How to transfer photos from iPhone to laptop with broken screen?

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How to transfer photos from iPhone to laptop with broken screen

Overview

It’s a common problem – you have an iPhone with a broken screen, but you have important photos stored on it that you need to access. With the screen damaged, it can be challenging to transfer those photos off the iPhone and onto another device like your laptop.

According to research, 25% of iPhone users have a cracked screen at some point [1]. Trying to use an iPhone with a broken or cracked screen can be difficult and frustrating. Luckily, there are several methods you can use to successfully transfer photos from an iPhone with a broken screen onto your laptop.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the various options, from wireless transfers using iCloud or AirDrop, to physically connecting your iPhone to your laptop with a cable. With some clever workarounds, you can outsmart a broken iPhone screen and recover those precious photos.

Back Up iPhone Photos to iCloud

One of the easiest ways to transfer photos from an iPhone with a broken screen is to use iCloud Photo Library. This syncs photos automatically between devices signed into the same Apple ID (1).

To enable this feature:

  1. Log into iCloud on a working device like a Mac or iPad that is signed into the same Apple ID as your iPhone.
  2. Go to Settings > Your Name > iCloud.
  3. Under Photos, turn on “iCloud Photo Library”. This will sync your camera roll to iCloud.
  4. Your iPhone photos will now upload automatically to iCloud whenever your device is plugged in, on WiFi and has adequate storage (2).

With your photos backed up to iCloud, you can now view and download them on your working device or iCloud.com (3). Keep in mind your full photo library may take hours or days to fully sync to iCloud depending on your connection and library size.

  1. iCloud Photo sync vs iCloud Backup for photos? : r/ios
  2. How to Enable iCloud Photo Library on a Mac
  3. why do photos have to sync every time i turn on and off icloud

Use AirDrop to Transfer Photos

If your iPhone and Mac are relatively new models, you can use AirDrop to wirelessly transfer photos between the devices. To use AirDrop:

First, make sure both devices have AirDrop enabled. On your iPhone go to Settings > General > AirDrop and turn on AirDrop. On your Mac, open Finder and click AirDrop in the left sidebar to enable it.

Next, make sure both devices are on the same WiFi network. Bring your iPhone and Mac close together, within 30 feet.

On your iPhone, open the Photos app and select the photos you want to transfer. Tap the Share button and select AirDrop. Your Mac should appear as a sharing option. Tap it to start sending the photos.

On your Mac, you’ll get a notification that your iPhone is sharing photos via AirDrop. Accept the transfer and the photos will save directly to your Downloads folder.

If your devices are close enough, AirDrop provides a quick wireless way to transfer photos without needing any cables.

Import Photos with iTunes

You can use iTunes to transfer photos from your iPhone to your computer, even with a broken screen. Simply connect your iPhone to your laptop using the USB cable that came with your iPhone [1]. Then open the iTunes app on your laptop. iTunes will detect your connected iPhone and show an Import screen with all of the photos stored on your device [2]. You can import all photos or select individual photos to transfer to your laptop. The photos will be saved in the Pictures folder on your laptop by default.

Email Photos to Yourself

One convenient way to transfer photos from your iPhone to your laptop is to simply email them to yourself.

To email photos from your iPhone:

  1. Open the Mail app on your iPhone.
  2. Compose a new email and enter your own email address as the recipient.
  3. Tap the attachment icon and select the photos you want to send from your photo library.
  4. Tap Send.

The photos will be sent as attachments that you can then access on your laptop by opening the email in whatever email client you use. Even with a broken laptop screen, you should be able to connect a secondary monitor to view the emails and save the attached photos.

One thing to keep in mind is that most email providers limit the size of attachments, so you may only be able to send 5-10 photos per email depending on their file size. You can get around this by sending multiple emails.

Emailing photos is quick and easy as long as you have an internet connection on your iPhone. The only downside is having to manually save each attachment on your laptop rather than importing everything at once.

