Pocka / iPhone videos to PC
How to transfer videos from iPhone to PC. Big files, no fuss.
Updated . Routes checked against Apple and Microsoft support pages.
Videos are the files that break the usual routes: too big for email, often in a format Windows can’t play, and sometimes only in iCloud. Pick the route by how much you’re moving.
Short answer: for a whole camera roll, connect the iPhone with a USB cable and import in the Photos app on Windows. For a few clips without a cable, use a browser route such as Pocka Pro, which takes videos up to 10 GB each. If a video won’t play on the PC, it is HEVC: install HEVC Video Extensions or use VLC.
Which way to transfer videos from iPhone to PC?
| What you’re moving | Route | Size | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dozens of videos or a whole camera roll | USB cable and the Photos app | Device storage | Fastest for many files. Needs the Apple Devices app on Windows. |
| A few clips, no cable | Pocka Pro in the browser | Up to 10 GB per video | Any network. The PC can start receiving while the iPhone is still uploading. |
| A short clip under 10 MB | Pocka Free | 10 MB per item | Nothing to install; the item leaves the shelf once taken. |
| Videos already in iCloud Photos | iCloud for Windows | Your iCloud storage | Downloads the originals; leaves a synced copy in iCloud. |
| Same Wi-Fi, no account | LocalSend | No app limit stated | The free app on both devices; not across different networks. |
| A link someone else can download | Mail Drop | Up to 5 GB | The link expires after 30 days (Apple’s limits). |
Transfer videos from iPhone to PC with a USB cable
- Install the Apple Devices appGet it from the Microsoft Store on the PC.
- Unlock the iPhone and plug it inUse a cable that carries data. When the iPhone asks you to Trust This Computer, tap Trust.
- Open Photos on the PC and choose ImportPick the iPhone, select the videos, and import. They land in folders inside Pictures (Microsoft’s steps).
Over USB, iPhone videos might be converted to H.264 on the way in. That plays everywhere, but it isn’t the original file. To get the original HEVC video instead, open Settings → Apps → Photos on the iPhone and choose Keep Originals. If iCloud Photos is on, download the originals to the iPhone first (see troubleshooting below).
Transfer videos from iPhone to PC without a cable
A browser route needs nothing installed and works on any network. Videos usually need Pocka Pro: the Free plan stops at 10 MB, which is a few seconds of 4K.
- On iPhone, open pocka.app in SafariSign in with Google or email.
- Tap + and choose the videoPick it from Photo Library, or from Files with Choose File.
- Tap the arrow and keep Safari in frontiOS pauses background tabs, so leave the screen on until the progress bar under the item is full. Use Wi-Fi if you can; a long video eats mobile data.
- On the PC, open pocka.app and take itSign in to the same account. You can take the video while it is still uploading; it saves to Downloads and leaves the shelf.
If the file on the PC is smaller or in a different format than you expected, the iPhone may have converted it when you picked it from Photo Library. To send the original, open the video in Photos, tap Share → Save to Files, then pick it in Pocka with Choose File.
Other wireless routes
- iCloud for Windows: with iCloud Photos on, the app downloads new photos and videos to the PC. Good if you already pay for iCloud storage; it keeps a copy there.
- LocalSend or PairDrop: free and without an account, for an iPhone and a PC on the same Wi-Fi.
- Mail Drop: in the Mail app, a video over the email limit can go as a Mail Drop link, up to 5 GB.
For every route between iPhone and Windows, including Phone Link, see AirDrop for Windows: what works instead.
Why iPhone videos are hard to move
- They’re big. Settings → Camera → Record Video shows the size per minute for each format. 1080p at 30 fps is roughly 60 MB a minute; 4K at 60 fps, several hundred MB.
- They’re usually HEVC. iPhones record in HEVC (H.265) by default, and Windows doesn’t include that codec.
- They may live in iCloud. With Optimize Storage on, the iPhone keeps a smaller version and the full video stays in iCloud until you open it.
Troubleshooting iPhone video transfers
The video won’t play on Windows
Install HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store (a small fee), or play it in a free player such as VLC. To record new videos in H.264, set Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible.
The video is only in iCloud
With iCloud Photos and Optimize Storage on, the original isn’t on the iPhone, so a USB import can’t get it. Open Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos and choose Download and Keep Originals (on newer iOS, tap iPhone Storage first), or open the video once on the iPhone so it downloads. Apple on iPhone storage
Photos on the PC can’t find the iPhone
Unlock the iPhone, tap Trust if it asks, and make sure the Apple Devices app is installed. Try another cable: some cables only charge.
The import stops partway
Import in smaller batches. Choosing Keep Originals under Settings → Apps → Photos skips the conversion step during import, which can help with long videos.
The upload stops when the screen locks
Safari pauses in the background. Unlock the iPhone and bring Safari back to the front; if the PC says the upload was cut off, send the video again.
Transfer videos from iPhone to PC FAQ
Can I transfer videos from iPhone to PC without iTunes?
Yes. Over USB, use the Apple Devices app and the Photos app on Windows. Without a cable, use a browser route such as Pocka, iCloud for Windows or LocalSend.
Does transferring a video reduce its quality?
Not if the original file arrives. USB with Keep Originals, iCloud for Windows and a file picked from Files all send the original. Many chat apps compress videos, and a USB import without Keep Originals may convert HEVC to H.264.
Can I transfer videos from iPhone to PC wirelessly?
Yes. Pocka works in the browser on any network, LocalSend and PairDrop work on the same Wi-Fi, and iCloud for Windows downloads videos from iCloud Photos.
How big a video can Pocka move?
Up to 10 MB per item on Free, and up to 10 GB per item with Pocka Pro ($4.99 a month), with 1 TB of transfer a month.
Can I send a video from my PC to my iPhone?
Yes. Put it on your shelf on the PC, then take it in Safari on the iPhone. It saves to Downloads in the Files app; from there, tap Share → Save Video to add it to Photos.