How to Move Videos from Your iPhone to Your Computer

The fastest way depends on which computer you have

Moving videos from an iPhone to a Windows PC, Mac, or Linux machine works differently for each one. Windows and Mac both have built-in tools that recognize your iPhone when you plug it in. Windows uses File Explorer; Mac uses the Photos app or Finder. Linux requires a third-party tool because Apple does not provide native support. The method you choose also depends on how many videos you have and whether you want to organize them as you transfer.

All three routes work without paying for software. The fastest transfer happens over a USB cable rather than over Wi-Fi, because cable transfers do not depend on your network speed or battery life. If you have hundreds of videos or very large files, a wired connection will save you hours.

Key Takeaways

Windows File Explorer and Mac Finder both recognize your iPhone as a storage device when you plug it in with a USB cable, letting you drag videos directly to your computer.
Mac users can also open the Photos app, which automatically detects new videos on the iPhone and offers a one-click import option.
Linux users need a third-party tool like Libimobiledevice or a GNOME extension because Apple does not provide built-in iPhone support for Linux.
Transferring over USB cable is faster and more reliable than Wi-Fi transfer, especially for large video files or many videos at once.
After transfer, you can delete videos from your iPhone to free up storage space, but verify they arrived on your computer first.

Windows: Using File Explorer to copy videos

Plug your iPhone into your Windows PC using a USB cable. Windows will recognize the device and may ask you to trust this computer — tap "Trust" on your iPhone screen. Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar) and look for your iPhone in the left sidebar under "This PC" or in the main window.

Click on your iPhone to open it. You will see folders including DCIM (Digital Camera Images), which holds all photos and videos taken with the iPhone camera. Open the DCIM folder and you will see numbered subfolders like 100APPLE. Inside these folders are your video files, usually named with four digits and a .MOV extension. Select the videos you want (click one, then hold Ctrl and click others to select multiple), then drag them to a folder on your computer or right-click and choose "Copy," then navigate to your destination folder and paste.

If you have videos in the Photos app that were not taken with the camera — videos you downloaded or received — they may not appear in DCIM. Those videos live in a different location that File Explorer cannot easily access. For those, use iCloud Photos or AirDrop instead (see below).

Mac: Using Photos app or Finder

Connect your iPhone to your Mac with a USB cable. The Photos app will usually open automatically and show a message asking if you want to import photos and videos. Click "Import Selected" or "Import All" to bring everything over at once. The Photos app organizes videos by date and stores them in your Photos library, which you can then export to other folders if you want.

If the Photos app does not open, or if you prefer to see the files before importing, use Finder instead. Open Finder, look for your iPhone in the sidebar under "Locations," and click it. Navigate to DCIM the same way you would on Windows — open the numbered folders and drag videos to your Desktop or any folder you choose. You can also right-click a video and select "Copy," then paste it wherever you want.

If your videos are in the Photos app rather than the Camera Roll, open Photos, select the videos you want, and go to File > Export. Choose a location on your Mac and click Export. This method gives you more control over file names and organization than importing directly into the Photos library.

Linux: Using Libimobiledevice or GNOME

Linux does not have native iPhone support the way Windows and Mac do. Your best option is Libimobiledevice, a free open-source tool that lets Linux recognize iPhones. Install it through your distribution's package manager — on Ubuntu or Debian, open a terminal and type sudo apt install libimobiledevice-utils. On Fedora, use sudo dnf install libimobiledevice.

Once installed, plug in your iPhone and open a file manager. Your iPhone should appear as a device. Navigate to DCIM and copy videos the same way you would on Windows or Mac. If you use GNOME (the default desktop on Ubuntu), you can also install the GNOME extension "iPhone Support" from the GNOME Extensions website, which adds iPhone recognition directly to the file manager.

If the terminal approach feels unfamiliar, ask in a Linux community forum for your specific distribution — the steps vary slightly between Ubuntu, Fedora, Arch, and others, and someone in your community can walk you through it quickly.

