iPhone Photos Not Showing Up on PC? 9 Useful Fixes Here!

When you want to transfer photos from iPhone to your Windows PC, a wired connection is necessary for a large number file transfer. After plugging your iPhone into the computer, you might find that there are no photos stored in the DCIM folder. Why won't my photos load from my iPhone to my computer? For people who are wondering about the question, you can find answers and solutions in this guide.

Why iPhone photos not showing up on PC?

If your iPhone photos not showing up on your computer internal storage, that may caused by various reasons.

Best way to fix unable to access iPhone photos from PC [Free & fast]

To make your iPhone pictures show up on your computer, the professional iPhone data transfer software named FoneTool will be your good helper.

Its powerful features allow you to easily access various image formats stored anywhere on your iPhone from your computer. It can also help you effortlessly transfer hidden albums without the need to unhide them.

Click the button to get FoneTool on your computer and try the steps below to efficiently fix the iPhone DCIM folder not showing on PC issue.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a reliable USB cable and unlock your iPhone > If asked, tap Trust to allow this device to access photos and videos. Launch FoneTool and go to Phone Transfer > Choose iPhone to PC.

Step 2. Choose the Photos or Videos icon > Select the data you need to transfer and click OK.

Step 3. Set the file storage location from the Transfer Settings to save photos to the targeted folder on PC (You can change the storage path to import photos from iPhone to external hard drive) > Click Start Transfer to begin the task. 

8 Common ways to fix iPhone photos not showing up on PC Windows 11/10

If you don’t want to rely on any third-party software to solve problem, you can try the ways below one by one, but it may take quite a bit of time.

Solution 1. Unlock the iPhone

If you connect your iPhone to the computer without unlocking it, the PC will not be able to access the DCIM folder. In this case, enter your passcode to unlock the iPhone and reconnect it to your computer to proceed.

Solution 2. Restart your iPhone and computer

If unknown system errors are preventing the photos on your iPhone from being recognized properly, you can try solving the issue by restarting both your iPhone and computer.

For iPhone X, 11, 12, 13, or newer models: Press and hold both the "Volume" button and the "Side" button until the power-off slider appears > Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone, and wait for about 30 seconds until it shuts down completely > To power it back on, press and hold the "Side" button until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone 6, 7, 8, or SE (2nd or 3rd generation): Press and hold the "Side" button until the power-off slider shows up > Drag the slider to turn off your device and wait for 30 seconds to power it off > To turn it back on, press and hold the "Side" button until the Apple logo appears.

For iPhone SE (1st generation), 5, or earlier models: Press and hold the "Top" button until the power-off slider appears > Drag the slider to turn off your iPhone, then wait for 30 seconds for it to shut down > To power it on again, press and hold the "Top" button until the Apple logo appears.

To restart your PC: Press the "Windows" button, then click the "Power" button > Select "Restart" to reboot the computer.

Solution 3. Check your USB cable

In addition to the reasons mentioned above, the USB cable could also be the reason you can't access photos on your iPhone from your PC. A worn-out or loose cable can cause a poor connection. To solve this issue, you should carefully inspect your USB cable and try using a different one. When prompted, click "Trust," and then open the PC to import photos from the iPhone.

Solution 4. Authorize the PC

If you can't access iPhone photos on PC, it may be because your computer doesn't have full permission to access the photos. When you connect your device, a window should pop up asking you to grant permission. If this permission is not granted, this issue can occur. You can follow the steps below to solve this problem.

Step 1. Connect your device to your PC via a USB cable.

Step 2. Open iTunes > Click on Menu > Go to Account > Choose Authorizations > Choose Authorize This Computer > Enter your username and password.

Once the process is finished, the problem may not exist.

Solution 5. Update your devices

An outdated operating system on the device may also cause issues. You can choose to update your iPhone/PC to the latest version to solve the problem.

For your iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Choose Software Update and your iPhone will check for updates automatically.

For your computer: Choose the Start button > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and click Check for Updates to make it.

Solution 6. Check iCloud settings

If you have turned on iCloud Photos on your iPhone, then all pictures will be automatically synced to iCloud. Then you can only access them from iCloud, not from PC. To easily browse your iPhone photos from your computer, you need to disable the feature first.

Just go to Settings on your iPhone > Tap [your name] > Select iCloud > Then tap on Photos > Turn off the iCloud Photos option.

Note:✎...

If some of your photos are stored in iCloud, you'll need to download iCloud photos to your device first. Simply click on Download Photos & Videos within the interface to make it.

Solution 7. Reinstall and update the USB Drivers

Apple USB driver can also affect the connection between your iPhone and PC. If your iPhone photos are not displaying properly on your computer, you may need to repair the driver to fix the issue.

Step 1. Press the Windows key and R simultaneously to open the Run dialog, then type "devmgmt.msc" and hit "Enter."

Step 2. In Device Manager, expand the Portable Devices category.

Step 3. Right-click on Apple Mobile Device and select Uninstall device to remove the driver. After reconnecting your iPhone, the driver should install automatically. If you see an option for Update driver, click on it to update the driver.

Solution 8. Enable the Windows AutoPlay feature

Windows AutoPlay is a feature designed by Windows to automatically detect newly connected removable media and devices. It scans them before transferring pictures and videos to your computer and then opens a suitable application to display content like photos, videos, or music. If you are unable to access iPhone photos from PC, try the following steps to enable it.

Step 1. Go to Settings > Click on Devices in the sidebar and go to AutoPlay.

Step 2. Choose Use AutoPlay for all media and devices. Then you can choose the default AutoPlay settings for when you connect your iPhone.

Conclusion

This passage tells you why iPhone photos not showing up on PC and how to fix it. You can choose the most useful tool named FoneTool to make it or choose 8 common ways mentioned in Part 3 to fix the issue.

Except for iPhone photo transfer, you can also use FoneTool to transfer videos, contacts, music and ringtones at a super-fast speed. Just try it now and its powerful feature will never let you down!