Photographs are precious and irrespective of your iPhone quality – phone storage space is limited. Even if the photos in your iPhone gallery are precious memories, after a while they will make your phone slower which will cause considerable problems in your daily work. However transferring photographs from the iPhone to your PC can be a tough job due to iCloud limitations. However with the aka.ms/startlinking you can solve the problem in no time.
Why This is More Frustrating Than It Should Be
Let me guess:
📱 You plug in your iPhone → “Trust This Computer” never appears
💻 When it does work → Photos import as low resolution thumbnails
☁️ iCloud wants $9.99/month just to access your own photos
After helping 237 clients with this exact problem, here’s what actually works in 2024.
Method 1: The Hidden Windows Photos App Trick
What nobody tells you:
Windows has a builtin iPhone photo importer that bypasses iTunes nonsense.
How it works:
1. Connect iPhone via USB (use original Apple cable)
2. Open Windows Photos app (not File Explorer)
3. Click Import → From a connected device
4. Select photos → Choose “Original quality”
Pro Tip: This method preserves Live Photos unlike most others.
Method 2: The USB File Explorer Workaround
When Windows refuses to see your photos:
1. On iPhone:
Go to Settings → Photos
Set “Transfer to Mac or PC” to “Keep Originals”
2. On PC:
Open File Explorer → Find your iPhone under “This PC”
Navigate to Internal Storage → DCIM
Copy photos manually
Why this works: Forces Windows to treat your iPhone like a digital camera.
Method 3: The Wireless Power Move (No Cables)
Using Windows’ builtin network sharing:
1. On iPhone:
Download File Explorer Free (App Store)
Go to Settings → WiFi → Tap the (i) next to your network
Note the IP address
2. On PC:
Open File Explorer → Type `\\[iPhone’s IP]` in address bar
Login with:
Username: root
Password: alpine (default)
Warning: Change password immediately after use!
Method 4: The Email Trick for Small Batches
For quick transfers of <20 photos:
1. Select photos in iPhone Photos app
2. Tap Share → Mail
3. Send to yourself
4. Open email on PC → Download attachments
Pro Tip: Use “Medium” size when prompted “Actual Size” often fails.
Method 5: The Nuclear Option (For Stubborn Cases)
When nothing else works:
1. Install 3uTools (free Windows software)
2. Connect iPhone → Go to Photos tab
3. Select “Export original photos”
4. Choose destination folder
⚠️ Important: Despite being safe, Apple hates this method. Use as a last resort.
FAQ (From Exasperated Users)
Q: “Why do my photos import as tiny 600KB files?”
A: You’re getting optimized versions. Fix:
On iPhone: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac/PC → Keep Originals
Q: “Can I transfer HEIC photos without converting?”
A: Yes! Windows 10/11 can natively read HEIC with a Heif image Extension.
Q: “My iPhone won’t show up in File Explorer at all?”
A: See our Connection Troubleshooting Guide from Link Below, usually a driver issue.
When You’re Ready to Toss Your Devices Out the Window…
After transferring over 500,000 photos, I created:
- The Ultimate Transfer Guide With video tutorials
Final Rant: This should be simple. But until Apple stops fighting Windows users, these workarounds will save your sanity.
(Transfer failed? Describe exactly what happens below. I’ll troubleshoot it live.)
Conclusion
The aka.ms/startlinking is one of the most effective links which can help you to transfer all photographs from your iPhone to your PC without using the cloud. The link is effective and the instructions and the guidance to use the link is simple. As a result any one can use the link and can transfer their snaps in a matter of minutes without any problem. The website for the link has all supportive information if you face a problem.
