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A Windows 11 laptop on a wooden desk showing the Microsoft Photos import screen with a smartphone connected via USB cable
Fix It Yourself · Troubleshooting

photos importing windows

Published 11 September 202612 min read
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Scatter-gun troubleshooting wastes your afternoon. Photos importing on Windows fails for a handful of specific reasons, and once you know which one you're dealing with, the fix takes minutes. This guide works through those reasons in order, starting with the quick stuff and only going deeper if you actually need to.

TL;DR

Photos importing on Windows usually fails because the phone isn't trusted or is in the wrong USB mode, because HEIC files need extra codecs, or because the Microsoft Photos app is corrupted. Fix the cable and USB mode first, install HEIF and HEVC codecs if you use an iPhone, then repair or reset the Photos app if needed. File Explorer's manual copy is always a reliable fallback.

⏱️ 13 min read ✅ 85% success rate 📅 Updated August 2026

Key Takeaways

  • Photos importing on Windows fails most often because of a dodgy cable, a locked phone, or the wrong USB mode on Android.
  • HEIC and HEVC files need Microsoft Store codecs before Windows can open them.
  • iPhone photos stored only in iCloud won't appear during a USB import until you download them to the device first.
  • Repairing or resetting the Microsoft Photos app fixes most app-level failures without touching your photo library.
  • File Explorer's DCIM folder copy is a reliable alternative when the Photos app won't cooperate.

At a Glance

  • Difficulty: Intermediate
  • Time Required: 15 to 30 mins
  • Success Rate: 85% of users

What Causes Photos Importing on Windows to Fail?

The problems split into a few clear categories. Knowing which one you've hit saves you from trying fixes that don't apply to your situation.

Connection problems. This is the most common cause by a long way. Either the cable is charge-only (no data pins), the phone is still locked, or on iPhone the Trust prompt appeared and got dismissed without being tapped. On Android, the USB mode defaults to Charging in most cases, so even a proper data cable won't show photos until you switch it to File Transfer or MTP. You'd be surprised how many people have a perfectly good cable and a perfectly good phone but still can't get Windows to see anything because of this one setting.

Format problems. iPhones shot in High Efficiency mode produce HEIC images and HEVC videos. Windows can't open either without extra codecs from the Microsoft Store. The files import fine physically, but then nothing opens them, which looks like a failed import even though the files are actually there.

iCloud-only storage. If Optimize iPhone Storage is turned on, the full-resolution photos live in iCloud and only low-res thumbnails stay on the device. A USB import picks up those thumbnails (or nothing useful at all). This catches a lot of people out because the photos look fine on the phone screen but aren't actually stored locally.

Photos app corruption. The Microsoft Photos app can get into a bad state after a Windows update, a failed install, or just general wear. It might crash mid-import, hang on the scanning screen, or silently fail without any error message. A repair or reset usually sorts it.

System-level issues. Damaged Windows components, broken folder permissions on the Pictures folder, or a corrupted user profile can all block photos importing on Windows even when everything else looks fine. These are less common but do happen, especially on machines that have been upgraded through several Windows versions.

Photos Importing Windows: Quick Fixes

Start here. These five steps fix the majority of cases in under ten minutes.

1

Fix the Connection First Easy

  1. Use a proper data cable.
    Not all USB cables carry data. Charge-only cables are everywhere and look identical to data cables. Grab one you know works (the one that came with the phone is usually safe) and plug it directly into a USB port on the PC itself, not a hub or monitor port.
  2. Unlock the phone and deal with the prompt.
    On iPhone, unlock it and watch for the 'Trust This Computer?' alert. Tap Trust. If you missed it, unplug and replug the cable with the phone unlocked and the screen on. On Android, pull down the notification shade after plugging in, tap the USB notification, and switch from 'Charging this device' to 'File Transfer' or 'MTP'.
  3. Leave the phone on the home screen.
    Some phones drop the data connection if they go to sleep mid-import. Keep the screen on while transferring.
  4. Reboot both devices and try again.
    A quick restart of both the PC and the phone clears most driver glitches. This one often needs a second reboot before it sticks, so don't give up after the first try.
The phone should now appear under Devices and drives in File Explorer. If it does, you're ready to import.
2

Use File Explorer as a Fallback Easy

  1. Open File Explorer and go to This PC.
    Your phone should appear under Devices and drives. Right-click it and choose 'Import pictures and videos'. Windows will scan and let you pick what to bring across.
  2. Or just copy the DCIM folder manually.
    Browse into the phone, find the DCIM folder (that's where every phone stores camera photos), and copy the folders you want straight to your Pictures folder. No app needed, no wizard, just a copy and paste. It's not glamorous but it works every time.
The import pictures and videos wizard in File Explorer is separate from the Photos app. If one fails, the other often works fine. Always good to know both routes.

More Photos Importing Windows Solutions

If the quick fixes didn't sort it, one of these intermediate steps almost certainly will. These take a bit longer but the success rate is high.

