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iPhone 7 and 7 Plus – How to Transfer Files and Photos to Your PC

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus have outstanding cameras that allow you to take stunning photos and videos. However, with the limited built-in storage, you’ll likely want to transfer those files from your iPhone to your Windows PC.

Fortunately, there are several easy methods to transfer photos, videos, and other files between your iPhone 7/7 Plus and PC.

Using a USB Cable

The most straightforward way to transfer files is by connecting your iPhone to your PC using the USB cable that came with your iPhone.

Steps

  1. Connect your iPhone to your PC using the Lightning to USB cable. Tap “Trust This Computer” if prompted.
  2. On your PC, open File Explorer and navigate to your iPhone. It will be displayed as an external device.
  3. Open the DCIM folder – this is where your iPhone photos and videos are stored.
  4. Select the files you want to transfer and copy/paste or drag and drop them to a folder on your PC.

This wired method is simple and doesn’t require any additional software. However, transfer speeds may be slower compared to a Wi-Fi based method.

Using iCloud Photo Library

You can also use iCloud to automatically transfer photos and videos from your iPhone to your PC.

Steps

  1. Make sure you’re signed into the same iCloud account on both devices.
  2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos and enable iCloud Photo Library.
  3. On your PC, install the iCloud app from the Microsoft Store. Sign in with the same Apple ID.
  4. Your iPhone photos will now automatically upload to iCloud, and be available on your PC from the iCloud app.

The benefit of using iCloud is that your photos will be automatically updated on all devices. But it does use your iCloud storage, so you may need to purchase additional storage.

Using AirDrop

AirDrop allows you to quickly transfer files wirelessly between Apple devices using Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

Steps

  1. On both your iPhone and PC, make sure Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are turned on.
  2. On your iPhone, open the photo or video you want to transfer. Tap the Share button.
  3. Select AirDrop. Your PC should show up if it’s nearby.
  4. On your PC, accept the AirDrop transfer request notification.
  5. The photo or video will now transfer from your iPhone to your PC wirelessly.

AirDrop is fast and easy for quickly transferring a few files. But it’s not practical for transferring a large number of photos or videos.

Using Third-Party Apps

There are many free third-party apps available to wirelessly transfer files between your iPhone and PC:

  • ShareIt – Transfer photos, videos, music and other files
  • Pushbullet – Share links, notes, files
  • Portal by Pushbullet – Wireless file transfer
  • Snapdrop – File sharing app using WebRTC
  • Feem – File transfer between devices via Wi-Fi

These apps work well for casual file transfers. But for large transfers, a wired method is usually faster.

Tips for Fast File Transfers

Here are some tips to help ensure fast file transfers between your iPhone 7/7 Plus and PC:

  • Transfer files using the wired USB method for the fastest speeds
  • Use USB 3 for faster speeds than USB 2
  • Transfer smaller batches of files instead of very large transfers
  • Make sure both devices are connected to the 5GHz Wi-Fi network (not 2.4GHz)
  • Bring devices closer together during wireless transfers
  • Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on other nearby devices to reduce interference
  • Close unused apps on both devices before transferring files

Summary

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus make capturing incredible photos and videos easy with their high-quality cameras. Transferring those memories from your iPhone to your Windows PC can be simple and fast by using a USB cable, iCloud Photo Library, AirDrop or third-party apps. Follow the tips above for the quickest file transfer speeds.

With the various transfer methods, you’ll be able to easily free up space on your iPhone and have backups of all your photos and videos on your computer.

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