Transfer photos from iPhone to a PC without a cable

No cable, no iCloud subscription? Here are the ways that actually work, from the simplest to the slowest.

1. With Hop (Wi-Fi, full quality)

Install Hop on the iPhone and open it. On the PC, open any web browser and type the address Hop shows (or use Quick Share on Windows, in the “Nearby” section). Pick the photos: they arrive in full quality, and Hop converts HEIC to JPEG on the way so Windows opens them. Nothing to install on the PC.

2. With iCloud for Windows

Free up to 5 GB. Install iCloud for Windows, sign in, turn on Photos: the library syncs in File Explorer. Slow for big libraries, and you pay beyond 5 GB.

3. With the USB cable

Plug the iPhone, tap “Trust”, then open the Photos app on Windows → Import. Reliable, but you need the right cable.

4. By e-mail or messaging

Fine for 2 or 3 photos, but images are compressed and videos are often too big.

Send to your PC in a few seconds, without a cable.

Get Hop

Why do my iPhone photos not open on Windows?

They are in HEIC format. Either install the HEIF extensions on Windows, set iPhone Settings › Camera › Formats › Most Compatible, or send them with Hop, which converts to JPEG.

Do both devices need the same Wi-Fi?

For Hop, yes. No Wi-Fi around? Turn on the iPhone's Personal Hotspot and connect the PC to it.