Found a trick for - I just want to transfer photos from iPhone to computer locally not on onedrive

Veer 20 Reputation points
2026-09-29T02:35:44.8+00:00

i was looking for an Answer for - I just want to transfer photos from iPhone to computer locally not on onedrive.

Software needed: You need to install "Apple Devices" software first, link below.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/118290
https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9np83lwlpz9k?hl=en-US&gl=US

Figured out 2 tricks:

1)Directly copy paste into your PC.

You can directly select all the folders in your iphone and copy and paste paste them to your pc - but you still need to install the above software. with out it, the copy will halt intermitently and even even if you try multiple times it will never copy all the photos and the size of the iphone photos directory will never be the same as the copied folder.

2)With Photos App in windows:

  1. in the Notification bar - click one drive -> settings -> pause sync for 8 hours or how ever long you want.
  2. Go to photos App -> external devices -> iphone -> wait for it load all the photos -> select all -> click Add -> it will only show you an option to save to oneDrive.
  3. click -> create a new folder -> <some name>.
  4. export, (it will prompt for size >5GB click continue, as its saving only to local and Sync is Off)
  5. go to one drive -> pictures -> <some name> -> do cut and paste to where ever you want.
  6. turn the Sync back on, in OneDrive

if you can't find the folder you created, just search in one drive.

Windows for home | Other | Music, photos, and video
0 comments
Answer accepted by question author
Thomas4-N 22,380 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
2026-10-02T10:54:36.1133333+00:00

Hello Veer,

I see you were trying to get your iPhone photos onto your PC without leaving them in OneDrive. I’m glad you found a way that worked for you.

Pausing OneDrive sync gave you time to import the photos and move them out of the OneDrive folder before syncing resumed. I appreciate you taking the time to work through this and write out each step. That kind of detailed update makes it much easier for someone facing the same issue to try your approach.

Was this answer helpful?

1 person found this answer helpful.
0 comments

1 additional answer

Sort by: Most helpful
Most helpful Newest Oldest

  1. AI answer

    2026-09-29T02:36:03.6+00:00

    A supported local method is to import directly from the iPhone into a folder on the PC instead of moving files out of OneDrive afterward.

    1. Connect the iPhone to the PC with a USB cable.
    2. Unlock the iPhone.
    3. If prompted on the iPhone, select Trust or Allow.
    4. On the PC, open Photos from Start.
    5. Select Import > the connected device.
    6. Follow the prompts, choose the items to import, and select where to save them.

    If the Photos app is only offering OneDrive, a documented community workaround is to add the local folder first so it appears as an import destination:

    1. Open File Explorer.
    2. Go to Gallery > Collection > Manage Collection.
    3. Select Add and add the local folder to use, such as Pictures or another folder on the C: drive.
    4. Close and reopen Photos.
    5. Start the import again. The added folder should appear as a destination.

    Another community workaround is:

    1. Open Microsoft Photos.
    2. In the left sidebar, find Folders.
    3. Add a folder on the hard drive.
    4. Retry the import.

    If iCloud is enabled on the iPhone, photos that exist only in iCloud may not import from the device to the PC. In that case, use iCloud for Windows to access those photos in Windows.

    If the phone is not detected, try a different USB cable because not all cables support file transfer.

    References:

    AI-generated content may be incorrect. Read our transparency notes for more information.

    Was this answer helpful?

Your answer

Answers can be marked as 'Accepted' by the question author and 'Recommended' by moderators, which helps users know the answer solved the author's problem.