This detailed tutorial explores seven free methods to transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Windows computer.
You can easily transfer media from iPhone to Mac using wireless or wired AirDrop. Similarly, QuickShare lets you exchange photos and videos from a Windows PC to an Android phone.
However, when it comes to sending iPhone photos and videos to a Windows computer, you can’t rely on AirDrop or QuickShare. Instead, you’ll have to use one of these wired or wireless methods.
Use iCloud Photos to access and download iPhone Photos on Windows PC
If you already use iCloud Photos to back up all your iPhone pictures and videos, then there is no better way to access and download them on your Windows PC, thanks to the official Apple iCloud app and the Microsoft Photos app.
All you need to do is sign in to the iCloud app on your Windows PC with the same Apple Account you use on your iPhone and turn on Sync Photos. We have explained the entire step-by-step process with several screenshots in our dedicated tutorial: How to set up and use iCloud Photos on your Windows PC
However, if you don’t use iCloud Photos or you want to learn about additional methods, the following tips show you how to get your iPhone or iPad pictures and videos to your Windows computer.
Note: If you use iCloud Photos on your iPhone and want to transfer them to your PC using the Photos app, File Explorer, or other methods explained below, then go to iOS Settings > iCloud > Photos and select Download and Keep Originals. Let your iPhone download all original versions of your images and videos from iCloud before starting the transfer.
Import iPhone pictures and videos to the Windows Photos app
Both Apple and Microsoft recommend using this method as it’s one of the fastest and most reliable ways to copy photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Windows computer.
I like it mainly because the experience is more or less the same as using the Apple Photos app on Mac, and the Microsoft Photos app also lets you import only the new/remaining iPhone media. So, whether you want to regularly back up your iPhone photos and videos to your PC or make a random transfer, this is my go-to method.
1) Unlock your iPhone or iPad and connect it to your Windows computer using an appropriate USB cable.
2) You may see a “Trust This Computer” alert on your iPhone or iPad screen. Tap Trust and authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or iOS device passcode. If you see the “Allow this device to access photos and videos” popup, remember to hit Allow.
3) Now open the built-in Microsoft Photos app on your Windows computer.
4) Click the Import button in the upper right corner of the Photos app screen and select your Apple iPhone under the Connected devices section.
5) Your PC will load all your images and videos from your iPhone or iPad’s Photos app. Depending on your library size, it may take a while. Once loaded, you can select all photos, select just the new ones since the last import, or click the checkbox for each photo or video to select manually.
6) With the desired files selected, click the Add N items button from the top right corner.
7) Now, choose a location to import the files:
- If you already use OneDrive to back up your PC’s Pictures folder, you can select that or create a new folder.
- Similarly, if you have an iCloud Photos folder, you can import directly to that folder or create a new one.
- If you have not set up OneDrive or iCloud Photos, you can select your computer’s local Pictures folder.
- And if OneDrive is set up but you don’t want to use it, you’ll have to stop backing up the Pictures folder to OneDrive by going to PC Settings > System > OneDrive. Then, you’ll see a new local Pictures folder on the import screen in the Photos app.
8) With the desired location set, hit the Import button to transfer photos. Your PC will fetch the files from your iPhone and save them to the chosen folder.
You can see these recently imported pictures and videos in the Photos app or File Explorer on your Windows PC.
See and copy iPhone pictures to Windows File Explorer folder
This method also relies on a wired connection and offers speed and reliability. However, unlike the Photos app, which organizes your entire photo library in a single, user-friendly interface, Windows File Explorer accesses the iPhone’s internal storage and displays photos and videos sorted into numerous monthly folders.
1) Connect your iPhone or iPad to your Windows computer using a USB cable and Trust it if prompted.
2) Open File Explorer on your PC, go to the This PC section, and double-click your Apple iPhone.
3) Access your iPhone or iPad’s Internal Storage.
4) You’ll see several folders here. The names of these folders represent the year and month of the photos and videos they contain. So, if a folder name is “202502_,” that means it has photos and videos from the year 2025 and month 02 (February).
You can open a folder and copy just the individual photos or videos and paste them into another File Explorer folder, or you can copy and paste the entire folder (or all folders) to your Windows PC local storage.
Use LocalSend to transfer iPhone photos and videos wirelessly to PC
LocalSend is an open-source tool to transfer photos and videos, irrespective of the operating system. It works well with an easy-to-use interface. All you need to do is ensure your iPhone and Windows PC are connected to the same network.
1) Install the LocalSend app on your Windows computer, open it, and stay in the Receive tab. Take note of the name and number you see here, such as Cute Melon #235, Clean Broccoli #216, and such.
2) Download the free LocalSend app on your iPhone, open it, and allow the app to access your local networks so it can find other devices on your network, like your Windows PC.
3) Navigate to to the Send tab.
4) Tap Media at the top, allow the app to access your iPhone’s camera roll, and select up to 999 photos and videos. You can also select Recents from the top and see a particular album. After choosing what you want to transfer, tap the Confirm button.
5) With the pictures and videos loaded, select your Windows PC to start the transfer.
6) Accept the incoming request on your Windows PC, and all selected files will start transferring right away.
7) Once the iPhone photos and videos are sent, you’ll see them inside the Downloads folder in your PC’s File Explorer.
Use a cloud service like OneDrive or Google Photos
If you already use OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, or another cloud storage service, download their app on your iPhone and allow it to back up all your photos and videos (or you can choose to add your media manually).
Next, set up the respective app on your Windows PC or access that service’s website in a web browser. Remember to sign in with the same account you used on your iPhone.
Use AirDisk to send iPhone photos and videos to a Windows PC
In theory, it’s similar to LocalSend, but you’ll need one less app as the PC side works in your web browser. Just note that the free version limits how many photos you can send from your iPhone to your PC in one go.
1) Make sure your iPhone and Windows computer are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
2) Download and open the AirDisk File Manager app on your iPhone. Then, go inside My Folder, tap the plus button (+), and choose Library.
3) Allow the app to access your iPhone photo library, select all the images you want to transfer, and hit the Import button.
4) With the photos you want on your PC imported to the AirDisk iOS app, tap the circular sync button that’s made up of two curved arrows.
5) Then, tap Wi-Fi Files Transfer, and you’ll see a web address here, such as http://192.168.97.216:8080.
6) Open Microsoft Edge or another web browser on your PC and visit this exact URL you see on your iPhone screen (http://192.168.97.216:8080).
7) Click the download button next to My Folder to transfer all the photos and videos you added in Step 3 onto your Windows PC.
Email the photo
This method is useful if you just need to quickly send one or a few photos from your iPhone or iPad to your PC. Emailing several files or videos is impractical unless you use Apple’s Mail Drop feature.
After you email the photo(s) to yourself or your other account from your iPhone, open that email service in a web browser on your Windows PC or inside the official Outlook app to download the media.
Are iPhone photos not opening on Windows PC?
Modern Windows computers can open HEIC files (the format your iPhone takes pictures in by default), but if your old Windows PC doesn’t support it natively, go to iPhone Settings > Apps > Photos and make sure Automatic is selected under the Transfer to Mac or PC heading. This will ensure your iPhone auto-converts HEIC images and HEVC videos to a supported format like JPG or MP4 (H.264) when transferring it to your old Mac or PC.
Additionally, you can stop your iPhone from saving photos and videos in HEIC and HEVC by going to Settings > Camera > Formats > Most Compatible.
Also, check out: How to use the Apple Devices app on your Windows PC