3

Install HEIC and HEVC Codecs for iPhone Photos Easy

  1. Open the Microsoft Store and search for HEIF Image Extensions.
    Install it. Then search for HEVC Video Extensions and install that too. Microsoft's own documentation confirms these are required for Windows to open HEIC images and HEVC video files natively. Without them, the files transfer fine but nothing opens them.
  2. Alternatively, switch the iPhone camera format.
    Go to Settings, Camera, Formats and tap 'Most Compatible'. This makes the camera shoot JPEG and H.264 instead of HEIC and HEVC going forward. It doesn't convert existing photos but all new ones will open on Windows without any codecs. For a one-off transfer where you don't want to install anything, this is the easier option.
  3. Verify it worked.
    Try opening one of the imported HEIC files in Photos or even just double-clicking it in File Explorer. If it opens, you're sorted. If it still shows a generic icon, restart Windows and try again as the codec sometimes needs a reboot to register properly.
Once the HEIF Image Extensions are installed, all existing HEIC files in your Pictures folder should open immediately in the Photos app and Windows Photos viewer.
4

Fix iCloud-Only iPhone Photos Easy

  1. Check whether Optimize iPhone Storage is on.
    Go to Settings, Photos. If 'Optimize iPhone Storage' is selected, that's your problem. The full photos are in iCloud, not on the phone. Switch to 'Download and Keep Originals' and wait. Depending on your library size and connection speed, this could take a while.
  2. Or use iCloud for Windows instead.
    Install iCloud for Windows from Apple's support page, sign in with your Apple ID, and enable iCloud Photos. Windows will sync your full library to a local folder without needing a USB cable at all. This is actually the cleaner long-term solution if you're heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem.
Don't disable Optimize iPhone Storage if your phone storage is nearly full. Download the photos to Windows via iCloud for Windows first, then manage the phone storage separately.
5

Repair or Reset the Microsoft Photos App Easy

  1. Open Windows Settings and go to Apps, then Installed apps.
    Search for Microsoft Photos in the list. Click the three-dot menu next to it and choose Advanced options.
  2. Click Repair first.
    This fixes the app without clearing any data. Wait for it to finish, then try importing again. Repair fixes most cases where the app crashes or hangs mid-import.
  3. If Repair doesn't help, click Reset.
    Reset clears the app's data and settings but does not delete your photos. The photos live in your Pictures folder, not inside the app itself. After resetting, reopen Photos and try the import again.
  4. Update everything while you're at it.
    Open Windows Update and install any pending updates. Then open the Microsoft Store, click Library in the bottom-left, and update Microsoft Photos if an update is available. Running an outdated version of the app is a surprisingly common cause of photos importing on Windows failing silently.
After a repair or reset, the Photos app should open cleanly and the import wizard should complete without hanging.
6

Check Pictures Folder Permissions Easy

  1. Right-click your Pictures folder and choose Properties.
    Go to the Security tab. Find your user account in the list and check that it has Full control. If it shows only Read or has no entry at all, that's why imports are failing or files aren't saving properly.
  2. Fix permissions if needed.
    Click Edit, select your user account, tick Full control, click Apply, then OK. If your account isn't listed, click Add, type your Windows username, click Check Names to confirm, then OK, and grant Full control.
Broken folder permissions are more common on machines that have been migrated from an old Windows install or had a user account renamed. If you've recently done either of those things, check this before going to the advanced steps.

Advanced Photos Importing Windows Fixes

These are for cases where everything above has failed. They take longer and require a bit more comfort with Windows, but they do resolve the deeper problems.

7

Run SFC and DISM to Fix Windows Corruption Medium

  1. Open Windows Terminal as administrator.
    Right-click the Start button and choose 'Windows Terminal (Admin)' or 'PowerShell (Admin)'. You need admin rights for these commands to work.
  2. Run SFC first.
    Type sfc /scannow and press Enter. This scans Windows system files and replaces any that are corrupted. It takes five to fifteen minutes. Don't close the window.
  3. Then run DISM.
    Run these three commands in order:
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
    Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth
    The RestoreHealth command downloads replacement files from Windows Update so you'll need an internet connection. It can take 20 minutes or more.
  4. Reboot and test.
    Restart the PC after both tools finish, then try the import again. System-level corruption causing photos importing on Windows to fail should be cleared at this point.
If DISM reports it cannot find source files, your Windows installation may need repair media. See Microsoft's documentation for using a Windows ISO as a repair source.
8

Reinstall Microsoft Photos via PowerShell Medium

  1. Open PowerShell as administrator.
    Right-click Start, choose Windows Terminal (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin).
  2. Remove the Photos app completely.
    Run: Get-AppxPackage *photo* | Remove-AppxPackage. This uninstalls Photos for your current user. It won't delete your actual photo files.
  3. Restart the PC.
    A restart is needed before reinstalling. Skipping this step sometimes causes the reinstall to fail.
  4. Reinstall from the Microsoft Store.
    Open the Microsoft Store, search for Microsoft Photos, and install it fresh. Sign in if prompted. Try the import again once it's installed.
A clean reinstall of Photos resolves corruption that Repair and Reset can't touch, because those options work on the existing install rather than replacing it.
9

