How to Connect iPhone to Windows 11
Connecting an iPhone to a Windows PC needs both hardware and software support and there are many workable ways to achieve it. However, depending on your very purpose of connecting your iPhone and a Windows 11 PC, you will need different tools to get things done, including using a USB cable, iTunes, iPhone transfer software, and more. Read on to check the details.
How to Connect iPhone to Windows 11 Using a USB Cable
If you want to connect your iPhone to a Windows 11 PC for battery charge or photo transfer, using a USB cable is enough. By connecting your iPhone to your PC with a USB cable, you can choose to charge the phone or transfer files (photos and videos). But you should know that you can only transfer photos and videos from your iPhone to the Windows 11 computer. If you are looking to transfer other types of files on your iPhone or share files from the PC to your iOS device, it isn't the proper solution for you.
To connect an iPhone to a Windows 11 PC:
Step 1. Prepare a USB cable that works properly.
Step 2. Connect the iPhone to the PC with the USB cable.
Step 3. Unlock the iPhone and click "Allow" in the prompt. Then make sure your iPhone is recognized by Windows.
Step 4. Open "File Explorer" > "This PC" > "Apple iPhone" > "Internal Storage" > "DCIM."
Step 5. Then you can see all folders that contain your iPhone photos.
Step 6. Copy and paste the items you like from your iPhone to the Windows computer.
In addition to File Explorer, the built-in app on Windows - Photos is also applicable to import iPhone photos to a PC. After you connect your iPhone to Windows 11, Photos can access your iPhone and load the photos and videos from the Photos app on your iPhone. Afterward, you can choose to import all or selective pictures from the iOS device to the Windows PC.
How to Connect iPhone to a Windows 11 PC via iPhone Transfer Software
While for more data transfer options, you will need a USB cable as well as an iPhone transfer software tool like Qiling MobiMover. The USB cable connects your iPhone with the computer and Qiling MobiMover makes it possible to transfer files, including photos, videos, music, ringtones, contacts, and more, between these two devices.
After you connect your iPhone to Windows 11 with both a USB cable and Qiling MobiMover, there are other things you can also do, including:
- Transfer files from one iPhone/iPad/iPod to another
- Back up and restore an iPhone/iPad/iPod touch
- Transfer WhatsApp messages
- Back up and restore WhatsApp messages and attachments
To transfer files from a PC to an iPhone:
Step 1. Connect your new iPhone toyour PC via a USB cable and tap "TrustThis Computer" on your device if a pop-up appears. Launch Qiling MobiMoverand navigate to "PC to Phone" on the main interface like the sample image below. Click "Select Files" to start the process of transferring files from PC to iDevice.
Step 2. Windows File Explorer will now open. You can browse files on your computer, choose the items you want to transfer and then click "Open".
Step 3. You can preview the selected files on the right pane. If you want to add new items to transfer at this step, click "Add File" or directly drag files and drop to the appointed area. Finally, click "Transfer" to start transferring data from your computer to iPhone at once.Don't disconnect your iPhone while transferring. When the process finished, go to the corresponding location on your iPhone and open the right application to check the synced data.
How to Connect iPhone with Windows 11 via iTunes
For you who want to sync files from a PC to your iPhone, iTunes is a suitable choice to connect your iPhone to Windows 11. iTunes, as the official tool from Apple, offers two ways for you to connect an iOS device and the computer, either with a USB cable or via Wi-Fi. Here I'd like to show you how to use iTunes to connect and sync files from a PC to an iPhone. (If you want to connect your iPhone to Windows 11 via Wi-Fi, you still need to connect both devices with a USB cable first and enable the "Sync with this iPhone over Wi-Fi" option.)
Step 1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes on your PC.
Step 2. Launch iTunes, go to "Account" > "Sign In," and then enter the Apple ID and password you use on your iPhone.
Step 3. Connect your iPhone to the PC with a USB cable and trust the computer via the prompt appearing on the iPhone.
Step 4. Make sure your iPhone is showing up in iTunes and then click the "Device" icon in the top-left corner.
Step 5. Now, click the category you want to sync, select the target items, and then click "Apply" to start syncing files from Windows 11 to your iPhone.
How to Connect iPhone to Windows 11 Using iCloud
The ways above all require a USB cable to work. Is there any solution to connect an iPhone to Windows 11 wirelessly? If that's what you want, you will like services like iCloud. Cloud-based services including iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive all help to connect an iPhone and a Windows 11 PC over a network connection.As long as you are using the same account, you will be able to access files across your devices.
Since iCloud is the official cloud storage service from Apple, here I'd like to take it as an example. If you get used to other cloud services, you can use the one you like instead.
Step 1. Turn on iCloud on your iPhone and enable the category you'd like to share, for example, Photos.
Step 2. On the Windows 11 PC, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your iPhone's Apple ID account.
Step 3. Now click the category you just enabledon your iPhone and then you will see your iPhone files here. Afterward, you candownload them from iCloud to your computer.
How to Connect iPhone to Windows 11 for Screen Mirroring
Although most of you need to connect an iPhone with a PC for data transfer, there are situations in which you want to mirror an iPhone screen to a PC. If you do, you will need a screen mirroring app to help. To use such a tool, you generally need to download and install the program on both your computer and iPhone. For more detailed steps, they vary according to the tool you are going to apply.
Therefore, if you are going to connect your iPhone to Windows 11 for screen mirroring, search the Internet for such apps and follow its user guide to get things done.
The Bottom Line
Actually, the solutions above are also applicable to connecting an iPhone to a PC running earlier versions of Windows. Whether you want to connect an iPhone to Windows for data exchange or screen mirroring, you will know how to do it now. If you choose a wired solution, make sure the USB cable you use is the official lightning USB cable and works properly.
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