Running low on iPhone storage? Backing up your photos to a computer is one of the best ways to free up space while keeping your memories safe. Here's how to do it on both Windows and Mac, including how to handle the HEIC format along the way.
Backup Method Comparison
| Method | Windows | Mac | Speed | HEIC handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| USB cable (direct transfer) | ✓ | ✓ | Fast | Depends on settings |
| iCloud Photos | ✓ | ✓ | Wi-Fi speed | Stays as HEIC |
| Google Photos | ✓ | ✓ | Wi-Fi speed | Converted server-side |
| Finder / iTunes | ✓ | ✓ | Fast | Stays as HEIC |
Method 1: USB Cable Transfer (Simplest)
Transferring to Windows
- Connect your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable
- Tap Trust on the iPhone prompt ("Trust This Computer?")
- Open File Explorer
- Navigate to This PC → Apple iPhone → Internal Storage → DCIM → [numbered folder]
- Copy and paste the photos to a folder on your computer
HEIC note: Photos transferred this way stay in HEIC format. To open them on Windows, you'll need to install the "HEIF Image Extensions" codec from the Microsoft Store — or convert them to JPG using FileConv.
To receive JPG files instead of HEIC: On your iPhone, go to Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic. With this setting, iOS automatically converts HEIC to JPG when transferring to a Windows PC.
Transferring to Mac
Mac supports HEIC natively, so you can open transferred files directly. The easiest app to use is Image Capture:
- Connect your iPhone via USB
- Open Image Capture (find it with Spotlight: Cmd + Space, type "Image Capture")
- Select your iPhone from the left sidebar
- Select the photos you want and click Import
Method 2: iCloud Photos (Automatic Sync)
iCloud Photos automatically backs up your photos over Wi-Fi whenever your iPhone is charging.
Setting it up on iPhone
- Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → Photos
- Turn on Sync this iPhone
Accessing from your computer
Windows: Sign into iCloud.com in a browser and open Photos — or install the iCloud app for Windows for seamless access.
Mac: The Photos app syncs with iCloud automatically once you're signed in.
Things to keep in mind
- Free storage is limited to 5 GB — shared with iCloud Drive and Mail. Most users with significant photo libraries will need a paid iCloud+ plan
- Photos are stored in HEIC format. Downloading via iCloud.com sometimes converts them to JPG, but not always
- The "Optimize iPhone Storage" setting keeps only low-resolution thumbnails on your device to save space — the full-resolution originals live in iCloud
Method 3: Google Photos (Cross-Platform)
Google Photos works on both Windows and Mac and backs up photos automatically over Wi-Fi.
Setting it up
- Install Google Photos on your iPhone
- Sign in with a Google account
- Enable Backup — photos will upload automatically when connected to Wi-Fi
Accessing from your computer
Go to photos.google.com in any browser and sign in. You can browse, download, and organize your entire library.
Key characteristics
- HEIC photos are converted to JPG or WebP on Google's servers during upload
- Downloaded files are in JPG or WebP format — original HEIC files are not preserved
- Free storage is 15 GB (shared with Gmail and Google Drive)
- Particularly useful if you use both iPhone and Android, or want easy cross-device access
Method 4: Full iPhone Backup via Finder (Mac Only)
For a complete backup of your entire iPhone — not just photos — use Finder:
- Connect your iPhone via USB
- Open Finder and select your iPhone in the sidebar
- Go to the General tab → select Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac
- Click Back Up Now
This creates a full encrypted backup of your device — including photos, contacts, app data, and settings. It's the most complete backup method and ideal before a device upgrade, but it's not designed for easy access to individual photos afterward.
Converting HEIC Photos to JPG After Backup
If you've backed up HEIC photos and want to convert them to JPG, FileConv makes this easy. Drop your HEIC files into the converter, select JPG as the output format, and download the converted files — all processed in your browser, with nothing sent to any server.
FileConv also removes EXIF metadata (including GPS location data) during conversion, which is useful before sharing photos publicly.
Which Method Should You Use?
| Your situation | Best method |
|---|---|
| Want to back up right now | USB cable |
| Want automatic, ongoing backup | iCloud Photos or Google Photos |
| Use both iPhone and Android | Google Photos |
| Fully in the Apple ecosystem | iCloud Photos |
| Preparing for a new phone | Finder full backup (Mac) |
| Want photos in JPG, not HEIC | USB transfer with "Automatic" setting, then convert with FileConv |
Summary
- USB cable is the fastest and most straightforward option for one-time transfers
- iCloud Photos offers seamless Apple ecosystem integration but is limited to 5 GB free
- Google Photos auto-converts HEIC to JPG and works across platforms
- To receive JPG files via USB on Windows: Settings → Photos → Transfer to Mac or PC → Automatic
- Use FileConv to batch-convert any HEIC backups to JPG at any time