(60 votes, average: 3.38 out of 5)Do you take beautiful shots on your camera but want to enjoy those pics on your phone? Or do you have photos from an old iPhone, or maybe even an Android saved on your computer? Or some other reasons, but the result is one and only. You want to transfer photos from PC to iPhone!
The first thing that comes to mind is iTunes! Of course, we understand that, but we also realize it can be long, complicated, and confusing. So, you might be wondering how to transfer photos from computer to iPhone without iTunes. And we are here to help!
There are many ways to import photos to iPhone, starting with iTunes and ending with different cloud solutions. In this article, you will find a comprehensive overview of all the ways to copy pictures from PC to iPhone. Keep on reading for detailed info on the best methods to transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes below or choose one of the ways below.
- With iTunes
- ⭐ Without iTunes ⭐
- YouTube guide
- ⭐ Without iCloud ⭐
- Transfer photos with iCloud
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- OneDrive
- How to transfer videos from PC to iPhone: FAQ
- How to transfer Photos from Mac to iPhone
Were you looking for a way to transfer photos from iPhone to PC? We have an excellent comprehensive guide on how to do that.
How to transfer photos from laptop to iPhone
using iTunes
When you think about transferring photos to your iPhone, iTunes is probably the first app that pops into your mind. After all, it’s Apple’s own solution, so it must work smooth, right? Well… kind of. It’s more like a mysterious spell that sometimes feels unnecessarily complicated. And by the time you’re done, you’re left wondering if it was really worth the effort.
But let’s break down how it works and why it might not be the best option for you.
Transferring Photos with iTunes
Using iTunes to transfer photos from PC to iPhone is pretty straightforward on the surface. Here’s how to do it:
- Connect your iPhone to your laptop using a USB cable and open iTunes (make sure it’s the latest version).
- Select your device in iTunes and click on the Photos tab.
- Check the box next to “Sync Photos” and choose the folder on your laptop that you want to transfer.
- Click Apply and wait for the sync to complete.
Sure, it works. But here’s the catch: iTunes is far from perfect when it comes to managing your photos. Here are the major downsides:
😣 Limited Folder Syncing: you can only sync one folder at a time. If you decide to change that folder later, your previous images will be wiped out.
😲 Photos Get Replaced, Not Added: iTunes will erase all the images previously stored in your Photo Library and replace them with the new ones. The only exception? Your Camera Roll photos remain intact.
😤 No Flexibility: once your photos are transferred to the Photo Library, you can’t delete or edit them directly from your iPhone. You’ll need to connect to your laptop and perform a full resync if you want to make any changes. This can be incredibly frustrating if you just want to get rid of a few unwanted pictures.
🙄 Manual Syncing Only: iTunes doesn’t offer automatic syncing. Every time you want to add new photos or update existing ones, you have to go through the whole process from scratch.
If you’re only transferring a couple of photos once in a blue moon, iTunes might do the trick. But if you’re looking for a smoother experience, this method might not be your best bet. Luckily, there are better ways to make your photo transfers quick and easy. One of those options is using CopyTrans Photo. Let’s see how it compares!
Transfer photos to iPhone from PC without iTunes
using specialized third-party software
If you want to copy individual photos or even entire photo albums from PC to iPhone without uploading your personal data to the cloud. And if you are looking for a quick way to copy pictures from PC to iPhone, we have a solution just for you: CopyTrans Photo. The program allows you to copy photos and videos back and forth between iPhone, iPad and Windows PC, as well as organize them into albums. The app also has an intuitive interface, gets things done quickly and you can see thumbnails of all the files you’re operating at any moment.
A new way to manage your iPhone photos
CopyTrans Photo
- Intuitive interface: drag-and-drop transfer
- Support the formats HEIC and ProRAW
- Transfer photos and videos between PC and iPhone
- Backup all your iPhone photos to PC at once with Full Backup feature
- Save photos without duplicates
- Compatible with all iOS devices, including iPhone 14
The process of transfer is intuitive, but you can always see our instructions below!
Here is how to get photos from PC to iPhone:
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Download CopyTrans Photo and run it. Download CopyTrans Photo
If you need help installing, please refer to the installation guide.
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Launch CopyTrans Photo. Connect your iPhone to PC with a USB cable. If prompted to trust PC, press “Trust”. You will see your iPhone photos on the left and your PC pictures on the right:
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Create a new album on the left iPhone side. If you click on this album, the working area will display the contents (no files there for now).
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Using the folder tree on the right PC side, navigate to the PC folder with the photos you want to transfer. Select the pictures and Drag and Drop them from the right PC area to the left iPhone area.
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Click on “Apply Changes” and wait for the syncing process to complete.
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All done! Your photos are now waiting for you in the folder “From my Mac” folder on your iPhone.
