It’s common to want to transfer photos from your iPhone to your PC, whether for backup, editing, or sharing. But sometimes, things don’t go as planned. This article breaks down how to transfer photos, why sometimes it doesn’t work, and what apps can help with this process, especially when your iPhone decides to play hide-and-seek with your computer.
How to transfer photos from iPhone to PC
You can transfer photos from your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable or use the iCloud Photos Windows app to download synced photos to your PC. You can transfer photos from your iPhone without installing iTunes on your PC. The driver should install automatically, and your PC should recognize your iPhone within a matter of seconds.
Transferring photos from your iPhone to a PC is generally a straightforward process. Here’s a simplified step-by-step guide:
- Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC with the USB data cable.
- Wait for the driver to install, unlock your iPhone, and tap Allow. The Auto-play menu should pop up.
- Select Import photos.
Alternatively, you can choose to Do nothing and later expand your iPhone from the File Explorer. You should find all the folders containing photos and videos in the iPhone’s Internal storage.
Why can’t I transfer photos from iPhone to PC?
The procedure of importing photos to your PC is usually seamless and it doesn’t require any extra effort. You connect your iPhone to your PC with the Lighting-to-USB-A data cable, allow data access on your iPhone, and browse your iPhone’s internal storage for photos and videos.
However, various factors can hinder the process of transferring photos. Some common issues include:
- Permission settings. You accidentally refused access to your iPhone. When connecting your iPhone to your PC, tap Allow to grant access to the internal storage.
- Driver issues. Outdated or incompatible drivers can prevent your iPhone from communicating properly with your PC.
- USB Data cable problems. A faulty USB cable can be the culprit.
- Software bugs. A software bug might cause problems with photos transferring from iPhone to PC.
Is there an app to transfer photos from iPhone to PC?
There are more than a few apps that can facilitate photo and video transfer from iPhone to PC, but we suggest sticking with iTunes or iCloud for Windows. If you require an app to transfer the media files in the first place. As we already said, importing photos from iPhone to PC doesn’t require any additional software.
On the other hand, if you want to use iTunes for a better preview of the media file and easier transfer, you can get the iTunes client for Windows from the Microsoft Store.
Here’s how to use iTunes on Windows to import iPhone’s photo gallery:
- Open iTunes on your PC and sign in with the Apple ID you use on your iPhone.
- Connect your iPhone with the USB data cable and tap Trust on your iPhone. You’ll need to enter your passkey to proceed.
- Now, on your PC, click on the Device icon positioned next to the category, in the left corner of the toolbar. It’s a small icon of an iPhone.
- Move to the next screen and select Photos from the left pane.
- Click ‘Sync Photos‘. Note: This option won’t be available if you use iCloud Photos on your iPhone.
- Select folders and albums you want to import to your PC.
- Click Apply.
Why is my iPhone not showing up on my computer?
As we said, in most cases, if your iPhone is not showing up on your computer, it’s most likely due to a faulty USB cable or driver issues. Also, make sure to Allow access when prompted. Otherwise, your iPhone will just charge, and your PC won’t have data access.
So, try an alternative cable if possible. If you’re absolutely certain that the cable is not the problem, you can try reinstalling the iPhone driver.
Follow these instructions to reinstall the iPhone driver on your Windows PC:
- Right-click on the Start menu icon and open Device Manager.
- Expand Portable Devices.
- Right-click on the Apple iPhone and select Update driver.
- If there are no available updates, select Uninstall device from the same menu and then disconnect and connect your iPhone again.
- The driver should install automatically.
If your iPhone is still not importing photos to a PC, try using an alternative port or a different PC and check for improvements.
With that said, we can conclude this article. Feel free to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions in the comments below.
Editor’s note: This article was initially published in June 2017. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.