Using iCloud Photos or AirDrop for wireless transfer

If you do not want to plug in a cable, iCloud Photos syncs all your videos to iCloud, and you can read them on your computer through iCloud.com. Turn on iCloud Photos on your iPhone (Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos > iCloud Photos), wait for your videos to upload, then go to iCloud.com on your computer, sign in, click Photos, select the videos you want, and click the read arrow. This method is slower than cable transfer and uses your iCloud storage space, but it works anywhere you have internet.

AirDrop works only between Apple devices (iPhone to Mac). On your Mac, open Finder and click AirDrop in the sidebar. On your iPhone, swipe down from the top-right corner to open Control Center, tap AirDrop, and choose "Everyone" or the name of your Mac. Select videos in the Photos app, tap Share, choose AirDrop, and select your Mac. The videos will appear in your Downloads folder. This is faster than iCloud for a few videos but slower than USB cable for many.

Freeing up iPhone storage after transfer

Once your videos are on your computer, you can delete them from your iPhone to reclaim storage space. Open the Photos app on your iPhone, select the videos you transferred, tap Delete, and confirm. The videos stay on your computer — deleting them from your iPhone only removes them from the device.

Before you delete, verify that the videos actually arrived on your computer and play correctly. Open the folder where you saved them, click on one, and watch a few seconds to make sure the transfer was complete. Corrupted transfers are rare, but checking takes only a minute and prevents losing a video you wanted to keep.

Troubleshooting common transfer problems

If your computer does not recognize your iPhone, try these steps in order: first, unplug the cable and plug it back in; second, restart both your iPhone and computer; third, update your computer's operating system and your iPhone's iOS version. Outdated software is the most common cause of connection problems.

If you see a "Trust This Computer?" prompt on your iPhone but it does not go away, tap Trust, wait 10 seconds, then unplug and replug the cable. If File Explorer or Finder shows your iPhone but the folders are empty or grayed out, your iPhone may be locked — unlock it and try again. If you still see nothing, go to Settings > Privacy > Files and Photos on your iPhone and make sure the computer you are connecting to has permission.

If videos transfer but play with no sound or distorted video, the cable may be faulty or the transfer may have been interrupted. Try the transfer again with a different USB cable if you have one. If the problem persists, the original video file on your iPhone may be corrupted, which is rare but possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer videos without a cable?

Yes. iCloud Photos syncs videos wirelessly and you can read them on your computer through iCloud.com. AirDrop works between a Mac and iPhone without a cable. Both methods are slower than USB transfer and depend on your internet connection, but they work if you do not have a cable or prefer not to plug in.

What if my iPhone videos are in different formats?

iPhones record in H.264 or H.265 (HEVC) format, both of which Windows, Mac, and Linux can play. The file extension is usually .MOV. Your computer should open these files without conversion. If a video does not play, your media player may not support that format — try a different player like VLC, which handles nearly all video formats.

Do I lose the videos from my iPhone when I transfer them?

No. Transferring copies the videos to your computer. They stay on your iPhone until you manually delete them from the Photos app. You can delete them after transfer to free up space, but the copies on your computer remain untouched.

How long does it take to transfer a lot of videos?

Speed depends on file size and cable quality. A typical iPhone video (30 seconds to 2 minutes) transfers in seconds over USB. Transferring 50 videos usually takes 2 to 5 minutes. Wi-Fi transfer is much slower — the same 50 videos might take 15 to 30 minutes. USB cable is always faster.

Can I transfer videos to an external hard drive instead of my computer?

Yes. Plug the external drive into your computer, then drag videos from your iPhone (via File Explorer or Finder) directly to a folder on the external drive. The process is identical to transferring to your computer's internal storage. Make sure the external drive is formatted in a way your computer recognizes (NTFS for Windows, APFS or Mac OS Extended for Mac).

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.