Apple usually wants users to use iTunes to transfer files like photos, music, and movies from a computer to an iPhone. However, iTunes has a downside: when you transfer photos, it replaces your entire photo library on the iPhone. Plus, the syncing process can be slow or fail to work properly.
Because of these hassles, many users prefer to transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes. Luckily, there are several simple and reliable alternatives you can try. This guide will walk you through the best options to transfer multiple photos easily, no iTunes required.
If you need to transfer a large number of photos, using a third-party desktop tool is your best option. One great choice is iOS Transfer, an all-in-one software that lets you easily transfer a variety of files, including music, videos, photos, and contacts, between your iPhone and either a Windows PC or Mac in one go. It's a simple and efficient way to manage and transfer your iPhone/iPad files.
Key Features of iOS Transfer:
Guide on transferring photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes using iOS Transfer:
0Get the right version of the iOS Transfer downloaded and installed on your PC. Run it and connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable. Once connected, the program will display the interface like the picture below.
02From the menu on the left side, choose the "Photos" tab and you will see all your iPhone photo library spread out in different tabs by type.
03To add pictures from PC to your iPhone, simply click the "+" icon in the top toolbar, choose either "Add File" or "Add Folder" from the options, and then you can select the image you want to transfer from your computer.
Apart from iTunes, iCloud is another Apple service that lets you store and back up your data in the cloud. It also enables seamless syncing of photos between your Windows PC and iPhone, allowing you to transfer photos wirelessly from your PC to your iPhone without needing iTunes.
As long as you have enough iCloud storage and the iTunes for Windows app installed on your computer, you can easily follow these steps to transfer photos from your PC to your iPhone.
Step 1. Open iCloud.com on your computer and log in with your Apple ID.
Step 2. Click the "Photos" icon, then select the "Upload" button to add the photos you want to transfer to iCloud.
Step 3. Open "Settings" on your iPhone and tap your Apple ID at the top.
Step 4. Go to the "iCloud" option, select "Photos", and turn on "iCloud Photos". Make sure your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, and after a moment, the photos will automatically download to your iPhone.
Besides iCloud, there are other cloud services you can use to transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes, such as Dropbox, OneDrive, and more.
2.1 Use Dropbox to Transfer Images to iPhone without iTunes
Step 1. Visit dropbox.com on your PC directly and log in to your account.
Step 2. Then, create a folder and upload the photos from your PC to your Dropbox account by clicking on the "Upload files" option.
Step 3. Open the Dropbox app on your iPhone and sign in to the same account.
Step 4. Click the "Download" tab and choose the photos you need to transfer. Wait for a while until it completes the process.
If you want to back up your iPhone to Dropbox, you can read this step-by-step guide.
How to Back Up iPhone to Dropbox? [Full Guide & Alternative]2.2. Use OneDrive to Copy Pictures to iPhone from PC Without iTunes
Step 1. Set up OneDrive on your PC.
Step 2. Copy and paste the files or folders into the OneDrive folder on your computer.
Step 3. Download and install the OneDrive app on your iPhone from the App Store, then sign in with your Microsoft account.
Step 4. Once the sync is complete, you can access the photos from your computer in the OneDrive app.
Using email is the traditional way to get photos from computer to iPhone without iTunes. However, there is a limit on the attachment size for each email, making it impossible to transfer large files in bulk. Additionally, upload and download speeds are affected by the network.
How to send pictures from computer to iPhone without iTunes?
Step 1. Open the email client on your PC and select "New Email".
Step 2. Attach the photos, enter your own email address as the recipient, and click "Send".
Step 3. On your iPhone, open the Mail app and find the email you just sent.
Step 4. Tap on the attached photos and select "Save to Photos".
File Explorer is a built-in tool in Windows that lets you manage files and folders on your PC. By using it, you can access your iPhone's internal storage and easily copy photos from your computer to your device.
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to your PC after unlocking it.
Step 2: Press "Win + E" to open File Explorer.
Step 3: In the sidebar, go to "This PC > Apple iPhone > Internal Storage > DCIM." You'll find your iPhone's photo folders here.
Step 4: On your computer, open the folder with the photos you want to transfer, then copy and paste them into the DCIM folder on your iPhone.
Google Photos, a cloud storage service, lets you wirelessly transfer photos and videos across devices. It offers 15GB of free storage, which is much more than what iCloud provides.
Step 1. Visit Google Photos and log in with your Google account.
Step 2. Click "Upload" > "Computer" to upload the photos you want to transfer to cloud storage.
Step 3. Install Google Photos on your iPhone and sign in with the same account used on your computer.
Step 4. Go to the "Photos" tab to view the pictures from your computer.
Hopefully, the above 6 methods can help you transfer photos from PC to iPhone without iTunes. Compared with the other methods, there is no doubt that iOS Transfer is the best way to do it. It stands out for its efficiency, simplicity, and security, making it perfect for users who need to transfer large batches of photos.
If you have any problems with this article or the software, you are welcome to leave a comment here.
Q1: Can I drag and drop photos from my PC to my iPhone?
If your iPhone is connected to your PC and you can access it through "This PC" > [your device name] > Internal Storage > DCIM, then yes, you can simply drag and drop photos into this folder. Once done, you should be able to view them on your iPhone.
Q2: How do I manually transfer photos from my PC to my iPhone?
You can use third-party software like iOS Transfer to easily select and transfer multiple photos from your PC to your iPhone. Alternatively, you can upload your photos to a cloud storage service and sync them to your iPhone.
Q3: How can I transfer photos from my iPhone to my PC?
To move photos from your iPhone to your computer, connect your iPhone via USB, then open the Microsoft Photos app on your PC. Select "Import" > "From a USB device," and you'll be able to choose which photos to transfer to your PC.
Related Articles:
How to Transfer Files from PC to iPhone Without iTunes - 6 Ways
How to Transfer Videos from Computer to iPhone Without iTunes? (6 Proven Ways)
How to Transfer Music from Computer to iPhone Without iTunes? - 4 Ways
How to Transfer Videos from PC to iPhone Camera Roll with/without iTunes?
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