How to transfer photos from an iPhone to a Mac or Windows PC

2 min read · 7 steps · Updated 2 October 2026

Short answer

Connect the iPhone to the computer with a USB cable, unlock it and tap Trust. On a Mac, open the Photos app, click the iPhone in the sidebar and choose Import All New Items. On a Windows PC, install the Apple Devices app, then import with the Windows Photos app.

There are two ways to get photos onto a computer: by cable, which copies them once, or with iCloud Photos, which keeps every device up to date by itself. The cable costs nothing and needs no internet.

The picture is from iOS 26 on an iPhone 17. On older versions the rows are in the same place, with a slightly different look.

Step by step

  1. Connect the iPhone with a cable

    Use the charging cable or another USB cable that can carry data. Unlock the iPhone. If the Mac asks whether to allow the accessory to connect, click Allow.

  2. Tap Trust on the iPhone

    The question Trust This Computer? appears on the iPhone the first time. Tap Trust and enter your passcode.

  3. On a Mac: open Photos

    The Photos app shows an Import screen with the pictures on the iPhone. If it does not appear, click the name of the iPhone in the sidebar.

  4. On a Mac: choose what to import

    Pick an album to import into, or leave the Library. Click Import All New Items, or click single photos and then Import Selected. Wait until the import is finished before you unplug the cable.

  5. On a Windows PC: install Apple Devices

    Get the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store. It brings the drivers Windows needs to see the iPhone. Connect the phone, unlock it and tap Trust or Allow.

  6. On a Windows PC: import with Photos

    Open the Windows Photos app, click Import and choose the iPhone. Select the pictures and the folder they should go to. The iPhone also appears in File Explorer as a camera, with the pictures in the folder DCIM.

  7. iPhone screen: Decide on the file format

    Decide on the file format

    iPhones save photos as HEIC. To hand them to the computer unchanged, open Settings, Apps, Photos, scroll down and tap Keep Originals. With Automatic, the iPhone converts them to JPEG during the transfer where needed.

Good to know

Without a cable: turn on iCloud Photos under Settings, your name, iCloud, Photos. The pictures then appear in the Photos app on a Mac and at icloud.com on any computer. The free 5 GB fills up quickly.

Between Apple devices, AirDrop is the quickest way for a handful of pictures: how to use AirDrop on an iPhone.

If the PC cannot open the files: how to make an iPhone take JPG photos instead of HEIC, or convert them with our free HEIC to JPG converter.

An import does not delete the photos from the iPhone. To make room afterwards: iPhone storage full: 7 ways to free up space fast.

In short: Cable, unlock, Trust. Mac: Photos, Import All New Items. Windows: Apple Devices app, then Photos, Import. Keep Originals or Automatic for the format.

Sources
  • Apple Support: Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC
  • Apple Support: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices

Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.