IOS: IMPORT PERSONAL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS FROM IOS DEVICES TO YOUR COMPUTER

On iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, you can capture photos and videos using the built-in camera or save images from apps, such as Safari and Mail, to your device. You can import this content from your device to your computer.

If you have a Mac, you can import photos from your iOS device using iPhoto, Image Capture, or Aperture.

Import photos using iPhoto:

1. Connect the device to your computer. iPhoto should automatically open its import window and show your device's images and videos.
     If iPhoto doesn't open, you might need to turn the option on.
   
2. Click Import All. Or if you want to import specific items, select those images and videos, then click Import Selected. After your photos import, a dialog will ask you if you want to delete the original photos from your Camera Roll.
3. Choose Delete Photos or Keep Photos.
   • If you delete photos after you import them, you can reduce the size of your Camera Roll and improve backup and restore times.
   • If you want to import the photos to additional computers, keep your photos.

If you don't have iPhoto on your Mac, you can import photos from your device using Image Capture:

1. Connect the iOS device to your computer. If Image Capture doesn't open, go to your Applications folder and open Image Capture.
2. Choose where you want to import photos.
3. Click Options.
4. Click the Options tab, if it isn't already selected.
5. Select "Delete items from camera after downloading."
   
   • If you delete photos after you import them, you can reduce the size of your Camera Roll and improve backup and restore times.
   • If you want to import the photos to additional computers, deselect this option to keep your photos.
6. Click OK.
7. Click Download All.

Import photos in Windows 8

Import photos and video from your device to your PC:

1. Connect your iOS device to your computer.
2. Move the cursor to the upper-right corner and click the magnifying glass icon.
3. Type Computer and press Return.
4. Right-click the logo for your device and click "Import pictures and videos."
5. Click More Options.
6. Click the Browse button next to the "Import images to" field and choose where to import your Camera Roll's photos. By default, these will import to the My Pictures folder.
7. Select "Delete files from device after importing."
   
   • If you delete photos after you import them, you can reduce the size of your Camera Roll and improve backup and restore times.
   • If you wish to import the photos to other computers, don't select this option.
   • If you don't want Windows to delete photos from your camera on subsequent imports, deselect this option when you're finished.
8. After setting your import options, click OK to dismiss the window.
9. Click Import.
10. After the import is complete, Windows will display your photos.
    

If some of your photos didn't import from your device's Camera Roll, you can either copy the photos to your computer using Windows Explorer or import the photos using software such as Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later.

Copy the photos to your computer using Windows Explorer:

1. Connect the iOS device to the computer.
2. Move the cursor to the upper-right corner.
3. Click the magnifying glass icon.
4. Type Computer and press Return.
5. Double-click the logo for the device to browse its folders.
6. Go to [iOS device]\Internal Storage\DCIM\100APPLE.
7. Copy the content in this folder to your computer.
8. Disconnect your device.
9. Open the Camera Roll and delete the photos you imported.

To copy the photos to your computer using Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later, see the documentation for that application.

For more information about transferring media from your device to a PC using Windows 8, see this Microsoft article.

Import photos in Windows Vista or Windows 7

Import photos or video from your device to your PC:

1. Connect your iOS device to your computer. If the AutoPlay window appears, click "Import Pictures and Videos using Windows," then skip to step 4. If the "Import Pictures and Video" dialog appears, skip to step 4.
   If the AutoPlay dialog doesn't appear, you might need to check your settings.
   
2. Choose Start > Computer.
3. Right-click the logo for your device and click "Import pictures and videos."
4. Click Import Settings.
5. Click the Browse button by the "Import to" field and choose where to import your Camera Roll's photos. By default, these will import to the My Pictures folder.
6. Select "Always erase from device after copying."
   • If you delete photos after you import them, you can reduce the size of your Camera Roll and improve backup and restore times.
   • If you want to import the photos to additional computers, don't select this option.
   • If you don't want Windows to delete photos from your camera on subsequent imports, remember to come back here and deselect this option when you're finished.
7. After setting your import options, click OK to dismiss the window.
8. Choose a tag, if desired, and click Import. This screen appears only while the import process is active.
   