Use iCloud Website

One way to transfer photos from your iPhone to your laptop is by using the iCloud website (https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/tech/how-to-download-photos-from-icloud). To do this:

  1. Open Safari on your laptop and go to iCloud.com. Log in using your Apple ID.
  2. Click on the Photos icon.
  3. Select the photos you want to download by checking the boxes next to them. You can also select a date range to download all photos from that time period.
  4. Click the Download button at the bottom. This will download the original versions of your selected photos to your laptop.

The iCloud website allows you to conveniently access and download all your photos without needing to connect your iPhone. As long as you have an internet connection and remember your Apple ID credentials, you can retrieve your photos this way even with a broken iPhone screen.

Use Cloud Storage Apps

One convenient way to transfer photos from your iPhone to your laptop is by uploading them to a cloud storage service first. Popular options like Dropbox, Google Photos, and OneDrive make it easy to upload your iPhone photos to the cloud and then access them from your laptop.

To use a cloud storage app to transfer photos:

  1. Open the app on your iPhone and sign into your account.
  2. Navigate to the photos section and select the images you want to upload.
  3. Tap the upload button to transfer the photos to cloud storage.
  4. On your laptop, visit the cloud storage service’s website and sign in.
  5. Navigate to the uploaded photos and select the ones you want to transfer.
  6. Download the photos directly to your laptop.

The main advantage of using cloud storage is that it doesn’t require a direct connection between your iPhone and laptop. As long as both devices are connected to the internet, you can easily access your photos in the cloud. Just make sure you have enough available storage in the cloud service to handle the amount of photos you want to transfer.

Use Photo Transfer Apps

One convenient way to transfer photos from your iPhone to your laptop is by using a photo transfer app. Apps like PhotoSync and Dropbox allow you to easily sync photos between your devices.

PhotoSync has features specifically for transferring photos between your iPhone and laptop. You can choose which photos to transfer, keep the file names intact, and transfer photos over WiFi or USB. PhotoSync saves all your transfers in a history so you can always redownload photos if needed.

With Dropbox, you can upload photos from your iPhone to the cloud and then access them on any internet-connected device, including your laptop. The Dropbox apps automatically sync any new photos uploaded from your phone. This allows you to seamlessly transfer photos without cables or connectors.

The benefit of using a photo transfer app is convenience. Once set up, transfers happen automatically in the background so you don’t have to manually move photos each time. Transfer apps also work wirelessly so you don’t need to physically connect your iPhone to your laptop.

Manually Transfer from iPhone Storage

If you can still access the files on your iPhone’s storage through your computer, you may be able to manually locate and copy the photos off the device.

When an iPhone is connected to a computer via USB, the DCIM folder containing photos and videos is usually accessible. If your laptop recognizes the connected iPhone, open the iPhone drive and navigate to DCIM > 100APPLE to find your photos and videos.

You can then manually select, copy and paste the files you want to transfer into a folder on your laptop. This will let you retrieve your photos directly from the iPhone storage without needing the phone’s screen.

If your specific DCIM folder or photos are not showing up, you may need to use a third-party software tool like iMazing, Dr.Fone or iMyFone to view and transfer iPhone photos when the screen is broken. These tools can access the full iPhone file system for data recovery.

Get Phone Repaired

Getting your iPhone’s broken screen repaired is the best long-term solution for gaining full access to your device and its photos. According to Simply Fixable, iPhone screen replacement costs in the US typically range from $129 – $279 depending on your iPhone model. Repair prices may be slightly higher from Apple and carriers. Though screen repair represents an added cost, it allows you to fully use your iPhone again and easily transfer photos and other files.

Most phone repair shops can replace your iPhone’s screen in about 1-2 hours. Simply Fixable highlights that their iPhone screen replacements come with a lifetime warranty, so you can have peace of mind that your repair will last. Once your screen is fixed, you’ll be able to directly access the Photos app and transfer images to your laptop however you like – using a cable, email, cloud storage, etc. While screen repair takes more time and money upfront, it’s the best solution for completely restoring full access to your iPhone and its photos.