. I do my best to keep up with meaningful family traditions and I’m always looking for ways to make our time together special.

We love to celebrate birthdays, vacations, and simple, ordinary days together. Like most families, everyone has a phone and snaps photos of their unique perspective at every event and we often share those photos with each other via text or email. The problem with all those lovely photos is that they may make a brief appearance on a social media post and then get lost in a digital haystack with thousands of other photos on our phones. We’ve all spent time scrolling and scrolling just trying to find a photo we want to share, am I right?

2. A printed photo is a treasure now and for future generations.

No matter how advanced technology gets, I don’t know anyone who doesn’t love looking at old printed photographs. There’s just something about rummaging through a box of old family photos that stirs our emotions and brings back long-forgotten memories. Recently, my husband and I went through some boxes of old family photos and tried to organize them a bit better. We spent hours looking at old faded photos and sharing stories. Even though we’ve been together for 38 years and grew up two miles apart, those photos brought back sweet memories for each of us about our childhoods.

I’m afraid the digital age is robbing us of the treasure of printed photos.

Years ago, before digital cameras, our only option was to take a roll of film and have the photos printed. Does anyone remember those days? Like most people, after buying my first digital camera, printing photos became a thing of the past. (Except for the few years I attempted to scrapbook!)

I love the convenience of having my “camera” in my pocket at all times to take a photo but I want actual photos to display now and keep for future generations. Call me old-fashioned but I dream of a future where my children and grandchildren are together looking through boxes of printed photos and sharing their stories, and favorite memories.

3. Saving photos frees up space on your phone

At one point, I had over 12,000 photos on my phone. I was constantly worried about losing them! I’ve known a few people who’ve lost photos when they lost their phone or it stopped working and I didn’t want that to be me. A few years ago, I stumbled across the information I’m going to share with you and I’ve been using it ever since.

Saving, organizing, and printing my photos is one of my beloved routines. Just a few minutes (literally) each month, and I’m done!

The 4 Simple Steps to Save, Organize, and Print Your Photos

There are many options for photo storage and printing but this method works for me because it’s inexpensive, easy, and requires very little time. I think you’ll agree when you see the steps below.

I’m going to explain each step in more detail for saving, organizing, and printing photos from your phone and tell you what I wish I’d known years ago—it would have saved me lots of time and headaches; but here’s the basic list of the steps so you can get the big picture.

• Download the Amazon Photos App on your phone
• Create an album(s) in Amazon Photos for the month and/or event
• Order prints via the Amazon Photos App
• Display or store your printed photos

Easy enough, right? In just 4 simple steps you can save, organize, and print your favorite photos and have them delivered right to your door in just a few days!

I’m a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and some links may be affiliate links. I may receive a small fee at no extra cost to you if you buy something or take action after clicking one of these.

Step 1

Download the Amazon Photos App on your phone. I know there are lots of photo storage and printing options but Amazon Photos is my top choice.

Did you know Amazon Prime members get unlimited free photo storage plus 5 GB of video storage? I didn’t know this for quite a while but it’s been a game-changer for me. The photo storage method I used to use stopped being free and since I already had Amazon Prime it was a no-brainer to take advantage of the option to store my photos.

The best thing about having the app is that your photos automatically download when you open the app and are connected to wifi. How easy is that? I try to make sure I open the app once a week and give the photos time to download since I take lots of pictures.

If you don’t have Amazon Prime you can click here to sign up for a 30-day free trial and read about all the benefits. There are several pricing options to choose from depending on your needs.

Okay! So now that you have the Amazon Photos App and assuming all your photos are downloaded into the app, you’re done with “the saving” part and you can move on to “the organizing” part

Step 2

Create an album(s) in Amazon Photos for the month and/or event

One of my “things to do monthly” is manage the photos in the app. Sometime during the first week of each month, I open the app and double-check that all my photos from the previous month are there. One of my first tasks is to delete any photos in the app that I don’t care about saving (like various screenshots). These automatically downloaded but I want my app to be clutter-free. Now I’m ready to create an album.

To create an album:

• Click “Albums” at the bottom of your screen
• Click “+” to add a new album
• Select the photos you want in the album
• Click “Next”
• Give your album a title
• Click “Create”

I create more than just a monthly album. For example:

• a “Thrifty Style” album that I add to each month
• a “Christmas 2023” album
• albums for each of my kids

You can add photos to these albums anytime. I love have monthly albums as well as event/people specific albums.

These albums in my Amazon Photos App make it super easy to find a photo when I need to. I simply open my app, click “albums”, and find the right one. No need to scroll through the thousands of photos in my iPhone photo app.

(If you prefer, you can create albums and and order prints from your laptop. Just search Amazon.com/photos and sign in to your Amazon account. The steps are a little different but also easy.)

Step 3

Order prints via the Amazon Photos App

This is my favorite part!

• Click the black Amazon icon in the top left corner
• Click “Print photos with Amazon”
• Choose what you want to order (There are lots of options–photo books, wall decor, calendars).
• To order “Photo prints” scroll down the list and click “photo prints”.
• Choose with options you prefer (4×6, glossy, or matte)
• Click “Get Started”
• Select the photos you want to print
• Click “Checkout”
• Click “Place your order

You’re done! Yay you!

You’ve saved, organized, and ordered photo prints. Now all you have to do is wait a few days for your lovely prints to be delivered right to your door.

Step 4

Display or store your printed photos

When my photos arrive I can’t wait to open the package and look through them.

There’s something about holding a print in my hand that I love. My husband loves to look through them too because he usually hasn’t seen them before unless I’ve shared them. I toss the cardboard envelope and leave it in the white photo envelope.

This envelope gets added to the photo box. Photo boxes are a great option for storing photos. I get mine from Hobby Lobby when they’re on sale.

I found a similar style that I like on Amazon.

I also really like this Transparent 4″ x 6″ Photo Cases and Clear Craft Keeper with Handle – 16 Inner Cases Plastic Storage Container Box (Clear) This is a great option if you prefer not to leave the photos in the envelopes.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll be one step closer to having your cherished photos safe and organized with printed photos to enjoy for years to come.

Optional step: Go to photos on your phone and delete the photos you’ve saved and organized.

I confess I’m not very good with this step. I don’t delete photos on my phone until I feel like they’re taking up too much space.

But now that your photos are safely stored, organized, and printed, you can delete photos on your phone if you need to free up space.

I hope these 4 Simple Steps to Save, Organize, and Print Your Photos have been helpful to you. Do you have any questions? Leave a comment and let me know. You might also want to pin the photo below for future reference.

Thanks for stopping by!