How to transfer videos from iPhone to computer
Both Mac and Windows has a built-in tool to help you transfer videos from iPhone to computer. And there're other options available for moving your photos and videos.
Alex Griffith Updated on Aug 27, 2023 12:48 PM
It's never been easier to record moments that you like and download favorite video clips from online with your iPhone, but before you get the device "Storage Almost Full" message, it's important to know how to transfer your videos from iPhone to computer, no matter it's a Mac or PC machine.
Transferring videos from iPhone to PC or Mac has many benefits. You can free up a few gigabytes of space on your phone so you can capture moment you desperately want. You can import the iPhone videos to computer hard drive to get a solid backup. With your videos stored locally, you can also edit them as you like to create your own home movies and slideshows.
You can connect your iPhone to computer and transfer the videos by desktop-based apps, or do it wirelessly.
Here, we've put together instructions on how to get videos from iPhone to computer in this handy video transfer tutorial. You can import videos to your Windows PC or import videos to your Mac by simply connecting the phone to the machine and use the built-in Photos app or something like iPhone Data Transfer. You can also use iCloud Photos to make your iPhone videos available on cloud and then download them to your computer.
Beware though, if you're running a Windows PC, make sure you have iTunes installed and upgrade it to the latest version if it is available. iTunes 12.5.1 or later is required to transfer iPhone videos to PC.
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Import videos to PC with Photos app (Windows 10/ 8)
The most obvious answer is the Photos app that is built in the PC, since this is what Windows intended. As the name implies, Photos app is designed browse, organize, and view pictures on your PC, but it can just as easily import videos from an iPhone to PC via a cable.
Before you can use the feature, first make sure iTunes has been installed on your computer, and it has the latest version to run.
To import your video from iPhone to Windows computer, follow these steps.
1. Connect your phone to the PC with a working cable.
2. Unlock your iPhone with your passcode. The device might not be found by the PC if it's locked.
3. If you get a "Trust This Computer" notification on the screen, tap Trust or Allow to continue.
4. On your PC, go to Start menu and select Photos if it doesn't open automatically.
5. Select Import > From a USB device.
6. Select the videos you want to transfer from iPhone, and select where to save them on PC.
7. Wait a while for the transfer to complete.
You are able to copy videos from iPhone to PC using Photos app in Windows
If some videos are rotated incorrectly in the Windows Photos app after transferring from your iPhone, you can often correct the issue by opening these videos in iTunes and playing them in the correct orientation.
Also see: How to unlock iPhone without passcode
Transfer video from iPhone to PC or Mac with iPhone Data Transfer (cross-platform)
If you want to get more control over the transfer with intuitive interface, using iPhone Data Transfer is a smart move: the desktop based application is one of the best options for transferring media files (including videos, photos, music) and personal information among iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and can also move files to and from computer.
It's simple, efficient and features a whole range of smart tools for organizing, transferring, and backing up your data, making it a great alternative of iTunes.
It's simple to transfer video from an iPhone to a computer through iPhone Data Transfer. In this guide, we will show you how to handle this in a Windows PC. The program has a similar interface design, so the process is the same if you're running a Mac.
Step 1: Plug the iPhone into PC and open the program
First of all, connect your device into the computer and then run iPhone Data Transfer.
Once detected, you should get an interface like this screenshot.
Step 2: Access your video library
Head to the sidebar and select "Videos" column. This will get you into your video lists where sorts your video files into multiple categories: Movies, Home Videos, TV Shows, Music Videos, Podcasts, iTunes U.
If your video is recorded by your phone camera, you can click the "Video in Photos" button at the bottom and find it in your Camera Roll.
Step 3: Move your videos from iPhone to PC
Now, you're going to copy your videos to your local hard drive.
Simply tick the videos you want from the list, and then click the "To Computer" icon on the top center, then select "Export to PC." In the opening dialog, specify where to store the transferred videos.
Your iPhone video files will now begin exporting to the computer's folder. You may need to wait a few minutes depending on how large your select files are.
That's it! Once the export is complete, you'll be able to get an "Export X video(s) to folder successfully!" message.
Tip: If you want to do a video transfer in reverse, you can simply drag-n-drop your files from your computer onto the program or use the "+" icon on the top to add videos to your iPhone. One good thing about using this program is that it adds support for on-the-fly conversion, letting you convert the video & audio file automatically to make it playable for you.
