How to move my pictures from iphone to computer

So, you would like to transfer photos and videos from your Apple smartphone to your PC? Let’s start by putting those USB cords away. Updates in Windows 11 allow you to set up iCloud on PC for constant access to your collection of screenshotted memes, selfies, and blurry vacation photos.

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In addition to your iPhone, this method will work for other Apple devices connected to an iCloud account such as an iPad or a Macbook. In order to use iCloud, you will need to sign up for an Apple ID, if you do not already have an account.

To double check that your smartphone photos and videos are iCloud enabled, open up the phone’s Settings. Then, tap on your name at the top. Choose iCloud, then Photos. For this to work, the slider needs to be toggled to the right.

Make sure you remember what your password is for the Apple ID! It’s not likely a password you use very often. After that’s all sorted out, go ahead and open up the Microsoft store to download iCloud for Windows. Log in using your Apple ID. You may need to enter a verification code from your phone into the computer.

You will see options for sharing the contents of your iCloud drive, photos, contacts, calendars, website bookmarks, and passwords. Leave checkmarks next to the ones you would like to access on your PC. Look to the right of the photo section, tap on Options, and make sure the box is marked next to iCloud Photos before clicking Apply. You’ll also see an option for accessing the shared albums from your smartphone.

Next, choose whether or not you would like to automatically send Apple diagnostic information, and the set up will begin to download.

How do you locate the media on your PC? The photos and videos you capture on the iCloud-enabled Apple device are viewable by clicking on the File Explorer icon and choosing the iCloud Photos tab on the left side of the screen. You can now look at thumbnails of all your pics and videos on the PC as part of iCloud. If you want to transfer a copy of the media, click twice on the thumbnail for it to open up a preview in Microsoft Photos. Then, hold CTRL+S to download a copy of the media to your PC. While a version of iCloud was previously available on PC, your iCloud photos are now interspersed with other pics when you open up Microsoft Photos.

Pro tip: This instant access has the potential to be helpful, but take a second to really let what you’ve just done sink in, especially if you share a household PC. Every image you capture on your smartphone is accessible in a few, quick clicks on the PC. All of them.

Only 5 GB of storage is available for free through iCloud. Users who need more space than that small allotment have the option to subscribe to Apple’s iCloud+ service, which offers a few storage tiers depending on what you’re willing to pay. Use a majority of Apple products other than your PC? Maybe consider signing up for an Apple One subscription, a bundle that includes iCloud storage space, Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Arcade.

For even more options to preserve your unique collection of smartphone photos, check out Whitson Gordon’s helpful article about backing it all up. In addition, anyone who uses iCloud should consider reading David Nield’s tips for making sure you can recover everything.

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Easily store your iPhone photos on your computer with this user-friendly guide

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Using the Photos App

Using the File Explorer

Using iCloud Photo Library

Do you need to move photos from your iPhone to your Windows computer? If you have iTunes, you can easily import photos using Windows' built-in Photos app. You can also manually import photos by using the File Explorer. If you don't want to connect your device to your computer via wires, you can use iCloud to transfer photos over Wi-Fi. This wikiHow will show you how to transfer photos from your iPhone to a Windows PC.

Things You Should Know

You must have iTunes installed when using the Windows Photo app to import photos.
Connect your phone to your PC, then open iTunes. Open the Photos app and click the import icon. Select From a connected device, then choose your photos.
When using the File Explorer, right-click your connected iPhone, then click Import pictures and videos. Click Import all new items now.

1
Connect your iPhone to the PC. Use the USB charging cable that came with your phone.
- If this is the first time connecting your iPhone to the computer, you will need to tap Trust on the iPhone and then enter your iPhone's passcode, Touch ID, or Face ID.
- Be sure to update your iPhone.
2

On your computer, open iTunes. This resembles a multicolored musical note on a white background. In order for a Windows computer to recognize an iPhone, you must open iTunes and allow the phone to connect to it.[1]
- If you don't have iTunes, you'll need to install it. You'll need iTunes version 12.5.1 or later.
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3

Wait for the "Device" icon to appear. This iPhone-shaped icon will appear in the upper-left side of the iTunes Library page. Once you see it appear, you can proceed.
- It may take several seconds for your iPhone to connect to iTunes.
- If the Library tab near the top of the iTunes window isn't highlighted, click it to shift to Library view.
4
On your computer, open the Photos app. This looks like two mountains with a blue background. You can find this app by clicking the Start menu. Locate Photos in your App Library, or type Photos into the search bar.
5

Click the "Import" icon. This is the icon of the down-arrow in front of a photo square. You can find this in the top-right corner of the Photos window.
- A drop-down menu will open.
6
Click From a connected device. This is the bottom option in the drop-down menu.
- Your computer will begin looking for new photos and videos.
7
Select the pictures you want to import and click Continue. All selected items will have a checkmark in the top-right of the preview image.
- You can also click Select All at the top to select all the pictures and video.
8
Click Import. This will begin importing the images and videos from the iPhone.
- You can check the box next to "Delete imported items from Apple iPhone after importing" if you don't want to keep the original photos or videos on the iPhone.

