Octopus Overlords

Hi guys!

I am not an IOS person. But my mom uses an Iphone, and she keeps clogging up her phone with photos and videos. We need to dump them to a laptop, or to an external HDD. We have both at our disposal.

What is the easiest, most reliable way you know of to do this?

I'm well versed in the task itself; various app options, Itunes, or direct copy via Windows Explorer. But it seems like every time I've tried to help my folks there's an obstacle. E.g. it takes forever to properly select all photos in IOS to be transferred. Or, Itunes hangs. Or, it just takes way too long... like software estimates of the better part of a day or more. And then the download quits/fails halfway through. (I know it must be a bandwidth issue, but how can it take so damn long to transfer 128GB of files?!)

So, I'm just looking for the damned best method anyone knows to hopefully save myself time trying out different methods again when I go to visit.

Thanks!

Anyone have experience with CopyTrans?

Apple says iTunes and USB cable, there should be an "import all" button in upper right.

Second option is install iOS "Photos Companion" by Microsoft, which will send to Microsoft Photos on your PC, which may be faster, almost as fast as AirDrop. I think you have to "pair" the phone to the PC with QR code, and I think they established an ad hoc wifi direct connection when you pair them successfully.

I tried some export stuff and it dropped the resolution. Have you tried logging into your online storage at iCloud? I know it's the easiest way to copy "notes". The downside was there was no "import all function" but you can go through and grab them with shift click. Maybe if they are in folders you can grab them in bulk that way. I never tried.

Dropbox, OneDrive, et al.

iPhone photos to local Dropbox app, open Dropbox on PC and download.

Carpet_pissr wrote:Dropbox, OneDrive, et al.

iPhone photos to local Dropbox app, open Dropbox on PC and download.

Or turn on iCloud sync and copy them off of iCloud. Regardless of the cloud service this is how I would do it.

If you'd like something simple and straightforward like AirDrop that isn't limited to Apple devices, the free, open-source, and cross-platform SnapDrop.net web app doesn't require any setup and makes cross-platform file transfers pretty much effortless. The only caveat is that your devices must be using the same network.

Here’s how to use it:

1. Open SnapDrop.net on a web browser on your iPhone.
2. Open the same web site on a web browser on your PC. Make sure both devices are on the same network.
3. The web site will show the PC on your iPhone, and vice versa. So, the screen on your computer should identify your iPhone or tablet, while your mobile device identifies the browser on your PC.
4. Confirm the name shown beneath the PC icon on the iPhone matches the "You are known as" name displayed on your PC. If the names match, tap on the PC icon on the iPhone to select what you wish to transfer to your PC.
5. You'll now see a prompt on your PC asking if you wish to receive what is being sent. Select Save, and it'll be transferred to your PC.

Should you need to do so, you can also perform this process in reverse to transfer files from your PC to the iPhone.

If you prefer, here's a video that walks you through how it works: