Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Can no longer transfer iphone pictures to pc

Please Help!


I have read through dozens of responses in your forum about the transfer of iPhone photographs to a PC.that does no good because the responses are conflicting. What makes me scratch my head the most is that apparently no one is aware that at one point in time you could plug your iPhone into the computer in the computer would automatically recognize it as a drive through which you could access the photos. I promise, I am not hallucinating. As recently as December I plug the iPhone 4s nto a Windows 8 laptop and transfer all the photographs off there to the computer. I did not engage in any other software or any existing program in either the iPhone or the computer. The operation was just as it is when reading a memory card plugged into the computer. The computer recognizes it, asks you what you want to do with it and let you do it. Incidentally, this same process worked on all six computers that I use at home and work. All of a sudden however, when I plug the iPhone 4s or my new iPhone 6 Plus into any of those computers, it does not recognize them as drives, you cannot find it in the directory tree of the computer and you cannot in any way locate photos.


someone please tell me what has changed. Some also say that you have to have the most recent iTunes on there. On the iPhone 4s the pictures are still in there but iTunes has never been used on that phone, yet, in the past I was able to see the picture! I hope I haven't complicated my question so much that no one understands it but I hope that someone out there can tell me that I'm not losing my mind and it was once possible to do this. In any case I just need to know how to get a lot of photographs off of the iPhone because the file size is so large that I can't back up to iCloud.


By the way, for those of you who want to regurgitate the notion that your phone has to be unlocked, please just save your time. It was never an issue that the phone was locked before but even if it were,I have unlocked the phone, unplug it and replug it, rebooted, Rachel all the gods of heaven and earth and all the moons, and all the rocks in the desert and it still does not work. I sure hope you did something really stupid looking me in the face and makes me feel like a fool. I would much rather feel like a fool for not knowing how to do it then to feel like a fool when I lose all these pictures that are so precious. Thank you!

iPhone 4S, iOS 8.1.2

Posted on Mar 15, 2015 5:32 PM

Reply
7 replies

Mar 21, 2015 2:34 PM in response to ricster70791

I figured it out (at least in my situation)!


Before, when my iPhone 4s acted like any other external harddrive/flashdrive/etc., I had not yet downloaded iTunes. Then, I was given (to my great dismay) an iTunes giftcard and had to figure out how to spend it. I ended up downloading iTunes and suddenly the iPhone was useless at transferring photos!!! Finally, just today, I was about to test completely uninstalling iTunes from my machine when I noticed the option "Automatically sync when this iPhone is connected" and I deselected it. I then closed iTunes, unplugged my iPhone, and then plugged it back in. Immediately, the normal dialog box opened asking what I wanted to do with the device!!!


I feel like singing! Finally, this preposterously difficult to use Apple product has been returned to a semi-functional state on my PC!!!

Mar 29, 2015 10:54 PM in response to ricster70791

You don't transfer iphotos to itunes. Itunes is not a photo management program.Pics taken with iphone are imported to your computer as you would from any digital camera. Photos synced to your iphone from your computer are synced one way - computer to iphone. As they came from your computer in the first place, they should still be there, but you can use some third party app like: iStonsoft iPhone to computer transfer, Vibosoft iPhone transfer, Cool, or iPubsoft.


There are many apps works:

Vibosoft iPhone/iPad/iPod to computer transfer:

http://www.vibosoft.com/ios/copy-photo-from-iphone-5-to-computer.html


iStonsoft iPhone to computer transfer

http://www.istosoft.com/iphone-to-computer-transfer.html


Coolmuster ios copy

http://www.coolmust.com/idevices/transfer-photo-from-iphone-to-computer.html


and more...other, like: iPubsoft, isssoft, cucumody,

Nov 5, 2016 5:50 AM in response to ricster70791

I have been boggled by this as well...and just found the answer. I have been connecting my iPhone to my work computer for years to download photos because it shows up like a drive. No iTunes on that computer though. On MY computer with iTunes open and logged in, I can only transfer photos from MY PC to MY iPhone! Who wants to do that!!! The fix is to close itunes, and close the iTunesHelper process under Processes (Ctrl+Shft+Esc gets you there). Unplugged the iPhone and replugged it back in. Viola! regular autoplay window like normal.......why does picture transfer have to be so hard...

Nov 5, 2016 5:59 AM in response to ricster70791

If you install the iCloud Control Panel for Windows [http://www.apple.com/icloud/setup/pc.html] That will enable Photo Stream and iCloud Drive (read about it at the link above). That lets you enjoy some of the benefits of owning an iOS device, whether it be iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad and AppleTV that happen naturally for every Mac user. You won't even have to connect your device to iTunes or the computer.


I don't know why we don't tell you PC users about this at the get-go and I apologize for that!!! You made the investment, you should enjoy all the benefits.


Hope this helps and gets rid of your frustration!

Can no longer transfer iphone pictures to pc

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.