Can You AirDrop from iPhone to Windows? 4 Alternatives

Can You AirDrop from iPhone to Windows? 4 Alternatives

You can't AirDrop from an iPhone to Windows, because Apple only lets AirDrop work between iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You still have four other ways to move photos, videos, and files from an iPhone to a Windows PC.

There is no AirDrop for Windows, because AirDrop is for Apple devices only

Apple's AirDrop guide, read on Oct 9, 2026, says it directly: you can use AirDrop with an iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Windows computers are not on that list.

AirDrop needs Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on for both devices, within 30 feet (10 meters) of each other. Transfers are encrypted, and the recipient can accept or decline each one. Starting with iOS 26.2, someone who is not in your contacts must use an AirDrop code to send you an item.

So what do iPhone users with a Windows PC do? Here are four ways, from the most reliable to the most convenient.

Option 1: A USB cable and the Apple Devices app is the most reliable

Apple's guide to transferring photos from iPhone gives these steps for importing photos to a Windows PC:

1. Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store.
2. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable.
3. Enter your iPhone passcode if asked.
4. When the iPhone asks whether to Trust This Computer, tap Trust or Allow.
5. Import the photos with the Microsoft Photos app on Windows.

Two notes from the same page. If iCloud Photos is on, you must download the full-resolution originals to your iPhone before you can import them. To make photos open easily on Windows, go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible, so the camera saves photos as JPEG and videos as H.264.

Option 2: iCloud Photos shows your photos on your PC, but it uses iCloud storage

The same page says iCloud Photos keeps your photos and videos available on all your Apple devices, on iCloud.com, and on your PC. Once iCloud Photos is on, you don't need to import photos from one device to another. The originals are uploaded in full resolution.

The catch: photos and videos in iCloud Photos use your iCloud storage. Apple suggests checking that you have enough space before you turn it on. This option suits everyday photos you want ready on your computer, and fits less well for large files you only need to move once.

Option 3: Phone Link on Windows 11 has a Send Files button for iPhone

Microsoft is bringing your phone into the Windows 11 Start menu through the Phone Link app. Microsoft's support page says connected iPhone users get these features: battery status, messages, calls, and Send Files between the iPhone and the PC.

The requirements are a PC running Windows 11, Phone Link version 1.25032.82.0, an iPhone linked to the PC over Bluetooth LE, and a Microsoft account. Microsoft says the feature is rolling out gradually and may not be on every PC yet. Windows 10 PCs can't use this option.

How do you send a whole folder or a 4 GB video over Wi-Fi?

Each of the three options above has a catch. A USB cable means a wire, iCloud uses storage because the photos are uploaded, and Phone Link needs Windows 11. The fourth option is an app that sends files over your home Wi-Fi between the iPhone and the Windows PC.

A Wi-Fi transfer app is the fourth option: you send photos, videos and files between iPhone and Windows over your home Wi-Fi. Look for one that works in both directions, resumes when the Wi-Fi drops, and keeps the original files without compression.

You can send a whole folder or a 4 GB video in one go. If the Wi-Fi drops, the transfer picks up where it stopped. Files stay as the originals, with no compression and no renaming. The app is a single exe file of about 930 KB.

Which way to choose for iPhone to Windows transfers

Choose a USB cable if you are moving a lot of photos once and have a cable at hand. Choose iCloud Photos if you want photos to show up on your PC on their own and you have enough iCloud storage. Choose Phone Link if your PC runs Windows 11 and already has the Send Files feature. Choose a Wi-Fi transfer app if you often send folders or large videos and want to keep the originals.

What do you usually need to move from your iPhone to your computer: photos, long videos, or documents?

More transfer guides are in News, including How to Transfer Photos From iPhone to a Windows PC: 5 Ways.

Sources, accessed Oct 9, 2026:

• Apple: Use AirDrop to send items to nearby Apple devices
• Apple: Transfer photos from your iPhone or iPad
• Microsoft: Mobile device in Start Menu
• Photos: Unsplash (Onur Binay, Ciocan Ciprian, Nicolas Solerieu), Unsplash License.

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