The iPhone XS is an excellent smartphone that takes great photos and videos. However, the limited storage capacity means you’ll eventually need to transfer those files from your iPhone to a computer for safekeeping and to free up space on your phone.
Fortunately, there are several easy ways to transfer files from an iPhone XS to a Windows PC or Mac. This guide will walk you through the main methods.
Table of Contents
Connect with a USB Cable
The most direct way to transfer files is by connecting your iPhone to your computer with the USB cable that came with your phone.
For Windows
- Connect your iPhone XS to your PC using the Lightning to USB cable
- Unlock your iPhone if prompted
- Open File Explorer on your PC
- Under “This PC” or “My Computer”, your iPhone will appear as an external drive
- Double click on your iPhone drive to view the files
- Navigate to the DCIM > 100APPLE folder – this is where your photos/videos are stored
- Select the files you want to transfer
- Right click and select Copy
- Paste the files to a folder on your PC like Pictures, My Documents etc.
The process is very similar for transferring files in the opposite direction – from your PC to iPhone.
For Mac
- Connect your iPhone to your Mac using the Lightning cable
- Unlock your iPhone if prompted
- Open Finder on your Mac
- Select your iPhone under Locations in the Finder sidebar
- Navigate to the DCIM > 100APPLE folder to access your photos and videos
- Select the files you want to transfer
- Drag and drop the files to a folder on your Mac like Pictures, My Documents etc.
Use AirDrop
AirDrop provides a fast, wireless way to transfer files between Apple devices. Here’s how it works:
- Connect both your iPhone and Mac/PC to the same wireless network
- Wake your iPhone and swipe up from the bottom edge to open Control Center
- Tap the AirDrop icon
- Choose Contacts Only or Everyone to make your device discoverable
- On your Mac/PC, open Finder and click AirDrop in the sidebar
- Your iPhone should appear – select it
- Drag and drop files from one device to the other
AirDrop transfers are encrypted end-to-end so your data stays safe. Note that both devices need to have AirDrop enabled.
Transfer via iCloud
If you use iCloud Photos, you can access your iPhone photos on your Windows PC or Mac seamlessly.
On Windows
- Install the iCloud app from the Microsoft Store
- Sign in using your Apple ID
- Open the Photos app
- Your iPhone photos will sync automatically
You can then import them into the Windows Photos app or save them to your PC.
On Mac
- Make sure you have iCloud Photos enabled under System Preferences > Apple ID > iCloud
- Launch Photos on your Mac
- Click Photos > Preferences > iCloud
- Ensure “iCloud Photos” is checked
- Your iPhone photos will sync automatically
This method works for any files stored in iCloud Drive as well. Just access them within Finder or File Explorer.
Use Third-Party Apps
There are many great third-party apps that make transferring files from iPhone to PC or Mac simple:
- AnyTrans – Transfer photos, videos, music and documents
- iMazing – Specializes in iOS device backups and file transfers
- CopyTrans – Made specifically for transferring iPhone media
- Syncios – Supports both iOS and Android transfers
These apps provide intuitive UIs, selective transfer of files, and often added functionality like device backups.
Most offer free trials so you can test them out before buying. They provide an easy way to manage iPhone file transfers.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is more than one way to transfer photos, videos and other files from an iPhone XS to a computer.
Using a cable is direct and simple. Wireless options like AirDrop provide extra convenience. And third-party apps give you robust management and transfer capabilities.
So whether you want to free up space on your iPhone, backup your photos, or access files across devices – transferring iPhone files is easy.
Hope this guide gives you a few solid options to move files seamlessly between your iPhone XS and Windows PC or Mac!