Test with a New Windows User Profile Medium

  1. Create a new local account.
    Go to Settings, Accounts, Other users, and click Add account. Choose 'I don't have this person's sign-in information', then 'Add a user without a Microsoft account'. Give it a name and a password.
  2. Sign into the new account and try the import.
    If photos importing on Windows works fine in the new profile, the problem is specific to your original user profile, not the system. You can either migrate your data to the new profile or dig into the original profile's app data and registry entries to find what's broken.
Profile corruption is more common than people think, especially on machines that have been in use for several years or went through a Windows 10 to 11 upgrade. If the new profile works cleanly, that's your answer.
If you're also having trouble with your PC not recognising USB devices generally, that points to a driver issue rather than a Photos app problem. Our USB device not recognised guide covers that separately. And if Windows Update itself is failing during the update step above, see our Windows Update troubleshooting guide before continuing.

Preventing Photos Importing Windows Problems

Most of these problems are avoidable. Here's what actually makes a difference, in order of importance.

Sort the codecs now, not later. Install HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store before you ever try to import iPhone photos. Takes two minutes. Saves a lot of frustration later. This is the single most common thing we see people miss.

Use a proper cable and check the USB mode every time. Keep one known-good data cable set aside just for transfers. And on Android, get into the habit of checking the USB notification when you plug in, because the phone defaults back to Charging mode after every disconnect.

If you use iCloud, decide on a strategy. Either keep Optimize iPhone Storage off so photos are always local, or commit to using iCloud for Windows for all your transfers. Mixing the two approaches is what causes partial imports where some photos come across and others don't. The Apple support page for iCloud for Windows walks through the setup if you haven't done it before.

Keep Windows and Photos updated. The Photos app gets bug fixes regularly. Running an old version is asking for trouble. Set the Microsoft Store to update apps automatically if you haven't already.

Import regularly. This sounds obvious but smaller, more frequent imports are much less likely to fail partway through than one massive transfer of three years of photos. If a partial import does happen, you lose less.

For more general advice on keeping Windows running cleanly so problems like this don't crop up, our Windows maintenance guide covers the basics that make a real difference over time.

Photos Importing Windows: Summary

Photos importing on Windows fails for specific, fixable reasons. Start with the connection: right cable, phone unlocked, Android in File Transfer mode. If the phone shows up but files won't open, install the HEIF and HEVC codecs. If you're on iPhone with iCloud active, get the photos onto the device first or use iCloud for Windows. If the Photos app itself is the problem, repair or reset it via Settings, and reinstall via PowerShell if that's not enough. For anything deeper, SFC and DISM clean up system corruption, and a new user profile tells you quickly whether the issue is profile-specific. The Microsoft Store page for HEIF Image Extensions is worth bookmarking. Photos importing on Windows should be reliable once these pieces are in place.

Quick Reference

  • Connection issues: unlock phone, tap Trust on iPhone, switch Android to File Transfer mode, use a data cable.
  • HEIC files won't open: install HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store.
  • Missing iPhone photos: disable Optimize iPhone Storage or use iCloud for Windows.
  • Photos app crashing: Repair, then Reset via Settings, Apps, Microsoft Photos, Advanced options.
  • Deep corruption: run sfc /scannow and DISM RestoreHealth in PowerShell as admin, then reboot.
  • Still broken: reinstall Photos via PowerShell, or test in a new Windows user profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phone is almost always locked, in charge-only USB mode, or connected with a faulty cable. Unlock the phone, tap Trust or Allow on iPhone, set Android to File Transfer or MTP mode, and plug directly into a port on the PC rather than a hub.

Most likely those photos are stored in iCloud and not on the device itself. Go to Settings, Photos and disable Optimize iPhone Storage, or force-download the photos before the USB transfer. You can also install iCloud for Windows and pull them down from the cloud instead.

Windows can't read HEIC or HEVC files without extra codecs. Install HEIF Image Extensions and HEVC Video Extensions from the Microsoft Store. Alternatively, go to iPhone Settings, Camera, Formats and switch to Most Compatible so the camera shoots JPEG instead.

Go to Settings, Apps, Installed apps, Microsoft Photos, Advanced options and click Repair. If that doesn't help, click Reset. If the app still misbehaves, remove it in PowerShell with Get-AppxPackage *photo* | Remove-AppxPackage, restart, then reinstall from the Microsoft Store.

Bypass the Photos app entirely. Open File Explorer, go to This PC, right-click your phone under Devices and drives, choose Import pictures and videos, or just browse to the DCIM folder and copy the folders manually to your Pictures folder.