iPhone Photos Not Showing Up on PC? 9 Useful Fixes Here!
Why and how to fix when you can't access iPhone photos on PC? This guide will give you all useful ways and detailed steps to help you make it. And FoneTool might be the best way!
iPhone photos do not show on PC.
I tried all the methods I could find on the internet, but none of them worked. Anyone can help me?
- Question from Apple Community
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.
❌️ HEIC format incompatibility: Windows may not recognize Apple's default photo format
❌️ Hidden album settings: iOS 14+ keeps Hidden albums disabled by default
❌️ Empty Camera Roll: No recent photos in your main camera folder
❌️ Faulty USB connections: Damaged cables or non-genuine accessories
❌️ Security restrictions: iPhone locked or computer not trusted
❌️ Outdated software: Old iOS or Windows versions causing compatibility issues
❌️ iCloud sync conflicts: Photos stored in cloud instead of device
Best solution - Transfer 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.
Free and Popular iPhone Photos Transfer Software
- Format flexibility: Handles HEIC, RAW, JPG, PNG, and more
- Hidden access: Views and transfers Hidden album photos
- Universal compatibility: Works with all iPhone models and iOS versions
- Lightning fast: Transfers 1,000+ photos in minutes
- Flexible storage: Saves to computer, external drives, or USB devices
Windows 11/10/8/8.1/7
100% Secure
Try the steps below to efficiently fix the iPhone DCIM folder not showing on PC issue.
Step 1. Connect iPhone to computer > Launch FoneTool > Select Phone Transfer > iPhone to PC.
Step 2. Choose the Photos or Videos icon > Select the data you need to transfer and click OK.
Step 3. Set destination folder > Click Start Transfer to begin the task.
After the transfer process, you can also use FoneTool to upload photos to iCloud from PC. Just go to My iCloud > Log in with your Apple ID > Choose Manage iCloud to make it.
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: Hold Side + Volume buttons > Slide to power off > Wait 30 seconds > Restart
For PC: Press the Windows button > 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.
-
Try different USB cables (genuine Apple cables work best)
-
Test multiple USB ports on your computer
-
Ensure connections are secure
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 PC. Open iTunes > Click on Menu > Go to Account.
Step 2. Choose Authorizations > Choose Authorize This Computer.
Step 3. Enter your username and password.
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 iPhone: Go to Settings > General > Choose Software Update and your iPhone will check for updates automatically.
For 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.
Step 1. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos.
Step 2. Turn off iCloud Photos.
Step 3. Download any cloud photos to your device.
- 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.
Step 4. 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!
FoneTool - All-in-one iPhone Data Manager
Transfer, backup and manage data on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch in an easy way.
-
iOS 26 Compatible
iPhone 17 Supported
Windows 11/10/8/8.1/7
100% Secure