Send Photos From iPhone to Windows PC Wirelessly
iPhones and Windows PCs do not talk to each other easily. Here is how to send full-quality photos and videos from an iPhone to a Windows computer without cables or cloud accounts.
Apple makes it very easy to move photos between Apple devices, and surprisingly hard to move them to a Windows PC. The usual advice is to install iTunes, sign in to iCloud, plug in a cable and hope the drivers behave. If you simply want forty photos and a video on your PC, that is a lot of effort. A browser and a short code are enough.
Why iPhone to Windows feels hard
Apple's quick sharing feature, AirDrop, only talks to other Apple devices. Windows has its own sharing features, but they do not talk to AirDrop. In between sit cloud accounts, cables and conversion tools. On top of that, iPhones store photos in modern formats such as HEIC, which Windows may not preview without extra software. A good transfer method must therefore be simple and must not alter your files.
How PeerFlow solves it
PeerFlow runs in Safari on the iPhone and in any browser on the PC. You pick the photos on the phone, share a short code or QR code, and the PC receives them directly over Wi-Fi. There is no cable, no iTunes and no sign-in. The files are not uploaded to a server along the way, because the transfer is peer to peer.
Step by step
- On the Windows PC, open PeerFlow in your browser and choose Enter code (or keep the page open to show a QR code).
- On the iPhone, open PeerFlow in Safari and tap Choose files.
- Pick the photos or videos from your library, or choose files from the Files app, in the picker that opens.
- A short code and a QR code appear. Type the code on the PC, or scan the QR code with the iPhone's camera from the PC screen.
- Watch the progress. When it finishes, the photos are in the PC's downloads folder.
Keeping the quality
When you pick photos from the library, iPhones sometimes offer to send them as "most compatible", which converts HEIC to JPEG. That is handy for sharing with someone who cannot open HEIC, but it changes the file. If you want the originals for editing or printing, send the originals and convert later on the PC if needed. For videos, the original file keeps the full resolution and frame rate.
Tips for iPhone senders
- Keep Safari in front. Safari may pause a tab that is in the background, which pauses the transfer. Keep the screen on until it finishes.
- Send in batches. Hundreds of photos are easier to manage as a few batches than as one huge one.
- Use Wi-Fi. The phone and the PC on the same network gives local speed and avoids mobile data charges.
- Check the receiving folder. Photos land in the default downloads folder of the PC unless you have changed it.
Other ways, and what they cost
| Method | Needs | Drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Cable and Windows Photos app | Cable, trust prompt on the phone | Cable and drivers |
| iCloud for Windows | Apple account, installation | Upload and download, storage limits |
| Email to yourself | Email account | Size limits, quality loss |
| PeerFlow in the browser | A browser on each device | None for the transfer itself |
Going the other way
The same steps work from the PC to the iPhone: choose the files on the PC, share the code, and enter it in Safari on the phone. Files you receive on an iPhone are handled by Safari like any other download, and you can find them in the Files app.
More than photos
Once you have the files across, you can also use PeerFlow's online meetings and screen sharing from the same browser. If you have an Android phone as well, see the guide to transferring files from phone to PC over Wi-Fi, and install the Windows and Android apps for more features.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need iTunes or iCloud?
No. PeerFlow runs in the Safari browser on the iPhone and in any browser on the PC, so no extra software or Apple account is needed for the transfer.
Is there an iPhone app?
Not at the moment. On an iPhone you use PeerFlow in Safari, where you can send and receive files and join meetings. The Android and Windows apps have extra features.
Are the photos sent at full quality?
Yes. Files are sent as they are, so you get the original resolution. Some iPhone photo pickers offer to convert or resize, so choose the original or the files app when you can.
Does it use my mobile data?
Not when the iPhone and the PC are on the same Wi-Fi. The files travel across the local network.