How to Transfer Photos From iPhone to PC (Windows 11)

Here is how to transfer photos from iPhone to PC on Windows 11: connect the iPhone with a USB cable, unlock it and tap Trust, then open the Windows Photos app and click Import. If you would rather skip the cable, iCloud for Windows can sync your library to the PC automatically. This guide walks through both, plus File Explorer and the fixes for the most common errors.

Quick answer: Install Apple’s Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store, plug in your iPhone with a USB cable, unlock it and tap Trust. Open the Photos app on Windows 11, click Import, pick your iPhone, select the photos, choose a folder and click Confirm. For a wireless option, turn on iCloud Photos in iCloud for Windows.

Which Method Should You Use?

Before You Start: Two Settings That Save Trouble

A minute on your iPhone first avoids the two biggest problems: missing photos and files Windows can’t open.

• Make sure the photos are on the iPhone. Apple notes that if iCloud Photos is on, you should download the full-resolution originals to your iPhone before importing to a PC. If your iPhone uses Optimize iPhone Storage, older photos may live only in iCloud and won’t show up over USB.
• Choose how photos are sent to the PC. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Photos (on older iOS versions, Settings > Photos) and scroll to Transfer to Mac or PC. Automatic sends photos in a format your PC can handle, while Keep Originals sends the original files without converting them.

Want new photos to be easier to open on Windows from now on? Apple’s own guide suggests going to Settings > Camera > Formats and choosing Most Compatible, so the camera saves photos as JPEG and videos as H.264. This only affects photos you take after the change.

Method 1: How to Transfer Photos From iPhone to PC With the Photos App (USB)

This is the method Apple and Microsoft both point to, and it works on Windows 11 and Windows 10.

1. Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store. Apple lists it as the first step for importing photos to a Windows PC.
2. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable that carries data, not just power.
3. Unlock the iPhone with your passcode.
4. If the iPhone asks Trust This Computer?, tap Trust or Allow and enter your passcode.
5. On the PC, type Photos in the taskbar search box and open the Photos app.
6. Click Import on the app bar. Your connected devices appear in the list.
7. Select your iPhone and wait for the photos to load. This can take a while if you have thousands.
8. Select the photos and videos you want, or select them all.
9. Choose the destination folder on your PC.
10. Click Confirm to start the import.

Keep the iPhone unlocked and the cable connected until the import finishes. Microsoft’s guide stresses that the device must be unlocked and the permission accepted, or the photos won’t appear.

Method 2: Copy iPhone Photos With File Explorer

If you just want the files without an app, File Explorer works like a USB drive for your camera roll.

1. Connect and unlock your iPhone, and tap Trust if asked.
2. Open File Explorer and click This PC.
3. Open Apple iPhone, then Internal Storage, then DCIM.
4. Photos are stored in numbered folders inside DCIM. Open them, select the photos you want and drag or copy them to a folder on your PC.

File Explorer shows photos in numbered folders rather than albums, so the Photos app is easier when you want to pick specific shots. For very large libraries, copy one folder at a time.

Method 3: Transfer Photos From iPhone to PC Without a Cable (iCloud)

iCloud is the easiest way to move photos wirelessly, and it keeps working in the background. You need iCloud Photos turned on on your iPhone (Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Photos) and enough iCloud storage for your library.

Use iCloud for Windows

1. Install iCloud for Windows from the Microsoft Store and sign in with the same Apple Account as your iPhone.
2. Next to iCloud Photos, click the arrow button.
3. Turn on iCloud Photos.
4. Optionally tick Download High-Efficiency format photos and videos if you want to keep the HEIC files.
5. Click Done.

Apple says the photos are saved to the Pictures\iCloud Photos\Photos folder in your user folder. You can also open File Explorer, click iCloud Photos and double-click any photo or video to download it. See Apple’s guide to setting up Photos in iCloud for Windows for the full options.

Use iCloud.com in a browser

Need a few photos on a PC that isn’t yours? Go to iCloud.com/photos, sign in with your Apple Account, select the photos (hold Ctrl to pick several) and click the download button in the upper-right corner. Apple covers this in Use iCloud Photos on your PC.

iPhone Not Showing Up on PC? Fixes That Work

Most transfer problems come down to trust, the cable or the app. Apple’s checklist for when your computer doesn’t recognize your iPhone boils down to these steps:

• Unlock the iPhone and look for the Trust prompt. If you tapped Don’t Trust by mistake, Apple’s fix is to reset Location & Privacy settings on the iPhone so the prompt appears again.
• Open the Apple Devices app. Your iPhone should appear in its sidebar. If it does here, Windows can see it.
• Try another cable or USB port. Some cables only charge. Also check the iPhone’s charging port for lint.
• Update both sides. Install the latest Windows updates and the latest iOS version.
• Import stops halfway or shows “device unreachable”? Import a smaller batch at a time, keep the iPhone unlocked, and try switching Transfer to Mac or PC to the other setting (Automatic or Keep Originals), then reconnect.
• Some photos are missing? They are probably stored only in iCloud. Download the originals to the iPhone first, or use iCloud for Windows instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the easiest way to transfer photos from iPhone to PC?

With a cable, the Windows Photos app is the easiest: plug in, tap Trust, click Import. Without a cable, iCloud for Windows is easiest because it syncs new photos automatically.

Can I transfer photos from iPhone to PC without iTunes?

Yes. On Windows, Apple now points to the Apple Devices app for connecting your iPhone, and the actual import happens in the Windows Photos app or File Explorer. You don’t need iTunes for it.

How do I transfer photos from iPhone to PC wirelessly?

Turn on iCloud Photos on your iPhone, then install iCloud for Windows on the PC and turn on iCloud Photos there. Your photos download to the iCloud Photos folder over the internet. You can also download photos from iCloud.com in any browser.

Why can’t I open iPhone photos on my PC?

iPhones save photos in the space-saving HEIC format by default. To get files that open everywhere, set Transfer to Mac or PC to Automatic, or switch the camera to Most Compatible so it saves JPEG files.

Does transferring photos to a PC delete them from my iPhone?

No. Importing copies the photos to your PC and leaves them on the iPhone. Once you have checked they are safe on the PC, you can delete them from the iPhone yourself to free up space. Keep in mind that with iCloud Photos on, deleting a photo on the iPhone deletes it from iCloud too.

More iPhone Guides

Freeing up space after a big photo backup? See how to clear cache on iPhone. Want to save a video of your screen too? Here is how to screen record on iPhone with sound. And if your phone ever goes missing, our guide on finding a lost iPhone with Find My shows what to do. For Apple’s own steps, read Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone to your Mac or PC.