Backup iPhone Photos without iTunes? That's All You Need

There are many reasons explaining why you need to backup iPhone photos. For instance, once you lose the important picture, you can restore from the previous backup easily. Moreover, when you transfer photos from iPhone to external hard drive on Windows or Mac, you can free up more storage space on your iOS device without data loss.

To help people backup iPhone photos to external hard drive or cloud storage, this article collects 5 different ways with detailed steps. Thus, you can transfer and copy pictures from iPhone or iPad to computer without iTunes easily.

• Part 1. 2 Ways to Backup Photos from iPhone to Windows
• Part 2. 2 Ways to Backup Photos from iPhone to Mac
• Part 3. Best Way to Backup iPhone Photos to Computer

Part 1. 2 Ways to Backup Photos from iPhone to Windows

In spite of external hard drive, you can backup photos from iPhone to Google Drive too. Just turn on auto backup feature to make a copy of all your iPhone photos for free. But if you want to selectively backup pictures on iPhone, then the following programs may be more proper.

Way 1: Backup Photos from iPhone to Windows 7/8 with AutoPlay

Step 1. Run AutoPlay

Plug your iPhone into the computer with a lightning USB cable. When the "AutoPlay" window pops up, choose "Import pictures and videos" from its list. For Windows 8 users, you need to right click on your iPhone and select "Review, organize, and group items to import". (iPhone photos not showing up?)

Step 2. Backup iPhone photos to Windows computer.

Choose the "Import Settings" link. Click "Browse" besides "Import to" to change a new destination folder if necessary. Then select "OK" to save your change. You can set a tag for those backup photos. At last, click “Import” to backup iPhone pictures to PC.

In this way, you will copy all photos in HEIC/PNG on your iPhone to computer. However, Windows does not support to view HEIC image files, and you need to convert HEIC image to JPG/PNG file for opening.

Way 2: Backup Pictures from iPhone to Windows 10 via Photos APP

Step 1. Connect iPhone to Windows 10

Update iTunes to the latest version (It can help PC recognize your iOS device easily.). Then connect iPhone to PC with a USB cable.

Step 2. Backup photos from iPhone to PC

Run Photos app on your Windows computer. Find and click “Import” option on the top. Select which pictures you want to transfer from iPhone to PC. Finally, choose “Continue” to start to backup iPhone photos to PC.

You may need: How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone.

Part 2. 2 Ways to Backup Photos from iPhone to Mac

It is true that you can backup iPhone photos by email as attachments. However, it takes a long time when there are large amounts of photos need to be backed up. So the followings are reliable tools you can get to backup pictures from iPhone to Mac. Just read and check.

Way 1: Backup iPhone Pictures to Mac with Preview

Step 1. Add iPhone pictures into Preview

Use a lightning USB cable to connect iPhone to Mac. Then run Preview program. Choose "File" option on the top. Select "Import" and choose the certain iPhone photos you want to transfer.

Step 2. Backup pictures from iPhone to Mac

Click "Import" or "Import All" to confirm and exit the window. If you want to backup iPhone photos to the certain folder, you can change the output folder manually.

Way 2: Backup Photos from iPhone to iCloud Photo Library

Step 1. Enable iCloud Photo Library

Head to “Settings” app and choose the name of your digital device. Select “iCloud” and then choose "Photos". For iOS 10.2 and earlier users, you can choose "iCloud" under "Settings" directly.

Step 2. Backup iPhone photos without computer by iCloud

Later, turn on "iCloud Photo Library". Choose "Back Up Now" option to start to backup pictures from iPhone to iCloud free. Just make sure the maximum iCloud free storage space is 5GB.

You will not miss: Retrieve deleted photos from iPhone.

Part 3. Best Way to Backup iPhone Photos to Computer

Why You Choose Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore to Backup iPhone Pictures

Though you can backup photos from iPhone to Windows or Mac PC for free with above methods, there are still many limitations. For instance, you have to back up the entire photo library instead of some selected pictures. Or you can backup photos from iPhone camera Roll only. What’s more, restoring pictures from backup is not easy enough. Fortunately, you can run Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore to backup iPhone photos and other files by one click.

Key Features of iPhone Photos Backup Software

• One click to backup photos, videos, documents, messages and other files from iPhone/iPad/iPod to Windows or Mac PC.
• Preview any iOS data before recovery with the detail information.
• Export and restore files from the backup to your computer selectively and safely.
• Cause no data loss during the whole iOS data backup and restore process.

One Click to Backup Photos from iPhone to Computer

We use an iPhone 8 as the example to show you how to backup notes from iPhone.

Step 1. Launch Apeaksoft iOS Data Backup & Restore

Free download and install the iPhone photo backup software on your computer. Then choose "iOS Data Backup & Restore" from its main interface.

Step 2. Set to backup iPhone files

Use a lightning USB cable to connect iPhone to your computer. Select "iOS Data Backup" in the left side. Then the program will detect your Apple device automatically.

Step 3. Encrypt iPhone backup or not

Choose before "Standard backup" or "Encrypted backup". Later, click "Start" to move on the process.

Step 4. Choose the data type to backup

Mark before “Photos”, “APP Photos” and other categories you want to back up to computer. Then select “Next” to continue.

Note: App photos means that the pictures from non-camera on iPhone, like downloaded GIFs, saved JPEG, etc., will be saved fron iPhone.

Step 5. Backup iPhone photos without iTunes

Do not disconnect iPhone from your computer during the whole process. What’s more, you can monitor and view the detail information from its progress bar below.

These are 5 simple and useful ways to backup iPhone photos to Mac and Windows computer. If you have any other good solution to backup pictures on iPhone, feel free to write down and share in the comments below.