Transferring images from an iPhone to a computer is a frequent operation that doesn’t have to be a burden, but it can be upsetting when something doesn’t work or takes longer than it should. Fortunately, Apple gives numerous options for transferring photos from an iPhone to a computer.

A direct cable connection is feasible, but not the most convenient. Uploading to the internet works, but the transfer speed is limited by bandwidth, which can change at any time. There are other direct wireless transfer solutions that do not require the cloud storage upload and download cycle.

Which approach is the most useful depends on the technology and software available, and understanding all of your options will help you make the right selection. So, whether you want to transfer photos to share with friends and family or dump them onto a local backup drive to free up space on your iPhone, keep reading to find out the best ways to transfer photos from an iPhone to a computer.

To transfer photographs and movies from an iPhone to a Windows PC, no additional software is required. Not even iTunes is required. All you need is your charging cable from Lightning to USB.

In fact, there isn’t even a built-in feature in Apple’s iTunes software to transfer images from your iPhone to your PC. A photo sync feature is available, however it can only be used to copy photos from your PC to your iPhone.

Use File Explorer or Windows Explorer

To begin, connect your iPhone or iPad to your computer using the provided Lightning-to-USB adapter. This is the same cord that is used to charge your phone.

When you connect it to your computer for the first time, you’ll see a popup asking you to trust your computer (if iTunes is installed) or allow access to your photographs and movies (if iTunes isn’t installed). Select “Trust” or “Allow” to grant your computer access to your photos. You may need to unlock your iPhone to see this popup.

Your iPhone displays as a new device in Windows 10 File Explorer under “This PC” or “Computer” in Windows Explorer. Go ahead and double-click it.

If you don’t see the iPhone under This PC or Computer, disconnect it, reconnect it, and make sure it’s unlocked.

Inside the iPhone, double-click the “DCIM” folder. Your photographs and videos are saved in a folder called 100APPLE. If you have a large number of photographs and videos, you may notice extra folders like 101APPLE, 102APPLE, and so on. If you utilize iCloud to save images, you’ll notice folders with names like 100Cloud, 101Cloud, and so on.

The only thing you’ll see on your iPhone is the regular DCIM folder. You cannot access any other files on your iPhone from this location.

Photos will be displayed as.JPG files, films as.MOV files, and screenshots as.PNG files. You can view them on your iPhone by double-clicking on them. You may also copy them to your PC by dragging and dropping or copying and pasting.

When you delete something from the DCIM folder, it is gone from your iPhone’s storage.

Simply copy-and-paste or drag-and-drop the 100APPLE folder (and any other folders) within the DCIM folder to import everything from your iPhone. You could also simply grab the entire DCIM folder if you choose. If you want the items to stay on your phone, make sure to copy them rather than move them.

If you notice files with the .HIEC file extension, it means your iPhone is using the new HEIF picture format. This is the default setting in iOS 11, but viewing these files on Windows requires third-party software.

You do not, however, need to disable HEIF on your iPhone to make these photographs more compatible. Go to Settings > Photos on your iPhone, scroll down, and then tap “Automatic” under Transfer to Mac or PC. When you transfer images from your iPhone to a PC, they are instantly converted to.JPEG files.

Instead, choose “Keep Originals” and your iPhone will give you the original .HEIC format.

Import Photos With Windows Photos (or Other Applications)

Any application capable of importing images from a digital camera or USB device can likewise import photos from an iPhone or iPad. The iPhone exposes a DCIM folder, making it seem to applications on your PC as if it were any other digital camera. As with the Windows file manager, simply connect it with a Lightning-to-USB cord and hit “Trust” on your phone.

To enjoy a seamless import experience, open the Photos app that comes with Windows 10, and then click the “Import” icon on the toolbar. Photos imported in this manner are preserved in the Pictures folder.

Any other app having a “Import From Camera” or “Import From USB” capability should also work with your iPhone. This capability is available in many different image management and photography apps.

Sync Your Photos With iCloud Photo Library (or Other Services)

If you don’t want to utilize a wire to connect your iPhone to your PC, you can use online photo synchronization services. These will not only upload images from your iPhone to the cloud, but will also download photos from the cloud to your computer. You’ll end up with two copies: one online and one on your computer.

On your iPhone, for example, you may enable iCloud Photo Library by going to Settings > Photos and activating “iCloud Photo Library” if it isn’t already active. Your images will then be immediately uploaded to your Apple iCloud account by your iPhone.

Then, in the iCloud control panel, install iCloud for Windows, sign in with your Apple ID, and enable the “Photos” feature. To choose where images are kept on your PC and alter other options, click the “Options” button.

Photos you capture are automatically uploaded to your iCloud Photo Library, and a copy is downloaded to your PC via the iCloud software.

This isn’t the only program you may use to sync photos to your PC. Automatic photo upload options are available in the Dropbox, Google Photos, and Microsoft OneDrive apps for iPhone, and you can use the Dropbox, Google Backup and Sync, and OneDrive utilities for Windows to automatically download those photos to your PC.

Just keep in mind that you’re actually syncing those folders with these services. As a result, deleting something from a synced folder on your PC also deletes it from your phone.

Airdrop iPhone Photos to PC

Do you want to know how to transfer images from your iPhone to your laptop using Airdrop?

Because AirDrop uses Wi-Fi to transport data from iPhone to Mac and vice versa, you must first ensure that your iPhone or iPad and computer are both connected to Wi-Fi.

Keep in mind that AirDrop requires a Mac model from 2012 or later running OS X Yosemite or later to transfer pictures from an iPhone to a Mac.

