The fastest way: plug in your iPhone and use the Photos app

Connect your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable. On your iPhone, tap Trust when prompted to allow your computer access. Open the Photos app on your Windows PC (search for "Photos" in the Start menu). Click Import in the top right, then select From a USB device. Windows will scan your iPhone and show you the photos and videos available to transfer.

Choose which photos you want to move. You can select individual items, or click Select all to transfer everything at once. Pick a folder on your PC where you want them saved, or create a new folder. Click Import and wait for the transfer to finish. The time depends on how many photos you're moving and their file size — a few hundred photos typically takes a few minutes.

After import, Windows will ask if you want to delete the photos from your iPhone. You can say yes to free up space on your phone, or no to keep them. Either way, the files are now on your PC.

Key Takeaways

  • The Photos app is built into Windows and requires only a USB cable — no software to download or install.
  • Your iPhone must be unlocked and you must tap Trust the first time you connect to that specific PC.
  • You can choose to delete photos from your iPhone after transfer to reclaim storage space.
  • If the Photos app doesn't open automatically, search for it in the Start menu or use File Explorer to browse your iPhone's storage directly.
  • For large batches of photos, a wired connection is faster and more reliable than wireless methods.

Using File Explorer if the Photos app doesn't work

If the Photos app doesn't appear or won't recognize your iPhone, you can transfer files manually through File Explorer. Plug in your iPhone with a USB cable, unlock it, and tap Trust. Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar) and look for your iPhone listed under "Devices and drives" on the left side.

Click on your iPhone to open it. You'll see folders including DCIM (where photos are stored) and Screenshots. Double-click DCIM to see the folders inside, which usually contain numbered folders like "100APPLE" or "101APPLE". Open these folders and you'll see your photos as individual files.

Select the photos you want (use Ctrl+A to select all, or Ctrl+click to pick specific ones), then right-click and choose Copy. Navigate to a folder on your PC where you want to save them, right-click, and select Paste. The files will copy to your computer.

Transferring photos wirelessly with OneDrive or iCloud

If you don't want to use a cable, you can move photos through cloud storage. On your iPhone, open Settings, tap your name at the top, then iCloud. Turn on Photos. This uploads your photos to iCloud automatically (you need an active Wi-Fi connection and enough iCloud storage — Apple gives you 5 GB free).

On your PC, go to iCloud.com in a web browser, sign in with your Apple ID, and click Photos. You'll see all your photos. Select the ones you want, click the download icon (a cloud with a down arrow), and they'll save to your Downloads folder. You can then move them anywhere on your PC.

Alternatively, if you use OneDrive, you can set up the OneDrive app on your iPhone to back up photos automatically. On your PC, open OneDrive and your photos will sync there. This method works best if you're already using OneDrive for other files, since it keeps everything in one place.

What to do if your iPhone won't connect to your PC

If your PC doesn't recognize your iPhone when you plug it in, try these steps in order. First, disconnect the cable, wait 10 seconds, and reconnect it. Make sure you tap Trust on your iPhone when the prompt appears — if you dismiss it, you'll need to unplug and reconnect to see the prompt again.

Try a different USB cable or a different USB port on your PC. Some cables are charge-only and don't transfer data. If you have another computer nearby, test your iPhone with that one to see if the problem is your phone or your PC. Update your iPhone to the latest iOS version by going to Settings > General > Software Update.

On your PC, make sure Windows is up to date. Open Settings, go to Update & Security, and click Check for updates. If you're using an older version of Windows, the Photos app may not work properly with newer iPhones. In that case, use File Explorer or a cloud storage method instead.

Organizing photos after transfer

Once your photos are on your PC, create a folder structure to keep them organized. Open File Explorer and create a main folder called "Photos" or "iPhone Backup" in your Documents or Pictures folder. Inside, create subfolders by year or by event — for example, "2024 > January" or "2024 > Vacation".

Move your transferred photos into the appropriate folders. If you transferred hundreds of photos at once, Windows sorts them by date, which makes it easier to group them. You can also use the Photos app on your PC to organize them further — it has features to create albums and tag photos by date or location.

Consider keeping a backup of your photos in a second location. External hard drives are inexpensive and reliable. You can also use cloud storage like OneDrive, Google Drive, or Dropbox to keep a copy online. This protects you if your PC fails or your files are accidentally deleted.

Transferring videos from your iPhone

Videos transfer the same way as photos — through the Photos app, File Explorer, or cloud storage. However, videos take up much more space. A single minute of video can be 100 MB or more, so transferring a large video library may take longer and require more storage on your PC.

If you're transferring a lot of video, use a wired connection (USB cable) rather than wireless methods. Wireless transfers can drop if your Wi-Fi connection is interrupted, and you'll have to start over. A cable connection is faster and won't be interrupted by network issues.

After transfer, check that the video files play correctly on your PC. Some older video formats from iPhones may not play in Windows Media Player. If that happens, you can use free software like VLC Media Player (available from videolan.org) to play almost any video format.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need iTunes to transfer photos from my iPhone to my PC?

No. iTunes is no longer used for photo transfer on Windows. The Photos app, File Explorer, or cloud storage methods all work without iTunes. If you have iTunes installed, you can uninstall it — it's not necessary for this task.

Will transferring photos delete them from my iPhone?

Not automatically. After you import photos using the Photos app, Windows asks if you want to delete them from your iPhone. You can choose yes or no. If you use File Explorer or cloud storage, the photos stay on your iPhone unless you manually delete them. To free up space, you can delete them from your iPhone after confirming they're safely on your PC.

Can I transfer photos while my iPhone is locked?

No. Your iPhone must be unlocked for your PC to access it. You also need to tap Trust the first time you connect to that PC. After that, you can leave it locked for future transfers, but the initial connection requires both steps.

What if my PC says "Unknown Device" instead of showing my iPhone?

This usually means the USB cable isn't transferring data, or your PC doesn't have the right drivers. Try a different cable first — many cables only charge and don't transfer files. If a different cable doesn't work, update Windows and restart your PC. If the problem persists, use iCloud or OneDrive to transfer wirelessly instead.

How much storage space do I need on my PC for my photos?

It depends on how many photos you have. A typical photo from an iPhone is 2 to 4 MB. If you have 1,000 photos, you'll need roughly 2 to 4 GB of free space. Videos take much more — a one-minute video can be 100 MB or more. Check how much free space your PC has by opening File Explorer, right-clicking your C: drive, and selecting Properties.