5 Best iPhone Data Exporters for Windows and Mac

Can you export iPhone data to a PC or Mac?

Yes. You can export iPhone data to a PC or Mac, but the best method depends on the data type and computer. File Explorer handles camera photos and videos on Windows; Apple Devices or iTunes supports files from compatible apps; iCloud downloads synced content; Finder handles supported files on a Mac; and FoneTool exports selected iPhone and WhatsApp data to Windows.

Choose a method by checking what it exports, whether it requires a USB cable or cloud sync, and whether you need to preview individual items before saving them.

Method	Best for	Computer		Main limitation
FoneTool	Selected media, contacts, and WhatsApp data	Windows		Requires installation and a USB connection
File Explorer	Camera photos and videos	Windows		Does not export contacts, messages, or most app data
Apple Devices or iTunes	Files from apps that support File Sharing	Windows		Only compatible app documents are available
iCloud	Synced photos, files, contacts, and other supported data	Windows or Mac		Requires iCloud sync and sufficient storage
Finder	Files from compatible apps	Mac		Does not provide direct access to every iPhone data type

Option 1. Export selected iPhone data to Windows with FoneTool

FoneTool is an iPhone data exporter for Windows that lets you preview and select supported photos, videos, music, contacts, and other data before transferring them to a PC through USB. Its WhatsApp Manager can also back up WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business and export data from the backup.

Now you can follow guidance below to get how to finish iPhone data transfer to PC.

Part 1. How to export iPhone photos, videos, music, and contacts

Step 1. Connect iPhone to Windows computer

Install FoneTool on your Windows PC > Connect your device to PC via a USB cable > If asks, tap Trust on iPhone to let the computer access your iPhone data.

Step 2. Begin iPhone to PC data transfer

Launch FoneTool > Go to My Devices > Choose Data Explorer to continue.

Step 3. Choose iPhone data to export

Click the icon you need to preview and select the data > Then choose Export to Computer to export your iPhone photos, music, ringtones, videos and contacts to PC.

Step 4. Start to export iOS data

Now you can change the settings to choose the storage path > Click Export to finish the process.

When the transfer finishes, click View Files to open the destination folder on the PC.

How to export photos from PC to iPhone?

FoneTool also allows you to transfer photos, videos, music, ringtones and contacts from PC to iPhone. You can choose Phone Transfer > Go to PC to iPhone to easily make it.

Part 2. How to export WhatsApp data from iPhone to PC

Step 1. Install FoneTool on your computer > Connect your device to PC using a USB cable.

Step 2. Launch FoneTool > Go to WhatsApp Manager > Backup WhatsApp > Click Get Started to continue. (If your WhatsApp Business not working, you can also choose WA Business to protect data from loss.)

Step 3. You can check Enable Backup Encryption to protect your private data > Select a destination to save your WhatsApp backup from the Backup Storage Path option > Click Start Backup to begin the task.

Once the backup process is completed, you can go to My Backups > Choose the target backup and click the View dot to browse all your iPhone WhatsApp data. If necessary, you can choose the data you need and click Export to Computer to export WhatsApp chat to HTML.

Option 2. How to export photos from iPhone to PC via File Explorer

Windows File Explorer helps you easily export photos and videos within iPhone Photos app to your PC. You can connect your iPhone to the PC using a USB cable and follow the instructions below to make it.

Step 1. Once the device has connected, Windows Explorer should open automatically. If not, access it manually through the Start Menu or the Taskbar.

Step 2. Go to This PC > Locate and click your iPhone listed under Portable Devices > Access the Internal Storage folder and open the DCIM folder to select the files you wish to export.

Option 3. Export app files with Apple Devices or iTunes

On Windows 10 or later, Apple recommends the Apple Devices app for File Sharing. It can save documents from iPhone apps that support File Sharing to a PC. On older compatible setups, iTunes provides a similar feature. This method does not expose every file on the iPhone or replace a full backup.

Here are the steps to utilize this feature:

Step 1. Install or open Apple Devices on a current Windows PC, then connect the iPhone with a USB cable. If you use an older setup with iTunes, open its File Sharing feature instead.

Step 2. Select the connected iPhone, then open Files. If no Files section appears, none of the installed apps currently supports File Sharing.

Step 3. Choose an app, select the files you want to export, click Save, and choose a destination folder on the PC.

Option 4. How to extract data from iPhone to PC using iCloud

iCloud is a practical option when the content is already synced and you want to download it to a PC without connecting the iPhone by USB.

Before the process, you need to ensure that iCloud sync feature is enabled on your iPhone.

• To sync iPhone data to iCloud: Access Settings > Tap your profile > Choose iCloud > Turn on the switch for the content you want to sync.
• To import iPhone data to iCloud Drive: If you need to upload photos, you can go to the Photos app to choose photos > tap the Share button > tap Save to Files > choose iCloud Drive as the destination to make it.

To export iCloud data to PC, just open a browser on your computer and visit iCloud.com > Sign in to your iCloud account using your Apple ID and password > Access your files by clicking on the relevant icon > Select the desired items and click the Download button to save them to your computer.

Option 5. How to export data from iPhone to Mac with Finder

On macOS Catalina or later, Finder can copy files from iPhone apps that support File Sharing. For synced photos, music, and other content, use the corresponding Finder sync tab or iCloud instead.

Step 1. To import iPhone files to Mac via Finder, you need to connect your iPhone to the Mac via a USB cable > Then open the Finder Window to continue.

Step 2. Select your iPhone from the left pane > Select the Files tab to see the accessible data > Choose the targeted files including music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, books, photos, files, and more > Drag them to your computer.

FAQs

Final words

There are listing 5 iPhone data exporters for you to import iPhone data to Windows/Mac. Use File Explorer for a quick copy of camera photos and videos, Apple Devices or Finder for files from compatible apps, and iCloud for content that is already synced. If you want to preview and export several supported data types or export WhatsApp backup data to a Windows PC, FoneTool provides those workflows in one desktop application.