1. Check the size of your library and PC storage
Estimate how much space the photos and videos use, then make sure the destination drive has more free space than the amount you plan to copy. Leave extra room for temporary files and future backups.
2. Choose a method that suits a long transfer
A USB import can work well when the cable and device connection remain stable. Cloud sync can be convenient but may take a long time to upload and download a large library. A wireless transfer app can be easier to repeat, but check its behavior with large batches and interrupted connections before relying on it.
3. Test with a small batch first
Transfer a small group containing both photos and videos. Open several files on the PC, check their sizes, and confirm that the dates and formats are usable in your workflow. This catches problems before you move the entire library.
4. Reduce interruptions
- Keep the iPhone and PC powered during a long transfer.
- Prevent the PC from sleeping until the transfer is complete.
- Use a stable local network for local wireless transfers.
- Prefer a tool that documents how it resumes incomplete transfers.
- Transfer in manageable groups if the chosen method does not support reliable resume.
Example: moving about 35,000 photos and videos (roughly 75 GB)
A library of 35,000 items can contain very different file sizes, including Live Photos, HEIC images, and long videos. Counting files does not tell you how long the transfer will take. A 75 GB library needs at least that much free destination space, with additional headroom for ongoing backups and temporary files.
- Make a destination folder on a drive with sufficient free space and check that the drive is healthy.
- Transfer a representative set of older and newer photos plus short and long videos. Check dates, file sizes, and playback.
- Choose how to handle interrupted sessions. Use an app with documented resume behavior, or divide manual USB copies into dated groups.
- Keep a simple checklist of completed groups. Do not rely on filenames alone because names such as IMG_0001 can repeat.
- After each batch, check for incomplete or duplicate files before starting the next.
- Once all items are copied, make a second independent backup before clearing space on the iPhone.
If a USB transfer repeatedly stops on the same item, try that item separately: the problem may be the individual photo or video, a codec issue, or an iCloud-only original. See why some iCloud photos are missing during Windows import and what to check when iPhone videos do not play.
5. Verify before deleting
Check that the destination contains the expected folders and a representative sample of files. Open full-resolution photos and longer videos. Keep a second backup if the library is important. Do not treat a progress bar reaching 100% as the only proof that your archive is safe.
Can a transfer resume after a restart?
Resume behavior depends on the app. DropToPC is designed to continue an incomplete transfer when the Windows app is opened again after a PC restart. Test this with a small batch first and confirm the result before using it for your only copy of an important library. DropToPC is operated by the owner of this website; see our ownership disclosure.
Official reference
Apple explains how iCloud Photos stores full-resolution originals and how iCloud storage is used: Transfer photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad to a Mac or PC.