How to Send Large Files From iPhone to PC Over Wi-Fi

How to Send Large Files From iPhone to PC Over Wi-Fi

To send large files from an iPhone to a Windows PC over Wi-Fi, you have three options: the Apple Devices app, a shared folder opened in the Files app, or an app that sends files over your local network.

AirDrop does not work with Windows, so you need another route

Apple's page on transferring photos and videos from iPhone to a Mac or PC, published in September 2026, only mentions AirDrop as a quick way to send to a Mac. For a Windows PC, Apple tells you to install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store and connect a USB cable.

A USB cable is reliable, but the right cable is not always at hand. Without a cable, your home Wi-Fi is the most natural way to move large files, as long as both devices are on the same network.

Option 1: the Apple Devices app, with one cable connection and then Wi-Fi

The Apple Devices app on Windows can sync over Wi-Fi when your iPhone and PC are on the same network. The first time, you still need a cable to turn this on:

1. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB or USB-C cable. Tap Trust on the iPhone if asked.
2. Open the Apple Devices app and select your iPhone in the sidebar.
3. Select General, then check the box "Show this iPhone when on Wi-Fi."
4. Select Apply. From then on, your iPhone appears in the sidebar whenever both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network.

The Files section in the app lists the apps on your iPhone that support file sharing. The guide to transferring files explains how to drag files from Windows into each app. This method suits regular syncing better than quickly sending a video you just recorded.

Option 2: the Files app on iPhone opens a shared folder on Windows

This option needs nothing extra installed. On the PC, you share a folder on your local network. Microsoft's help page gives these steps for Windows 11:

1. Right-click the folder and choose Show more options.
2. Choose Give access to, then Specific people, and pick the account that can access it.
3. Set your Wi-Fi network to Private, and turn on Network discovery and File and printer sharing.

On the iPhone, Apple's guide for the Files app works like this: tap Browse, tap the More button, and choose Connect to Server. Enter the PC's local hostname or network address, choose Registered User, enter your user name and password, tap Next, then open the shared folder.

After that, you copy files from the iPhone into this folder the same way you copy between two folders. This method needs a few network settings changed on Windows, so it suits people who know their PC well and often send large files from an iPhone.

Can Phone Link send large files from an iPhone?

Microsoft's Phone Link requirements and setup page describes connecting an iPhone over Bluetooth, with iOS 16 or later. The main tasks it lists are reading and replying to messages, making calls, and viewing notifications.

On Windows 11, Microsoft is adding a Send Files button for iPhone and PC to the mobile device in the Start menu feature. It is rolling out gradually, may not be on every PC yet, and the page does not list a file size limit. To move a video of several GB, test with a small file first or use one of the other options.

Photos and videos you send should stay as full originals

Apple notes that if iCloud Photos is on, you need to download the original, full resolution versions to your iPhone before you transfer them to a PC. This step makes sure the file that lands on your PC is the full version.

If you want photos to open on any Windows PC, Apple suggests you go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. From then on, the camera captures photos in JPEG and videos in H.264.

Common problems when you send large files from an iPhone over Wi-Fi

The two devices are on different networks. Microsoft advises you to check that the devices connect through the same Wi-Fi router. An iPhone on cellular data or another network will not see the shared folder.

The Windows network is set to Public. Microsoft advises setting your Wi-Fi network to Private when you share files, along with turning on Network discovery.

iCloud Photos has not downloaded the originals. If iCloud Photos is on, download the originals to your iPhone before you transfer.

Windows sharing services are not running. Microsoft tells you to open services.msc and set Function Discovery Provider Host, Function Discovery Resource Publication, SSDP Discovery, and UPnP Device Host to start automatically.

If these options feel like too many steps, a Wi-Fi transfer app sends photos, videos, and files between an iPhone and a Windows PC over your home network, and you can send a whole folder or a 4 GB video at once. Look for one that resumes when Wi-Fi drops and keeps files as originals, with no compression and no renaming.

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

Sources, accessed Oct 9, 2026:

• Apple: Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC (English page, accessed Oct 11, 2026)
• Apple: Sync content between your Windows device and iPhone over Wi-Fi (English page, accessed Oct 11, 2026)
• Apple: Transfer files between your Windows device and iPhone (English page, accessed Oct 11, 2026)
• Apple: Transfer files from iPhone to a storage device, a server, or the cloud (English page, accessed Oct 11, 2026)
• Microsoft: File sharing over a network in Windows
• Microsoft: Phone Link requirements and setup
• Microsoft: Mobile device in Start menu (English page, accessed Oct 11, 2026)
• Illustrative photos: Unsplash (Swello, Rinald Rolle, Anastasiia Nelen), Unsplash License.

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Related guide: Transfer Files From iPhone to a Windows Laptop: 6 Ways