Apple doesn’t make AirDrop for Windows, so the usual routes from an iPhone to a PC are a cable with a “Trust this computer” prompt, or syncing everything through iCloud. Photos are also where quality quietly gets lost: chat apps shrink them and email caps how many fit in one message.
Transfer photos from iPhone to PC
Pick the photos on your iPhone, download them on your PC. No cable, no app, original quality.
Keep for
Clipboard
Press ⌘V / Ctrl+V anywhereClips are visible to devices on your Wi-Fi for 30 minutes. Avoid sending passwords.
On your network
liveLooking for files…
The quick way, with fdrop
- 1
Open fdrop.cc on the iPhone
Open fdrop.cc in Safari, tap the drop area and choose Photo Library. Select as many photos as you like.
- 2
Open fdrop.cc on the PC
On the same Wi-Fi, the photos appear under “On your network” automatically. Anywhere else, send yourself the link fdrop gives you.
- 3
Download
Downloads go to your Downloads folder.
Other ways, and their catch
USB cable and the Windows Photos app
Connect the iPhone with a cable, unlock it and tap Trust. Then open the Photos app on Windows and choose Import → From a connected device.
Good: Full quality, no internet needed. Catch: Needs the right cable, trust prompts often fail on the first try, and HEIC photos or HEVC videos may need extra codecs to open.
iCloud Photos
Turn on iCloud Photos on the iPhone, wait for it to upload, then sign in at icloud.com or install iCloud for Windows on the PC.
Good: Automatic once it’s set up. Catch: Only 5 GB free, uploads can take a long time, and you have to sign into your Apple ID on the other device.
WhatsApp or Telegram to yourself
Send it to your own chat (Message yourself in WhatsApp, Saved Messages in Telegram) and open WhatsApp or Telegram on the PC.
Good: You probably have the app already. Catch: WhatsApp compresses photos and videos unless you send them as a Document or pick HD, and it fills your chat history.
Email it to yourself
Attach it (or paste it) in an email to yourself and open the email on the PC.
Good: Works on every device. Catch: Gmail attachments stop at 25 MB and Outlook.com at 20 MB, so most videos won’t fit.
Good to know
- iPhones save photos as HEIC. Depending on your camera settings, Safari may upload them as JPEG, which opens everywhere. If you get .HEIC files on Windows, install Microsoft’s free HEIF Image Extensions, or set Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible on the iPhone to shoot JPEG.
- Select several photos at once: each becomes its own download, and nothing is resized.
Questions
How do I transfer photos from iPhone to PC without a cable?
Open fdrop.cc on both devices, pick the photos on the iPhone and download them on the PC. No app or account needed. Of the built-in options, USB cable and the Windows Photos app is the closest, with the trade-offs listed above.
Will the photos lose quality?
No. fdrop doesn’t compress, resize or re-encode anything. The only change can come from the iPhone itself, which may hand Safari a JPEG copy of HEIC photos depending on your settings.
Do the iPhone and PC need to be on the same Wi-Fi?
Only for the automatic “On your network” list. If the PC is somewhere else or on mobile data, copy the link fdrop gives you and open it there.
Do I need to install an app?
No. fdrop runs in Safari on the iPhone and Edge or Chrome on the PC. Nothing to install and no account.
How long do the files stay online?
2 hours by default. Pick 1 hour, 1 day, 7 days or 30 days before uploading, or delete them yourself at any time from the device you uploaded on.