Why choose CopyTrans Photo?
- Transfer iPhone photos to PC and back
- All photo formats supported
- Do a full backup of your iPhone photos and videos – without duplicates!
- Save photos on your PC or external hard drive
- English speaking support, no ads, no hidden fees
The same method perfectly works in case you need to transfer photos from PC to iPad. Check out our YouTube guide below!
Transfer photos from PC to iPhone
YouTube guide
Upload photos to iCloud
using CopyTrans Cloudly
This option can help you sync PC photos to all your iOS devices at once, provided that you have iCloud Photos enabled. Once you upload photos to iCloud, they will automatically appear on all your devices that share the same Apple ID.
The following steps explain how to upload photos to iCloud via CopyTrans Cloudly:
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Download and install CopyTrans Cloudly:
Advantages of CopyTrans Cloudly
- Upload all your photos and videos in one click
- Add photos in JPG, HEIC or PNG format to iCloud
- Keep your album structure
- Upload only recent photos without duplicates
- Save your iCloud photos to an external hard drive
- Rescue “permanently deleted” photos
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Launch CopyTrans Cloudly and log in with your iCloud credentials. SSL connection guarantees the safety of your personal data.
- Choose “Upload”.
- Select the files you want to upload to iCloud. CopyTrans Cloudly works with .HEIC, .PNG and .JPEG images and .MOV, .MP4, .M4V video files. When everything is selected, click “Upload”.
- Wait while CopyTrans Cloudly is doing the job. And that’s it! Now you know how to upload photos and videos to iCloud from PC using CopyTans Cloudly. And once the photos are in iCloud, they should appear on your device!
*100% clean and safe
YouTube guide
How to move photos to iCloud
using iCloud.com
Another option is to use the web interface Apple provides to upload photos to iCloud. For that, open icloud.com in your web browser of choice.
You log in, select the Photos section in the main menu and immediately see your iCloud Photo Library on your computer screen. To put photos on iCloud, click on the “Upload photos” button at the top-right corner and select the photos you want to import.
The photos should immediately appear on your iPhone and any other device having the same iCloud account signed in. If that does not happen, check if iCloud Photo Library is enabled on your iPhone or iPad: Settings> Your Name> iCloud> Photos> iCloud Photos.
Disadvantages:
- Everything that you store in iCloud makes it to the Apple servers as well. If you want to delete some images forever, they will disappear from your account but not from the Apple servers. We even conducted an investigation and created a tool that can recover deleted photos from iCloud.
- On icloud.com, you can manually sort the uploaded images by album. But within an album, the photos are sorted by the transfer date and you cannot change this order online.
- Another major drawback is that if you disable iCloud Photo Library and turn it back on after some time, any pictures you previously added to iPhone with iTunes (or any other third-party app like CopyTrans Photo) will get deleted. That’s why you should be extra careful with this setting and regularly backup your cloud photos to a computer.
| Manage iPhone/iPad photos | iTunes | CopyTrans Photo |
| Transfer photos and videos from PC to iPhone | ✓ | ✓ |
| Transfer photos, videos and albums from iPhone to PC | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transfer photos, videos and albums from one iPhone to another iPhone/iPad | ✗ | ✓ |
| View iPhone photos, videos and albums on PC | ✗ | ✓ |
| Delete selected photos and videos from iPhone | ✗ | ✓ |
| Play Camera Roll videos | ✗ | ✓ |
| Retrieve lost PC photos from iPhone | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transfer photos from multiple PC locations to iPhone | ✗ | ✓ |
| Copy photos to iPhone from multiple PCs without replacing previously transferred photos | ✗ | ✓ |
| Organize iPhone photos from your PC | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transfer photos from iPhone to Android | ✗ | ✓ |
| Transfer photos from Android to iPhone | ✓ | ✓ |
How to get photos from PC to iPhone
via Google Drive
If you have a Google account, you are automatically eligible for 15Gb of free storage on Google Drive (originally SkyDrive). However, Google Drive shares this storage space with other apps, like Gmail and Google Photos.
In order to use this option, you will need to download the official Google Drive app on your computer and your iOS device. Once you run Google Drive on your PC, create a new folder and copy photos to iPhone. The folder will appear with the photos on iPhone in the Google Drive app.
You can create additional folders to transfer multiple photos to iPhone and move them between folders. There is also a possibility to sort photos within one folder by date or by name.
Disadvantages:
- The uploaded photos will not be saved in the native Photos app on iPhone but in the Google Drive app.
- You cannot edit the photos within the app without first copying them into the native folder – double work.
Transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes
Dropbox
Dropbox offers only 2GB of free storage to their users. On the other hand, you do not have to install the program on the PC. In order to transfer photos from a computer to iPhone, save your data online on dropbox.com directly: log in, create a folder and upload the photos from the computer. After that, go to the Dropbox app on your iPhone to see your imported pictures.
