How to Transfer Photos from iPhone 17/16 to PC - 5 Fast Ways (2025)

Why Transfer Photos from New iPhone Models?

The arrival of the iPhone 17 has brought excitement to Apple fans, with significant camera upgrades particularly appealing to photography enthusiasts. As users increasingly document their lives using iPhones, these devices accumulate substantial photo collections that often need transferring to computers for viewing, editing, or storage.

This guide presents five efficient methods for transferring photos from iPhone 17/16 to your Windows PC.

Comparison: 5 Photo Transfer Methods for iPhone 17/16

Method	Connection	Transfer Speed	Effectiveness	Large File Transfer
FoneTool🔥	USB	Super-Fast	High - 3 Steps	Convenient
Photos App	USB	Moderate	Medium - Tedious Operation	Slow
File Explorer	USB	Moderate	Medium - Manually Find Data	Slow
iCloud	Wireless	Slow	Low - Unknown Errors may Occur	Unstable
Google Photos	Wireless	Slow	Low - Manually Upload/Download	Unstable

1. How to Transfer Photos from iPhone 17/16 to PC - Fastest & Free

For rapid, reliable photo transfers from iPhone 16/17 to PC, FoneTool provides the optimal solution with superior speed and flexibility.

Follow the steps below to try the best way to transfer pictures from iPhone to PC.

Step 1. Connect iPhone to PC via USB > Tap Trust when prompted.

Step 2. Open FoneTool > Phone Transfer > iPhone to PC > Get Started.

Step 3. Click + icon > Select photos/videos > OK.

Step 4. Change photo storage location in Transfer Settings > Click Start Transfer to copy iPhone photos to PC without iTunes.

   

★Pro Tips:

   

Use PC to iPhone feature for reverse transfers without iTunes

   

Connect USB drives simultaneously for direct external storage transfers

   

Essential for iPhone 17/16e users lacking mmWave 5G support

2. How to transfer photos from iPhone 16/17 to laptop with Photos

Windows' built-in Photos app provides a native solution for iPhone photo transfers without third-party software. You can set it to automatically put newly-taken iPhone pictures to computer.

Step 1. Connect iPhone to computer > Open Photos app.

Step 2. Click Import > From A USB device.

Step 3. Wait for file detection > Deselect unwanted photos.

Step 4. Click Import to add iPhone 16/17 pictures to PC.

3. How to import photos from iPhone 16/17 to PC with File Explorer

Windows File Explorer offers direct access to iPhone storage for manual photo management. Les't move photos/videos stored in the iPhone DCIM folder.

Step 1. Connect iPhone via USB > Open File Explorer.

Step 2. Navigate to This PC > Select your iPhone under Portable Devices.

Step 3. Open Internal Storage > DCIM folder.

Step 4. Drag and drop photos to PC destination.

4. How to download photos from iPhone 16/17 to PC with iCloud

For people who don’t need to move a large number of pictures, downloading photos from iCloud to PC will be a good way.

 iCloud Setup Preparation

Enable iCloud Photos: Settings > Profile > iCloud > Photos > Enable sync.

Option 1. Save photos to computer via iCloud Website

Step 1. Go to iCloud.com on your PC  > Login Apple ID.

Step 2. Click the Photos icon > Select images > Tap Download icon to download photos to your PC.

Step 3. Save to computer (max 1000 photos per session).

Option 2. Copy iCloud photos to pc with a professional tool

FoneTool will be a fast and safe way to download iCloud data from PC.

Highlights:

· Efficiently download, upload or delete iCloud (Drive) data from Windows PC

· Download 1000+ photos in 20 minutes without errors.

· SSL encryption ensures data security

· Sync between iCloud accounts with one click

Download FoneTool on your PC and choose your iCloud photos/videos to download as you like.

Step 1. Open FoneTool > My iCloud > Login > Manage iCloud.

Step 2. Select Photos > Choose files > Click the Downlod button.

Step 3. Change the download settings > Click Download to confirm.

5. How to get photos from iPhone 16/17 to computer - Google Photos

If you need another wireless way to upload photos from iPhone 16/17 to computer, Google Photos offers 15GB free storage for cloud-based photo transfers.

Step 1. On iPhone: Access photos.google.comm or Google Photos app > Login > Upload photos.

Step 2. On PC: Visit photos.google.com > Login same account.

Step 3. Select photos > Three-dots menu > Click Download to download pictures from iPhone 16/17 to laptop/desktop.

FAQs about iPhone 16/17 to PC data transfer

Final Words

This guide presents five effective methods for transferring photos from iPhone 17/16 to PC:

• For large-scale transfers: Use wired methods like FoneTool (fastest), Photos app, or File Explorer

• For wireless convenience: iCloud or Google Photos provide cloud-based solutions

FoneTool stands out as the optimal solution with its superior speed, selective transfer capability, you can also go to Phone Backup and use it to backup iPhone 16/17 to PC without iCloud.