• Launch the Photos app on your iPhone. After selecting the images you want to save to your computer, click the Share button.
• Select AirDrop from the Share menu.
• Select your computer from the list of devices at the bottom of the screen.

• If it was successful, it will say Sent beneath the computer symbol.
• Tap Done in the top-right corner to exit the AirDrop interface.

Use Cloud Drive Services to Transfer Photos to PC

Another method for sending photographs from iPhone to laptop is to use cloud services such as Dropbox or Google photographs.

Google Photos allows you to synchronize your photographs across all of your devices.

When you use Google Images to organize and save your images, you can also use it to effortlessly and flawlessly transfer photos between your mobile device and your computer.

• To accomplish this, simply install the Google Photos app on both devices and login in with the same Google account.
• Both of your devices will be synchronized so that your photographs are always available.

Top Software to Transfer Photos from iPhone to PC

Don’t you ever feel like you have so many images on your iPhone that you don’t need in your everyday life but are vital since they remind you of your memories?

Yes, you will need software to transfer photos from iPhone to computer. You may save and even backup those photos on your computer, allowing you to save up a lot of space. Many apps and tools have made photo transfer so simple and convenient.

1. iCareFone – Export All Photos to PC with One-Click

iCareFone, a full-featured iOS data management solution that allows you to export images from iPhone and PC in one click, is the best, quickest, and easiest software to transfer photos from iPhone to PC.

It does not reduce photo quality and allows you to choose the photo format during export. For example, iCareFone can assist you in exporting all of your images to your computer while also converting them from HEIC to other formats. JPG and PDF are supported formats. You can, of course, preserve the original format.

See how to use this app to transfer images from your iPhone to your computer:

1. Install iCareFone on your computer. Then start it up and connect your iPhone to the PC. Click the “Export Photos” button on the main menu.

2. Wait for the export procedure to finish. Please maintain contact throughout the process.

3. Within minutes, the process will be finished, and you will be able to open the Folder and inspect them on your computer.

4. If you want to alter the format of the exported photos, click the three horizontal lines symbol in the upper right corner and then select “Export Settings.” Set the format in which you want to convert your images here.

Pros:

• Method of one-click transfer
• There is no need to sign in with your Apple ID.
• Transfer success rate of 99.9%
• Examine before transferring
• Simple to use

Cons:

Although iCareFone is a premium application, it is well worth the money. It has many more features than merely photo transfer.

About the Price:

Fresh users can transfer 10 photos for free, and then:

$29.95 – 1 Month
$49.95 – 1 Year
$59.95 – Lifetime

2. Simple Transfer

An excellent photo transfer app is called Simple Transfer. Without any complicated interfaces or features, it is straightforward and simple to use. Just connect directly to your home Wi-Fi network to wirelessly download images from your iPhone to your PC.

Pro:

• There is no file size limit. Large videos can also be played.
• The transferred photographs will be erased automatically.
• HEIC to JPG conversion

Cons:

It’s a paid app.

• Legacy – Pro Version – $19.99
• Yearly Premium – $11.99
• Lifetime Premium – $39.99

3. Photo Transfer App

Another popular program that allows you to transfer images from your iPhone to your PC is Photo Transfer program. It wirelessly transfers images. Drag and drop photos from your iPhone app to any folder on your computer.

Pros:

• There is no need for cords; simply connect to your local Wi-Fi network.
• Transfer photographs in full resolution without losing quality, as well as RAW photo files, from iPhone to computer.
• Photo metadata is preserved in all transmission directions (EXIF information, location, and so on).

Cons:

It’s a paid app. The subscription plan charges from $0.99 to $22.99.

4. iCareFone iOS App – Transfer Photos to PC Wirelessly

If you don’t want to use a data cable to connect your phone to the computer, iCareFone also has a mobile version. You can get the iCareFone iOS mobile app from the iOS App Store. It can help you transfer images from your iPhone to your PC via Wi-Fi!

See how to use this app to transfer photos from iPhone to PC:

1. On your iPhone, navigate to the iOS App Store. Search for “iCareFone” and download the app (or click here). Then, on your PC, run it.

2. In the bottom menu bar, select the computer icon with the Wi-Fi emblem. You will then see an address. Make a copy of it.

3. Please ensure that the computer and the gadget are both connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Launch a web browser on your computer and type the address into the address bar.

4. After making your selections, you can choose images and download them to your PCs.

5. Additionally, they might choose to transfer images from their PC to their iPhone. (The iCareFone app allows for wireless image deletion from an iPhone on a PC.)

Pros:

• No cable is required. Wi-Fi transfer is used.
• Simple to use.

Cons:

• The computer and iPhone must connect to the same Wi-Fi network.
• Although it’s a premium app, new users can try it out for free for 3 days!

5. PhotoSync

“PhotoSync – transfer photos” is the name of a mobile application that is available on the App Store. A quick and easy way to move photographs and movies between different devices is provided by this software. You may wirelessly transfer images from your iPhone to your PC using Photo Sync.

It should be noted that this app is not free. Its subscription plans range in price from $0.99 to $24.99.

Conclusion

Transferring images from an iPhone to a PC is a simple procedure that allows you to easily manage and backup your priceless memories. Following the procedures indicated in this guide will allow you to smoothly transfer your images, ensuring that they are safely stored on your PC. Whether you utilize a USB cord, cloud storage, or specialist software, there is a technique that meets your preferences and needs. Take advantage of the different solutions available to you and easily transfer your iPhone images to your PC, providing you with piece of mind and simple access to your treasured memories.