7 Best Free Ways to Transfer Photos from PC to iPhone

It's common for people to store photos across various devices, including computers, cameras, and mobile phones. Sometimes, when you switch to a new iPhone or need to get your pictures after editing them on computer, it’s necessary to transfer photos from PC to iPhone.

However, moving files between iPhone and Windows desktop/laptop seems complex due to system restrictions. Fortunately, there are several methods available to make it, including iTunes, iCloud, etc.

Now we will introduce 7 ways to help you easily move your precious PC images to your iPhone. And AOMEI FoneBackup mentioned in Method 1 might be the most useful way.

Method 1. The best way to transfer photos from PC to iPhone free

Some people are used to moving files from Windows to iPhone with iTunes/iCloud. But these ways appear troublesome when you need to send a large number of files or you forget your Apple ID. For people who need to know: "How do I transfer photos from computer to iPhone without iTunes?" AOMEI FoneBackup can give you the easiest steps.

Highlights:

Fast transfer speed allows you to transfer 1000 photos within minutes.

User-friendly interface helps you finish all transfer tasks within a few clicks.

Total USB connection protects all your data safe.

Various image formats are supported, including jpg, png, gif, heic, bmp, etc.

Easily preview and select data you like to move.

Various iPhone models and iOS versions are supported, including iPhone 16/15 and iOS 18/17.

Now you can download the software on your Windows PC and learn how to transfer photos from laptop to iPhone without losing quality according to the step-by-step guidance below.

Step 1. Connect iPhone to PC

Run AOMEI FoneBackup and connect your iPhone to the computer with a USB cable. If asked, tap Trust on iPhone.

Step 2. Go to PC to iPhone photo transfer

Choose Phone Transfer > Select PC to iPhone and click Get Started.

Step 3. Add photos to iPhone from PC

Tap the blank box to add the photos/videos you need from the computer. For people who want to know, how can I transfer files from PC to iPhone with USB cable, you can also click the other option to make it!

Step 4. Start to copy photos from PC to iPhone

Now you can confirm the photos you need and click Start Transfer to begin the task.

Method 2. How to import photos from computer to iPhone with iTunes

As a traditional method to move files between Windows desktop/laptop and iPhone, iTunes is also useful for importing data from your computer to iPhone. But it's essential to be cautious about data loss in the synchronization process, because iTunes might overwrite your data in some situations. Here's a guide on how to put computer photos into your iPhone:

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable. Download and install iTunes from the Microsoft Store if you haven't already.

Step 2. Open iTunes and click on your device icon. Then, select the Photos header.

Step 3. Check Sync Photos option and select Choose folder from the drop-down menu and tap the folder containing the photos you wish to export.

Step 4. Click Apply to begin the syncing task.

Method 3. How to send pictures from computer to iPhone with iCloud

The iCloud Photos function gives you a wireless way to easily access Windows photos from your iPhone. If you need useful tips to upload photos to iCloud from your PC, here we offer 2 options to make it.

If there are too many photos that need to be sent, the professional iCloud manager - AOMEI FoneBackup mentioned in Option 2 can help you a lot.

Option 1. Save photos from PC to iCloud via the iCloud client

Step 1. Download iCloud for Windows on your PC, then install and run it.

Step 2. Log in with your Apple ID and click on the Options button next to Photos.

Step 3. Choose iCloud Photo Library, click Done and then Apply to confirm your choice.

Step 4. Launch iCloud Photos in File Explorer. Select Upload photos and videos, then choose the photos you want to migrate to your iPhone.

Option 2. Upload photo from PC to iCloud via Professional AOMEI FoneBackup

Except for the iPhone transfer feature, AOMEI FoneBackup is also a handy iCloud data management app.

Highlights:

Fast transfer speed allows you to efficiently upload/download/delete iCloud photos from Windows 11/10/8/7 PC for free.

The iCloud sync feature can help you easily transfer iCloud data from one Apple ID to another in one click.

AOMEI FoneBackup uses two-factor authentication to protect your iCloud data which is the same as the encryption used by Apple.

Step 1. Download, install and run AOMEI FoneBackup on your PC.

Step 2. Go to My iCloud > Log in with your Apple ID > Choose Manage iCloud to continue.

