How to Transfer Videos from iPhone to PC Without Quality Loss

How to Transfer Videos from iPhone to PC Without Quality Loss

To transfer videos from your iPhone to a PC at full quality, turn on Keep Originals before you plug in the cable, or use a transfer method that sends the original file as is.

Why do iPhone videos change format when you copy them to a PC?

Apple's support page on HEIF and HEVC, published Dec 5, 2025, explains it. With iOS 11 or later, iPhone 7 and later models can record video in HEVC, also called H.265. HEVC compresses better than H.264, so it takes less space at the same image quality.

The problem happens during the copy. Apple says that when you import HEVC video from an iPhone to a PC by cable, the video might be converted to H.264. The same goes for AirDrop, Messages or email: if the receiving device does not support the newer format, the video might be shared in a more compatible format.

iCloud Photos is different. Apple says media shared through iCloud Photos keeps its original format, resolution and frame rate.

Turn on Keep Originals before you plug in the cable

Many people skip this step when they look for a way to move videos from an iPhone to a computer. Apple's instructions: if you do not want your videos converted when you import them over USB, do this on your iPhone:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps, then tap Photos.
3. Scroll down and tap Keep Originals.

With this on, videos you import over USB are not converted to H.264. If Windows cannot play HEVC video yet, see the last part of this article.

Use a USB cable and the Windows Photos app for a standard transfer

Apple's page on transferring photos and videos, updated Sept 14, 2026, lists the setup steps on Windows:

1. Install the Apple Devices app from the Microsoft Store.
2. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable. Enter your passcode if the phone asks for it.
3. When your iPhone asks whether to trust this computer, tap Trust or Allow.

Next, Microsoft Support tells you to open the Photos app from Start, select Import, choose your iPhone, and follow the instructions. You can pick which videos to import and the folder to save them in. Microsoft says to allow a few moments for the PC to detect the device and finish the transfer.

Videos stored in iCloud: download the originals first or use iCloud for Windows

If iCloud Photos is on and you chose to optimize storage, the original video may only be in iCloud. Apple says you must download the originals to your iPhone before you import them to a PC. Microsoft also notes that items stored only in iCloud may not import by cable.

You have two options. On your iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, Photos, and choose Download and Keep Originals under iPhone Storage, as Apple describes. Or install iCloud for Windows on your PC and turn on iCloud Photos. The iCloud for Windows guide has the options "Download High-Efficiency format photos and videos" and "Download HDR videos," available in version 14.2 or later.

Fixing "A device attached to the system is not functioning" (0x8007001F) and "The device is unreachable" (0x80070141) When Copying iPhone Videos

When copying large video files or 4K HEVC recordings from an iPhone to a Windows PC via USB cable, the transfer may freeze and display one of two common system dialogs:

• "A device attached to the system is not functioning" (Win32 error: ERROR_GEN_FAILURE 31 (0x1F), mapped to HRESULT 0x8007001F).
• "The device is unreachable" (Win32 error: ERROR_DEVICE_UNREACHABLE 321 (0x141), mapped to HRESULT 0x80070141).

Possible Causes

System error documentation on Microsoft Learn (accessed Oct 22, 2026) only lists the messages: a device attached to the system is not functioning (0x8007001F) and the device is unreachable (0x80070141).

Document 116944 on Apple Support (accessed Oct 22, 2026) explains:

"When you import HEIF or HEVC media from an attached iPhone or iPad into Photos, Image Capture, or a PC, the media might be converted to JPEG or H.264. If you don't want it to be converted, open Settings, tap Apps, tap Photos, then scroll down and tap Keep Originals."

Apple notes that media might be converted to H.264 when imported to a PC. In our experience, the error often appears while the iPhone converts HEVC video to H.264 during the copy of large files, leading to transfer timeouts on Windows.

3 Steps to Resolve

1. Enable "Keep Originals": On your iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Photos, then scroll down and tap Keep Originals. This keeps the original HEVC files directly without conversion.
2. Keep the iPhone Unlocked: Microsoft Support (accessed Oct 22, 2026) states: "Turn your phone on and unlock it. Your PC can't find the device if the device is locked." Keep the screen active throughout the file copy process.
3. Use Rear Motherboard USB Ports: In our experience with desktop PCs, connecting the USB cable directly to a rear motherboard port provides more reliable bus power and data signaling than front panel headers or unpowered hubs.

For videos of several GB, skip the cable and send over Wi-Fi as original files

A broken cable, a work PC where you cannot install apps, or a full iCloud plan all call for another way. When your iPhone and your Windows PC are on the same Wi-Fi network, you can send files straight from one to the other.

AdamDrop does this with a QR code: no cable, no account, and no server in between. It sends a 4 GB video or a whole folder at once, and if the Wi-Fi drops, it picks up where it stopped. Files arrive as the originals, not compressed and not renamed, so an HEVC video is still HEVC on your PC.

What if Windows can't play HEVC video?

The Microsoft Store has HEVC Video Extensions, published by Microsoft. The app page says it plays HEVC video in any video app. On a PC without hardware HEVC support, it uses software decoding, and playback may vary with the video resolution and PC performance.

If you mostly use your videos on Windows, you can change the recording format. Go to Settings > Camera > Formats and choose Most Compatible. Apple says new videos will then record in H.264, which takes more space than HEVC. To go back to saving space, choose High Efficiency.

Common problems when you transfer videos from iPhone to PC

The video on your PC is H.264, not the original file. Keep Originals is off. Turn it on and import again.

The PC cannot find the iPhone. Microsoft says your PC cannot find a phone that is locked. Enter your passcode and tap Trust before you select Import.

The cable charges but does not copy files. Not every USB cable can transfer files, and cables have different speeds. Try another cable.

Some videos are missing from the import list. They are stored only in iCloud. Download the originals to your iPhone first, or get them through iCloud for Windows.

The video does not play on an older device. Apple says HEVC support on older devices depends on resolution and frame rate. Video at 1080p or lower and 60 fps or lower is more widely compatible. Change this in Settings > Camera > Record Video.

If you often copy long videos from your iPhone to your PC for editing, you can use a Wi-Fi transfer tool such as AdamDrop. If you have a long video to cut into short clips, see the Cut long videos into shorts skill.

Sources, accessed Oct 9, 2026:

• Apple: Using HEIF or HEVC media on Apple devices
• Apple: Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to your Mac or PC
• Microsoft: Import photos and videos from a phone to your PC
• Apple: Archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud
• Apple: Set up iCloud Photos in iCloud for Windows
• Microsoft Store: HEVC Video Extensions
• Illustrative photos: Unsplash (INFRAME Studio's, Ian Robinson, User_Pascal, Jakub Żerdzicki, Khai Hoan Chu), Unsplash License.

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