Disadvantages:
- Unfortunately, you can only upload individual photos, since Dropbox does not allow importing a folder.
- Images will possibly lose in quality.
- Although you can import HEIC photos, there will be no possibility to open them.
Import photos to iPhone
with OneDrive
With Microsoft’s OneDrive you get 5Gb of storage space for free. Just like Google Drive, it requires you to install the official OneDrive app on both your computer and iDevice to transfer photos to iPhone. Drag the desired files or entire albums to the program window and after a few seconds, you will see the images the iPhone in the OneDrive app.
The photos are transferred in the original quality including the date created. You can also choose to sort the photos automatically by tags.
Disadvantages:
- The photos will not make it to the Photos app; instead, they will be placed to OneDrive app, which should be installed on the iPhone beforehand.
- OneDrive app does not provide built-in image editing, nor support for HEIC photos: if you place HEIC images in OneDrive, you won’t be able to view them or copy to the Photos app.
How to transfer videos from PC to iPhone
FAQ
How can I transfer photos from my PC to my iPhone?
You can transfer photos from your PC to your iPhone using one of the methods from this article.
Can I transfer photos from my PC to my iPhone without using iTunes?
Yes, you can transfer photos from your PC to your iPhone without using iTunes by using CopyTrans Photo.
How can I transfer photos from my computer to iPhone using iTunes?
You can transfer photos from your computer to iPhone using iTunes by connecting your iPhone to your computer, opening iTunes, selecting your device, clicking on the “Photos” tab, and then selecting the photos you want to transfer.
Is it possible to transfer photos from a PC to iPhone using Google Photos?
Yes, you can transfer photos from a PC to iPhone using Google Photos. Simply upload the photos to your Google Photos account on your PC and then access them from the Google Photos app on your iPhone for easy transfer.
Can I transfer a large number of photos and videos from my PC to my iPhone?
Yes, you can transfer a large number of photos and videos from your PC to your iPhone using iTunes, iCloud, or CopyTrans Photo.
Can I transfer photos from my PC to my iPhone without using a cable?
Yes, you can transfer photos from your PC to your iPhone without a cable by using CopyTrans Cloudly.
Can I drag and drop photos from my PC to my iPhone?
Yes, you can drag and drop photos from your PC to your iPhone when your iPhone is connected to your computer, and you use CopyTrans Photo.
How to transfer Photos from Mac to iPhone
Method 1: Using iTunes
Step 1: Connect Your iPhone to Your Mac
- Launch iTunes on your Mac and connect your iPhone using a USB cable.
- Your device should appear in the iTunes interface.
Step 2: Select Photos to Transfer
- Click on your device icon in iTunes.
- Navigate to the “Photos” tab.
- Check the box next to “Sync Photos” and select the photo folders you want to transfer.
- Click “Apply” to initiate the transfer process.
Method 2: Using iCloud Photo Library
Step 1: Enable iCloud Photo Library on Your Mac
- Open the Photos app on your Mac.
- Go to “Photos” > “Preferences.”
- Click on the “iCloud” tab and select “iCloud Photos.”
Step 2: Access Photos on Your iPhone
- On your iPhone, go to “Settings” > “Your Name” > “iCloud.”
- Ensure that “Photos” is toggled on.
- Open the Photos app on your iPhone to access the synced photos.
Method 3: Using AirDrop
Step 1: Enable AirDrop on Your Mac and iPhone
- On your Mac, open Finder and click on “AirDrop” in the sidebar.
- Set your Mac’s AirDrop settings to “Allow me to be discovered by: Everyone.”
Step 2: Transfer Photos
- Select the photos you want to transfer on your Mac.
- Right-click on the selected photos and choose “Share” > “AirDrop.”
- Select your iPhone from the AirDrop list to send the photos
How to transfer photos from PC to iPhone
Conclusion
Transfer photos from a computer to iPhone may seem like a daunting task, but it’s not. With the right knowledge and tools, you can easily import photos to your iPhone and enjoy your cherished memories on the go. In this article, we gave you 7 different ways to transfer photos. Remember, the key is to find the method that works best for you and your devices. Choose the most convenient option for you. Share your memories with loved ones, organize your photo library, and enjoy quick and easy access to your favorite moments wherever you are.
Don’t forget to back up your photos and maintain a healthy balance between computer and iPhone storage.
If you don’t trust cloud solutions, find iTunes hard to use and want to keep your photos in the native Photo app, CopyTrans Photo is the best solution for you to transfer photos from PC to iPhone. The program allows managing iPhone photos and videos on PC and has several unbeatable advantages such as managing Live Photos, viewing pictures in HEIC format, keeping excellent quality, order and EXIF files, and much more.