Step 3. Click the Photos icon to access iCloud photos > Tap on the Upload button in the top right corner to continue.

Step 4. Choose your moved iPhone photos from your computer > Click Open to accomplish the action.

Once the upload process is completed, the pictures should promptly appear on your iPhone as well as any other device linked to the same iCloud account. 

However, if you encounter any delays or the photos don't appear as expected, check if iCloud Photos is enabled on your iPhone by going to Settings > Your Name > iCloud > Photos > iCloud Photos.

Then you can download them to your iPhone easily. If you encounter the iCloud photos not downloading issue, you can use other ways to access your PC photos on iPhone.

Method 4. Transfer photos from Windows to iPhone using Google Photos

When it comes to how to transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes/iCloud, cloud services such as Google Photos, DropBox and OneDrive can also help you share photos. And here we will take Google Photos as an example.

Step 1. Open your computer's browser and visit https://photos.google.com/. Sign in using your Google account.

Step 2. Create a new album on Google Photos and upload the desired photos from your computer to the album.

Step 3. Open your iPhone, go to the App Store and download the Google Photos app. Sign in using the same Google account as on your computer.

Step 4. The photos from your Google Photos album will sync to the Google Photos app on your iPhone. From there, you can easily mass download Google Photos for offline access.

Method 5. How to copy photos from PC to iPhone with File Explorer

Windows File Explorer provides a convenient way for users to access and move photos and videos from their PC to iPhone using a USB cable. And you don't need to install any third-party software.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your PC using a USB cable > Unlock your iPhone and grant permission to "Trust this computer" if prompted.

Step 2. Go to your PC, Choose Internal Storage > Find the folder or create a new one to save the photos > Select the photos you wish to save to iPhone on PC > Copy and paste them into the designated folder on your iPhone.

Step 3. Once the process is complete, you can view and access the targeted photos in the Photos app on your iPhone.

Method 6. How to send photos from PC to iPhone with Email

Sending photos via email is also possible, but this method is limited to moving only a small number of photos. The quantity of photos you can send depends on the attachment size provided by your email service.

Gmail accepts attachments up to 25 MB in size.

Yahoo Mail allows attachments of up to 25 MB.

Outlook has a maximum attachment size of 20 MB.

Hotmail permits sending files up to 10 MB.

Mail.com allows a maximum size of 50 MB per attachment and 10 MB per file.

AOL supports attachments up to 25 MB per email.

You can decide whether to use email to send photos based on the size of the photos/videos you want to move and the attachment limitations provided by your email service provider. If need, you can follow the steps below to accomplish the action.

Step 1. Create a new email address with your name and password > Log in to your old email account on your computer.

Step 2. Compose an email from your old account and use your new email address as the recipient > Select the photos you wish to send and attach them to the email.

Step 3. Access your new email address on your iPhone and locate the incoming email from your old account in the Inbox section. Download the photo attachments to your iPhone to access them.

Method 7. How to transfer photos from laptop to iPhone via Bluetooth

Can you send photos from PC to iPhone via BlueTooth? Of course! The steps below can help you easily finish the process on your Windows laptop/desktop.

Step 1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app, then tap on Bluetooth and toggle it on.

Step 2. On your computer, tap on the Start button, then select Settings, and choose Devices.

Step 3: Select Add Bluetooth & Other Devices.

Step 4. Your computer will start scanning for nearby devices with Bluetooth enabled. Choose your iPhone from the list to pair the devices.

Step 5. Tap Send or receive files via BlueTooth > Choose the Send File option > Select your iPhone as the target device > Tap on Next to continue.

Step 6. Click Browse > Choose the files you want to share > Click on Open > Next > Tap on the Finish button to make it. Then your pictures will be imported to your iPhone.

Conclusion

The 7 methods above give you guidance about moving photos from your computer to iPhone. AOMEI FoneBackup can assist you with selective photos transfer while iTunes and iCloud only support syncing all photos. And if you just add a few pictures, the other 4 ways also work.

Then you can know, AOMEI FoneBackup will be the best way to transfer photos from PC to iPhone when you need to send a large amount of pictures. It’s free, fast and professional.