How to Import iPhone Photos to Windows 10

If you've switched from a Mac to a PC, but still use an iPhone, you're probably wondering how you're going to start managing your smartphone's camera roll. Fortunately, you don't need Apple's Photos image management app to easily access the images on your phone, you just need to know how to set things up.

Below we'll show you how to sync the photos from your iPhone to a Microsoft OneDrive account and then download them your PC. Once everything is set up, your images will be constantly syncing in the background, with or without taxing your mobile data plan.

Before you get started, make sure you've created a Windows Account with Microsoft, as it will be necessary for this process. Each account comes with 5GB for free, just like Apple provides.

How to Import iPhone Photos to Windows 10

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type "Phone companion" into the search prompt.

3. Select Phone Companion from the top of the Start menu.

4. Click iPhone or iPad.

5. Enter your Microsoft account information and click Sign in.

6. Click "Sign in to just this app instead" to proceed if you don't want to sign into your PC with your Microsoft account, or fill in your PC's sign in password and click Next. You will not see this window if you already log into your PC with your Microsoft account.

7. Select the "Get started" button underneath "Get photos you take with your iPhone or iPad onto your PC, automatically."

8. Tap Yes, This Is Me! to confirm your identity.

9. Enter your email address and click Send. Microsoft will email you a direct link to OneDrive in the iOS app store. If you tap this link on your iPhone, you'll be prompted to download the app. You can also search for OneDrive in the app store on your phone.

10. Select Get next to OneDrive on your iPhone.

11. Tap Install.

12. Select Open.

13. Enter your Microsoft account name and click Go.

14. Enter your Microsoft account password.

15. Tap OK or No, Thanks to agree or disagree to have OneDrive send notifications. It doesn't matter which you choose for our purposes. We selected No, Thanks"

16. Tap the User icon in the upper left corner.

17. Select the Gear icon.

18. Tap Camera Upload.

19. Move the switch next to Camera Upload to the On position.

20. Select OK.

21. Select either Don't Allow or OK, it doesn't actually matter, so defer if you're trying to limit notifications.

22. Turn the switch next to Upload In Background to the On position.

23. Tap Turn On in the bottom right corner to agree to Location Tracking for OneDrive. You might not want to, but it's necessary for background uploads.

24. Tap Allow to give Location permissions to OneDrive. Yes, it's a little redundant, but this is the tap that actually grants permissions to the app.