You can import photos and videos you have stored on a camera’s SD card, a USB drive, a phone, or on another device. Here's how:
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Use a USB cable to connect your device to the PC.
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In the search box on the taskbar, type photos and then select the Photos app from the results.
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Select Import from the app bar.
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Your devices will automatically show under Import.
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Choose your device from the list of connected devices.
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Wait for the content to load from your device.
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Select the photos and videos you would like to import.
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Choose the location of the destination folder for import.
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Select Confirm to move the photos and videos.
Note for iPhone: If you are having trouble with your iPhone import, make sure your device is unlocked and you’ve accepted the permissions.
Note for Androidand other devices:If you’re using an Android phone or other device and import isn’t working, you might need to change your phone’s USB settings from Charging over USB to Transfer Files or Transfer Photos.
First, connect your phone to a PC with a USB cable that can transfer files.
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Turn your phone on and unlock it. Your PC can’t find the device if the device is locked.
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On your PC, select the Start button and then select Photos to open the Photos app.
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Select Import > From a connecteddevice, then follow the instructions. You can pick the items you want to import and select where to save them.Allow a few moments for detection and transfer.
Make sure the photos you want to import are actually on the device rather than in the cloud.
For any general information related to photos and videos in Windows 8.1, seehow to manage photos and videos in Windows 8.1.
Following are several ways to import photos and videos from your phone, camera, other device, or disc.
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Connect a phone, camera, storage card from your camera, or external drive to your PC.
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Open the Photos app.
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Swipe in from the bottom edge to see the app commands.
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(If you're using a mouse, right-click within the app.)
Note:Import isn't available if you're looking at a single picture in full screen view.
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SelectImport.
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Select the device you want to import from.
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The app automatically searches for all photos and videos that it hasn’t imported before and selects them. You can also swipe down on or click each photo and video you want to import or selectSelect all.
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SelectImport.
The photos and videos are saved in the Pictures folder in a subfolder named with the date (for example, 2013-09-10).
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Insert the disc into the drive.
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Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, and then tapSearch.
(If you're using a mouse, point to the upper-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer down, and then clickSearch.)
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EnterFile Explorerin the search box, and then selectFile Explorer.
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In the left pane, clickThis PCto expand the list of folders and devices.
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Select the drive with your photos and videos.
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Find the photos you want to import, select them, and then copy them to a new folder. If you’d like to see them in the Photos app, copy them into the Pictures folder on your PC or in OneDrive.
You can use AutoPlay to determine what happens when you connect a device to your PC. For example, set it so that every time you plug in a storage card, the Photos app opens and you select which photos and videos to import. You might need to turn on your device's multimedia transport control before AutoPlay can find it.
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To set basic options: openPC settings, selectPC and devices, and then selectAutoPlay.
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To set advanced options: openControl Panel, selectHardware and Sound, and then selectAutoPlay.
FAQs
One possible reason why you are unable to import photos from your iPhone to your computer is that your computer's software or operating system may be outdated. Ensure that both your computer and iPhone are running on the latest software versions to maintain compatibility.
How do you allow Microsoft Photos to access and import your photos? ›
Use Microsoft OneDrive
Install the OneDrive app on your Android phone if you haven't already done so. Open the app and sign in with your Microsoft account. Tap the Photos icon at the bottom. Tap the option for Camera Upload and tap the Turn On button.
How do I open Windows import pictures and videos? ›
On your PC, select the Start button and then select Photos to open the Photos app. Select Import > From a connected device, then follow the instructions. You can pick the items you want to import and select where to save them.
Why can't I transfer photos from my phone to my computer? ›
The settings shown may differ on some Android phones but, in this example, the default setting is No Data Transfer. With this option enabled, the computer cannot locate and import your images. You therefore now need to select the option that allows the transfer of your photos. Typically, this is File Transfer.
Why is it so hard to transfer photos from iPhone to PC? ›
If you have iCloud Photos turned on, you need to download the original, full resolution versions of your photos to your iPhone or iPad before you import to your PC. When you import videos from your iOS or iPadOS device to your PC, some might be rotated incorrectly in the Microsoft Photos app.
How can I force my iPhone to Import photos to my computer? ›
First, connect your iPhone to a PC with a USB cable that can transfer files.
- Turn your phone on and unlock it. Your PC can't find the device if the device is locked.
- On your PC, select the Start button and then select Photos to open the Photos app.
- Select Import > From a USB device, then follow the instructions.
Replies (4)
To access the classic Import Pictures wizard, connect the camera and open This PC. Right-click on the camera and click "Import pictures and videos". Click "More options" to see the import settings. In the resulting dialog, you can set the destination folder.
How to accept Microsoft Photos access on iPhone? ›
Import with Windows Photos
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the cable. ...
- Click “Allow” if your phone asks “Allow this device to access photos and videos?”. ...
- On the computer, click the Start button and go to Photos.
- Click Import – From a USB device. ...
- Follow the instructions.
Go to Apps - Installed Apps. Scroll down to find the Microsoft Photos app. Select that app and select 'Advanced Options', run the Repair option and then run the Reset option. Then check if the Photos app is working correctly.
What is the fastest way to transfer pictures from phone to computer? ›
Method 1: USB Transfer
One of the fastest ways to transfer pictures from Android to PC is to use File Explorer and a USB cable. File Explorer is the file manager app on Windows PCs. Using this app, you can drag and drop photos from your Android to your computer.
Importing is the process of acquiring photos and videos from sources and/or devices external to your computer hard drives and copying them into folders on your computer so Picasa can find and index them.
Why do videos fail to import? ›
Damaged Media. You might not be able to import videos or pictures from a USB stick, Blu-ray disc or other removable media if it has suffered damage. Though durable, CDs and other optical media will deteriorate after several years of storage. Cracked discs will also pose a problem.
How do I get all my photos from my phone to my computer? ›
Sync OneDrive with Windows Photos App
You can import photos directly from your phone through the built-in Photos app, but that requires a direct cable connection. To go a wireless route, you can instead sync photos through Microsoft OneDrive or iCloud.
How to transfer photos from phone to computer with USB? ›
Option 2: Move files with a USB cable
With a USB cable, connect your device to your computer. On your device, tap the "Charging this device via USB" notification. Under "Use USB for," select File Transfer. A file transfer window will open on your computer.
Why can't I transfer files from phone to PC via USB? ›
Try a different USB cable: The USB cable you're using may be faulty. Try using a different USB cable to see if that resolves the issue. Check your USB connection settings: On your Android device, go to Settings > System > Developer options > Default USB configuration, and make sure that "File transfer" is selected.
Why does it keep saying something went wrong when importing photos from iPhone? ›
One of the most widely confirmed fixes for the “Something went wrong” error is to select the Keep Originals iPhone setting. Selecting that option stops automatic JPEG conversion for importing pictures.
Why is my PC not recognizing my iPhone photos? ›
This is most likely because your PC does not recognise the HEIC format. In 2017, Apple began using the High Efficiency Image Container (HEIC) format in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra. This format allows for smaller file sizes than JPG or PNG.
Why are my photos not syncing between iPhone and PC? ›
Ensure you're signed in with the same Apple ID you use with iCloud for Windows. On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud. 2. Turn on My Photo Stream on your iCloud for Windows.
Why won't my pictures download to my computer? ›
To transfer files over Wi-Fi, your computer and the smartphone or other device containing the photos must both be connected to the network. If either is not on Wi-Fi, your PC won't be able to browse your photos. Check the settings on both devices, making sure that each is logged into the same network.
