USB tethering

How to tether your Canon over USB to your phone

Turn your phone into the tether: connect your Canon over USB and CloudTether uploads every full-resolution shot to the cloud the instant you press the shutter — no laptop, no card reader.

By the CloudTether team · Updated

Step by step

  1. 1

    Set your Canon to tether mode

    Connect over USB with the camera set to PC/tether mode for the most reliable, fastest link.

  2. 2

    Connect the camera to your phone

    Plug the camera into your phone with a USB-C cable (or the right adapter). CloudTether detects it and opens a session.

  3. 3

    Pick a destination and shoot

    Choose where photos should go — Dropbox, Google Drive, a client gallery, an FTP server — and start shooting. Every full-resolution frame uploads as you fire the shutter.

CloudTether Connect a camera screen with the USB cable option and Canon in the brand list
Plug in and the camera connects by itself.
CloudTether Send its shots to sheet after a camera connects over USB, with a test shot delivered to Dropbox and Google Drive
When the camera connects, pick where its shots go and take a test shot.

Canon USB settings in detail

There's no USB mode to set on an EOS body. Turn the camera's Wi-Fi off (several Canon bodies disable USB while wireless is on), make sure it isn't in a webcam or streaming mode, and plug in.

EOS R bodies such as the R5, R6 Mark II, R7, R8 and R3 have USB-C, so one USB-C to USB-C data cable reaches a USB-C iPhone, iPad or Android phone. The 5D Mark IV uses a Micro-B USB 3 port, which needs a Micro-B to USB-C cable. A Lightning iPhone needs Apple's Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter.

Raise Auto power off so the camera doesn't sleep between sets, and close Canon's own apps on the phone so only CloudTether talks to the camera.

Canon cameras

Canon EOS R5Canon EOS R5Canon EOS R6 Mark IICanon EOS R6 Mark IICanon EOS R7Canon EOS R7Canon EOS R3Canon EOS R3Canon EOS R5 Mark IICanon EOS R5 Mark IICanon EOS R1Canon EOS R1Canon EOS R6 Mark IIICanon EOS R6Canon EOS R6

Canon USB not working?

FAQ

Can I tether my Canon over USB without a computer?

Yes. CloudTether tethers your Canon to your phone over USB and uploads every shot to the cloud — no laptop, no card reader, no desktop tethering software.

Is USB faster than Wi-Fi for tethering my Canon?

Generally yes — USB is the fastest, most reliable link, which is why it's preferred for studio and high-volume work. Canon also supports Wi-Fi tethering if you'd rather go cable-free.

Which Canon cameras can tether over USB?

Most modern Canon mirrorless and DSLR bodies support USB tethering. See the Canon hub for your specific model.

Where your Canon photos can go

Deliver every shot to Dropbox, Google Drive, a client gallery, an FTP server and more — live as you shoot.

Destinations Canon over Wi-Fi