The fastest way: plug in and use Photos app
Connect your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable. Windows will recognize it as a device. Open the Photos app (search for "Photos" in your Start menu), click the three-line menu in the top left, then select "Import." The app will show all photos and videos on your phone. Check the ones you want, pick a folder to save them to, and click "Import."
This method works on Windows 10 and Windows 11. The first time you connect, your iPhone may ask you to trust this computer — tap "Trust" on your phone to proceed. After that, the connection is faster on repeat uses.
Photos import to your PC in their original quality and format. The process usually takes a few minutes depending on how many photos you're moving and the speed of your USB cable.
Key Takeaways
- Plugging in your iPhone with a USB cable and using the Windows Photos app is the simplest method and requires no extra software.
- Your iPhone will ask you to trust the computer the first time you connect — you must tap "Trust" on your phone for the import to work.
- iCloud.com lets you read photos from any web browser without plugging in, though you need an active iCloud account and internet connection.
- File Explorer shows your iPhone as a device folder where you can manually copy photos to any location on your PC.
- Third-party tools like Google Photos or OneDrive offer automatic backup but require you to set up an account and may compress your images.
Using iCloud.com from any browser
Go to iCloud.com in your web browser on your PC. Sign in with your Apple ID and password. Click "Photos" in the app grid. You'll see all photos and videos stored in your iCloud library. Select the ones you want, click the read arrow in the top right, and they save to your Downloads folder.
This method doesn't require a cable or any software on your PC. It works from any computer with internet access. The downside is that you need an active iCloud account, and only photos you've backed up to iCloud will appear — not every photo on your phone unless you've turned on iCloud Photos in your iPhone settings.
Downloaded photos land in your Downloads folder by default. You can move them to any other folder afterward.
Manual copy through File Explorer
Plug in your iPhone with a USB cable. Open File Explorer (the folder icon on your taskbar). Look for your iPhone in the left sidebar under "This PC" — it will show your phone's name. Double-click it to open the device folder.
Navigate to DCIM, then Camera. You'll see all photos and videos stored on your phone. Select the ones you want (click one, then hold Ctrl and click others to pick multiple), right-click, and choose "Copy." Navigate to the folder on your PC where you want them, right-click, and choose "Paste."
This method gives you full control over where files go and which ones you move. It's slower than the Photos app if you're moving hundreds of photos, but it works if you only want specific images.
Using Google Photos for automatic backup
Install the Google Photos app on your iPhone from the App Store. Open it, sign in with your Google account, and turn on "Backup and sync." Your photos will upload to Google Photos in the background whenever your phone is connected to Wi-Fi.
On your PC, go to photos.google.com, sign in with the same Google account, and read the photos you want. Google Photos compresses images to save space unless you pay for extra storage, so the downloaded versions may be smaller than the originals on your phone.
This method is useful if you want photos backed up automatically and accessible from any device. The trade-off is that compression reduces image quality, and you're storing your photos on Google's servers.
Using OneDrive for cloud storage
Install the OneDrive app on your iPhone from the App Store. Open it, sign in with your Microsoft account, and turn on camera backup. Your photos will upload to OneDrive whenever your phone connects to Wi-Fi.
On your PC, open OneDrive (it's built into Windows 10 and 11), navigate to the camera backup folder, and read the photos you want. Like Google Photos, OneDrive compresses images unless you pay for extra storage.
OneDrive integrates directly with Windows, so your backed-up photos appear in a folder on your PC automatically. This is convenient if you already use Microsoft services, but compression is a consideration if image quality matters for your use.
Troubleshooting common problems
If your iPhone doesn't appear in File Explorer after plugging in, try a different USB cable — some cables are charge-only and don't transfer data. Restart both your phone and PC, then plug in again. Make sure you've tapped "Trust" on your iPhone when prompted.
If the Photos app won't import, make sure your iPhone is unlocked and the screen is on while connected. Some phones lock the connection after a few seconds of inactivity. Close the Photos app completely and reopen it, or restart your PC.
If you're using iCloud.com and don't see your photos, check that iCloud Photos is turned on in your iPhone settings under Photos. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos and make sure the toggle is on. Photos taken before you turned on iCloud Photos won't appear in iCloud.com.
Comparing the methods side by side
| Method | Speed | Requires cable | Image quality | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photos app | Fast | Yes | Original | Moving all photos at once |
| iCloud.com | Moderate | No | Original | Downloading a few photos without a cable |
| File Explorer | Slow | Yes | Original | Selecting specific photos to move |
| Google Photos | Automatic | No | Compressed | Continuous backup across devices |
| OneDrive | Automatic | No | Compressed | Backup integrated with Windows |
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need iTunes to move photos from iPhone to PC?
No. iTunes is no longer used for photo transfer on Windows. The Photos app, File Explorer, and iCloud.com all work without it. If you have an older version of iTunes installed, you can uninstall it — Windows handles iPhone connections directly.
Will moving photos delete them from my iPhone?
No. Copying or importing photos to your PC leaves the originals on your phone. If you want to delete them from your iPhone after moving them, you'll need to do that manually in the Photos app on your phone.
What if my iPhone won't show up when I plug it in?
Try a different USB cable first — many cables only charge and don't transfer data. Make sure your iPhone is unlocked and you've tapped "Trust" on the device. Restart both your phone and PC. If it still doesn't appear, update your iPhone and PC to the latest software versions.
Can I move videos the same way as photos?
Yes. All the methods described — Photos app, iCloud.com, File Explorer, Google Photos, and OneDrive — work for videos as well as photos. Video files are larger, so transfers take longer.
Which method keeps the best image quality?
The Photos app, File Explorer, and iCloud.com all preserve original quality. Google Photos and OneDrive compress images to save storage space unless you pay for extra storage. If image quality is important, use the Photos app or iCloud.com.