1

Connect your iPhone to the PC. Use the USB charging cable that came with your phone.
2
Unlock your iPhone. Unlock your iPhone using Touch ID or your phone's passcode. This will prompt a question asking if you want to trust the computer you just connected to.
3

On the iPhone, tap Trust or Allow. This allows the iPhone to share data with the computer so you can download the pictures and video.
4
On your computer, open the File Explorer
. File Explorer allows you to browse files and devices connected to your computer.
5
Locate the connected iPhone. It should be listed on the left-side of the File Explorer window under "This PC". Click the arrow next to This PC to see a list of connected devices.
- If the iPhone doesn't appear, try disconnecting the iPhone and plugging it back in.
6
Right-click on the iPhone and select Import pictures and video. It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
- If you have a lot of photos, it may take a few moments to load.
7

Select the Import all new items now option and click Next. This will automatically import all the images and videos stored on your iPhone to your Pictures folder. Once finished importing, the Pictures folder will open automatically.
- You can also select Review, organize, and group items to import if you only want to select certain folders or photos.
- A window will open with your importing status. Depending on the number of files you're transferring, this can take up to ten minutes or longer.
- Check the box next to Erase after importing if you want to delete the photos from your phone when the process is complete.
8
Locate your photos. The folder will automatically open in your Pictures folder. To find it, open File Explorer and click Pictures. You can also search for it in the Start menu.

1
Ensure that you have enough storage space. This method allows you to upload all of your photos to iCloud, at which point you can download them onto any computer with Internet access. However, you must have enough storage space to support the photos you want to transfer.
- You start with 5 gigabytes of free storage, but you may need to upgrade your storage before you can store your photos.
2
Open your iPhone's
Settings. This is the grey cog icon.
3
Tap your Apple ID. This can be found at the very top of Settings. You'll see your name and profile picture.
- If you are not signed in, tap Sign in to iPhone, enter your Apple ID and password, then tap Sign In. You can also create an Apple ID.
4

Tap iCloud. This will be below Subscriptions, next to a blue cloud icon. You'll be able to see your storage space next to iCloud.
5

Tap Photos. This is underneath the Apps using iCloud header.
6
Toggle on
"Sync this iPhone". Your Camera Roll photos and videos will be uploaded to your iCloud account as long as you're connected to Wi-Fi.
- If you have a lot of photos, this may take some time to sync.
7
On your computer, go to the iCloud website. Enter your Apple ID and password, then click the arrow to log in.
- If you're already logged in, skip this step.
8
Click
Photos. It's a multicolored pinwheel-shaped icon.
9
Click the Photos tab. You can find this in the upper-left side of the page.
10
Select photos to download. You can select multiple photos by holding CTRL and clicking each photo.
11
Click the "Download" button
. This is the cloud-shaped icon with a downward-facing arrow that's in the top-right side of the page. Your photos will download onto your computer.
- You may be asked to choose a destination folder first.
- Once the download is complete, navigate to the destination folder to find your photos.

Add New Question

Question
What happens if I unplug the iPhone before the transfer of photos is complete?

You will probably find that not all of your photos have transferred to the PC.
Question
How can I back the photos up to a PC and still keep them on the iPhone?

Connect the iPhone to PC with the IPhone charging cable (one end is USB) and switch on the phone. The phone will ask whether to allow to connect the phone to PC. Tap 'allow'. Then you can go to PC and the phone act as a camera connected via USB port. You can download any photo now.
Question
Can I download all of my photos from the cloud to my PC and then delete them from my phone and the cloud to free up storage?

Yes you can. As long as they are stored on another device, you are safe to delete them from iPhone or iCloud storage.

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Article SummaryX

To transfer photos from your iPhone to a PC, start by using your phone’s USB cable to connect your iPhone to the PC. Once your devices are connected, unlock your phone and tap “Trust” or “Allow” when you see the message asking whether you trust this computer. Then, click the Start menu on your computer, followed by “File Explorer,” which will bring up a list of connected devices on the left side of the File Explorer window. From here, right-click on “iPhone” and select “Import pictures and videos.” Finish by selecting “Import all new items now “and clicking “Next” to begin importing your photos. To learn more, including how to transfer specific images from your iPhone using the Windows 10 Photos App, scroll down!

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