Download video from iPhone to PC with AutoPlay (Windows 7)
If you're running a Windows 7 desktop or laptop, AutoPlay is probably the easiest way to go about getting videos off your iPhone to your PC. It's super easy to use. Here's how.
1. Connect your phone into the computer, and ensure it's unlocked and trusted.
2. AutoPlay should pop up automatically. If it doesn't open on your PC, ensure that you've enabled the checkbox for Use AutoPlay for all media and devices. More fixes here.
3. From the AutoPlay dialog box, select Import pictures and Videos.
4. In the Import Settings, choose where to save the videos on your PC.
5. Select the videos from your iPhone. Then click Import and your videos begin importing.
How to get video from iPhone to computer through File Explorer
Have you even connect your iPhone to your PC and then suddenly wished you'd access your phone media library and pull out the videos? With the File Explorer (previously known as Windows Explorer in Windows 7 and earlier versions) application built in the computer, you can get your iPhone videos onto PC by copy-n-paste or its "Import" option.
To do this:
1. With your phone plugged into your PC, turn it on and unlock with the passcode. You may also need to tap "Trust" to trust the PC.
2. On your desktop, click This PC.
3. Your iPhone should be listed as a device. Click it to open.
4. Next, head to Internal Storage > DCIM > 100APPLE.
5. Select the videos you'd like to transfer, and click Copy from the context menu when you right click on one of the selected videos.
6. Navigate to the folder where you'd like the videos to go, and then paste your files.
Alternatively, you can use the "Import" option to move everything manually.
1. Click Start > File Explorer > This PC.
2. Right click the iPhone then select "Import pictures and videos" from context menu.
Right-clicking on the phone name allows importing videos to computer.
3. Select the videos you wish and click "Import" to start transferring videos to your PC.
How to export videos from iPhone to PC with iCloud for Windows
Apple also provides users with desktop-based application — iCloud for Windows, to help transfer photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to a Windows PC. As long as you enable iCloud Photos feature on your iPhone, the photos and videos will up to date and sync across all of your Apple devices, Mac, on iCloud.com, and even your PC that is sharing the same iCloud account.
Here're steps on how to import videos from iPhone to PC using iCloud for Windows.
1. Turn on iCloud Photos on your iPhone so that all your videos will be uploaded to iCloud server automatically: Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos > iCloud Photos.
2. Download and install iCloud for Windows on your computer and sign in with the same credentials you use on the iPhone.
3. Click Options next to Photos.
4. Check the box next to iCloud Photo Library. This will extend the menu, and enable the Download new photos and videos to my PC option automatically. If you don't like where videos are being saved by default, you can always change the location by clicking the Change button and choosing a different folder.
5. Click Done, followed by Apply.
iCloud Photos lets you upload video from iPhone to cloud and sync with computer.
Now you can head to the folder you specify to access all your videos from your iPhone.
Also see: How to recover deleted photos from iPhone.
Import video to your Mac using the Photos app
Apple has made video transfer from iPhone to Mac easier through the use of a built-in Photos app. To do this, make sure your iPhone is unlocked with your passcode and trusts the computer.
1. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using a USB cable.
2. Launch the Photos app, you should get an Import screen displaying all your photos and videos stored on your iPhone. If it doesn't appear, select the device's name in the app sidebar.
3. Next to "Import to," choose where you want to import your videos on your Mac.
4. Select the videos you want to import and click Import Selected.
5. Poof! like magic, the videos are copied to your Mac.
Mac's Photos app has built-in option to move video from iPhone.
You can also use the nifty AirDrop feature to quickly and securely transfer video from an iPhone to a Mac computer wirelessly. This is very handy especially if you're sharing a few small video clips.
Send video from iPhone to Mac computer via AirDrop
1. Turn on AirDrop on the iPhone: go to Settings > General > AirDrop > Everyone.
2. Turn on AirDrop on the Mac: open Finder app, and click AirDrop from sidebar. In the AirDrop window, click the "Allow me to be discovered by" pop-up menu, then choose Everyone.
3. Open Photos app on your iPhone and select the videos you want to send to Mac.
4. Tap the Share button.
5. Tap the AirDrop button.
6. Tap your Mac's name when it appears.
7. On your Mac, you should see an alert with a preview of video. Tap Accept.
Sending video from iPhone to Mac computer is pretty quick via AirDrop.
Couldn't be easier.
