Transfer photos from an iPhone to your PC. First, connect your iPhone to a PC with a USB cable that can transfer files. Turn your phone on and unlock it. Your PC can’t find the device if the device is locked. On your PC, select the Start button and then select Photos to open the Photos app. Select Import > From a USB device, then follow the instructions. You can pick the items you want to import and select where to save them. Allow a few moments for detection and transfer. Make sure the photos you want to import are actually on the device rather than in the cloud. Then, follow the steps for your type of device. For more info, see Import photos and videos from phone to PC Need more help?You are here: Home / How-to / What to do if you can’t transfer photos from iPhone to Windows PC Technology doesn’t always work how we want, particularly when using Apple and Windows together. Many users have unexpectedly found they can’t transfer photos from iPhone to PC. If you’re in the same situation, this is the post you need! Contents
Quick TipsFollow these quick tips to help transfer your iPhone’s or iPad’s photos to your Windows computer
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Our Phones are Our Cameras!iPhones are used to take a trillion photos every year. With access to such impressive cameras, it’s common to see our photo libraries grow exponentially. That’s why it’s important to get the pictures off our iPhone as regularly as possible — freeing up storage and creating a backup of our precious memories. There are plenty of options for doing this: iCloud Photo Library, sharing to social media, iPhone backups, and importing pictures to Mac or PC. The last option should be easy, but sadly for PC users Apple and Windows don’t always play nicely. In fact, after years of smooth sailing, many users suddenly find they can’t transfer photos from iPhone to PC anymore. Such a discovery can be understandably frustrating, which is why we’ve outlined everything you need for a solution below. We’ll start by explaining the correct process for downloading photos from iPhone to Windows. Even if you’ve been doing it with no problem for years, do not skip this step. It’s important to know the correct process, as doing it another way could cause problems with your devices. Let’s start off by making sure we’re on the same page, using the same transfer process. The steps below outline Apple’s recommended process for downloading pictures from iPhone to PC. You should make sure this is how you do it, as other methods could damage the system files of your devices. Why can’t you copy photos from iPhone to Windows? Check these settings firstTransfer iPhone Photos Using Windows 10:
Transfer iPhone or iPad Pictures Using Windows 8:
Transfer iPhone Photos Using Windows 7:
Not Working?Check that Home Sharing is turned on from File > Home Sharing in iTunes.
This feature often helps to get your iPhone or another iDevice to show up as a device to browse, just like a hard disk. Another option is to close all your active programs and then Restart. Keep your iPhone or iPad connected during that Restart. Then, if it pops-up choose Trust this device on your iPhone if prompted, then start the Photo Gallery on your Windows PC. How to import photos from iPhone to PC if AutoPlay does not appearIf AutoPlay doesn’t show up after connecting your iDevice, make sure it’s selected in your Control Panel.
Troubleshooting SuggestionsNow we know the correct way to import photos from iPhone to PC. In case this still isn’t working for you, we’ve put together a series of troubleshooting suggestions to help find a solution. Be sure to try importing your photos again after each troubleshooting suggestion. Update Your SoftwareMake sure you’re running the latest software for each of the following: iOS, Windows, and iTunes. Otherwise, the problem you’re encountering could be a fault within outdated software. If you’re unsure how to check for an update follow the links below:
If your iPhone storage is full and you can’t download the new update, try using iTunes to update instead. Doing so downloads the new software to your PC first, requiring less storage on your iPhone. A software update may be required to transfer photos successfullyEnsure Your iPhone is UnlockedFor security measures, the iPhone may require permission before allowing any images to be transferred from it. For this reason, it’s crucial to ensure your device is unlocked and awake throughout the transfer attempts. Tap your iPhone screen occasionally to keep it awake. Also, be sure to keep an eye on it for any prompts that may appear. Some users noted that opening the Photos app on their iPhone caused a permissions pop-up to appear which allowed the transfer. If you do not select Trust, your PC cannot access your phone’s storage including your Photo App’s DCIM folder. It’s important to keep an eye on your iPhone for any promptsIf you accidentally selected Don’t Trust, reset your trusted devices
Test the Physical ConnectionsIt’s possible that a hardware fault is stopping you from being able to import your photos. This could be down to the iPhone, PC, or the USB cable connecting them. Try each of the steps below to narrow down any potential causes. How to Test Physical Connections:
If any of the steps above allowed you to transfer photos successfully, then you will know the fault lies with whatever element was different. This could mean a hardware repair is needed, and you should take your device to a technician for further assistance. Turn Off iCloud Photo LibraryiCloud Photo Library allows you to store your entire photo library on iCloud, making it accessible on all your Apple devices. If turned on, iCloud Photo Library will also optimize your iPhone storage by deleting photos from your device and downloading them again whenever you view them — this is visible as a circular loading icon at the bottom right of your images. If iCloud Photo Library is taking pictures off of your iPhone, it isn’t possible to complete a full transfer. However, you can view your entire library by signing in to iCloud.com on any computer. Log in to iCloud.com to view and download any photos stored in the cloudFrom here, it’s possible to select and download whatever photos you need. If you don’t wish to store your photos in the cloud, follow the steps below to ensure iCloud Photo Library is switched off for your device. How to Turn Off iCloud Photo Library:
Alternatively, Download iCloud for Windows to manage your entire iCloud account on your PCiCloud Photo Library is a great feature that removes the need to back up photos on your PC. For most people, however, it does require a small paid subscription for additional iCloud storage. Follow these steps to get iCloud Photos on Your Windows PC
Some iPhone Photos Not Visible While Transferring to Windows?Some of the photos not visible when trying to transfer to Windows. This issue can sometimes happen when you have selected to Optimize iPhone storage for the Photos. When you select that option, the originals are stored in the iCloud. The optimized images sometimes do not show up in the file structure when transferring it to a Windows PC. Follow along to check using the steps below
Alternatively, try temporarily turning OFF iCloud Photo Library
Importing from Newer iPhone Models and Windows 10On newer iPhones, sometimes importing via the Windows 10 Photos App causes issues. Not exactly sure why. One way to bypass the problem is not to use the Photos application of windows 10 and instead try doing it manually through Windows File Explorer Transfer iPhone Pictures to a Windows Computer using Windows File Explorer
Select your pictures, copy and paste them into a new folder in Pictures. You can also right-click on the iPhone in File Explorer and try the Import Pictures and Videos Option to see if that works for you. Seeing “device is unreachable” error message when trying to import media from iPhone to Windows?If you are trying to import photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod onto your Windows PC, but keep getting the error message that your device is unreachable, try changing the setting on how your iDevice transfers your photos and other media.
Wrap-UpFor additional questions around importing Photos to PC, check out this Microsoft article. If you still can’t transfer photos from iPhone to PC, please get in touch through the comments, and we’ll do what we can to get you sorted. But hopefully, the steps we outlined above worked their wonders and helped you out already. Reader Tips
Dan writes tutorials and troubleshooting guides to help people make the most of their technology. Before becoming a writer, he earned a BSc in Sound Technology, supervised repairs at an Apple Store, and even taught English in China. Why won't my iPhone photos import to my computer?This usually means that you are only storing a smaller preview of your images on the iPhone. The images are actually stored on the iCloud. For this reason, when you are trying to transfer data, photos won't import from iPhone to PC. Under iCloud, go to Photos and disable this option.
Why won't all my pictures import to my computer?To transfer files over Wi-Fi, your computer and the smartphone or other device containing the photos must both be connected to the network. If either is not on Wi-Fi, your PC won't be able to browse your photos. Check the settings on both devices, making sure that each is logged into the same network.
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