9. After the import is complete, Windows Photo Gallery will show your photos and videos in Recently Imported.
   

If some of your photos didn't import from your device's Camera Roll, you can copy the photos to your computer using Windows Explorer or import the photos using software such as Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later.

Copy the photos to your computer using Windows Explorer:

1. Connect the iOS device to the computer.
2. Choose Start > Computer.
3. Double-click the logo for the device to browse its folders.
4. Go to [iOS device]\Internal Storage\DCIM\100APPLE.
5. Copy the content in this folder to your computer.
6. Disconnect your device. Open the Camera Roll and delete the photos you imported.

To copy the photos to your computer using Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later, see the documentation for that application.

Learn more about transferring media from your device to a PC using Windows Vista or Windows 7.

Import photos in Windows XP

Windows XP can't import video files larger than 500 MB using Camera and Scanner Wizard. You can transfer these files from your device by selecting them in My Computer and dragging or copying the files to your computer's hard drive.

Import photos or video from your device using the Windows XP Scanner and Camera Wizard:

1. Connect the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your computer. Windows should automatically open the Scanner and Camera Wizard. If the Scanner and Camera Wizard window doesn't automatically open, you may need tocheck your settings.
2. Click Next.
   
   
3. Choose the files you want to copy.
4. Click Next.
5. Use the default picture name and destination. Or change the name and destination.
6. Select "Delete pictures from my device after copying them."
   • If you delete photos after you import them, you can reduce the size of your Camera Roll and improve backup and restore times.
   • If you want to import the photos to other computers, don't select this option.
   • If you don't want Windows to delete photos from your camera on subsequent imports, remember to deselect this option after the import.
     
7. Click Next. The Wizard imports your images.
8. Select what you want do with the images or close the Wizard.
9. Click Next. The Wizard tells you the number of images that it imported, with a link to those images.
10. Click Finish to close the Wizard.

If some of your photos didn't import from your device's Camera Roll, you can copy them to your computer using Windows Explorer or import them using software such as Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later.

To copy the photos to your computer using Windows Explorer:

1. Connect the iOS device to the computer.
2. Choose Start > My Computer.
3. Double-click the logo for the device to browse its camera folders.
4. Go to [iOS device]\Internal Storage\DCIM\100APPLE.
5. Copy the content in this folder to your computer.
6. Disconnect your device. Open the Camera Roll and delete the photos that you just imported.

To copy the photos to your computer using Windows Live Photo Gallery or Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 or later, see the documentation for that application.

Learn more

• Learn more about using Photo Stream to import your photos to your computer.
• After you import your photos from Camera Roll or Saved Photos, you can use iTunes to sync them back to your device.
• You can import only photo and video content taken with the built-in camera or captured on the device. You can't import photo or video content synced from iTunes.
• When importing photos and videos from your device to a Windows computer, some photos and videos may appear to be rotated incorrectly. Some third-party photo-management software for Windows displays iOS photos with the correct orientation without having to rotate the images. To play videos on your computer at the correct orientation, use iTunes or QuickTime for Windows.
• Videos greater than 4 GB might not be visible on Windows XP or later without the correct drivers installed. If you can't see the video either via the Import tool or Windows Explorer, make sure that iTunes is installed and up to date.

Important: Mention of third-party websites and products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the selection, performance or use of information or products found at third-party websites. Apple provides this only as a convenience to our users. Apple has not tested the information found on these sites and makes no representations regarding its accuracy or reliability. There are risks inherent in the use of any information or products found on the Internet, and Apple assumes no responsibility in this regard. Please understand that a third-party site is independent from Apple and that Apple has no control over the content on that website. Please contact the vendor for additional information.

Last Modified: Mar 17, 2014

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4083