Guide · Velvet Link
How to get iPhone photos onto a Windows PC – without a cable or iCloud
Scan a code on your PC with the iPhone's camera, pick the photos, and they land in your Downloads folder in full resolution. It takes about ten seconds and nothing leaves your home network.
The usual ways – and why they're a hassle
- A cable and the Photos app. You need the right cable, tap “Trust this computer”, wait for the import to find your photos – and it often stalls on large libraries.
- iCloud for Windows. Needs your Apple account on the PC, syncs everything rather than the photos you want, and only as fast as your internet upload.
- Emailing or messaging the photos to yourself. Fine for one picture, but most apps shrink the photos, and you're sending private pictures through someone's server.
Send photos from your iPhone to your PC over Wi‑Fi – the quick way with Velvet Link
- Open Velvet Link on the PC. Click Velvet Link on the left of the Velvet window, or right-click the Velvet icon next to the clock and choose Velvet Link. A QR code appears.
- Point the iPhone's camera at the code. Tap the banner that appears – a page opens in Safari. Nothing to install.
- Tap “Photos & files”, then “Choose photos or files”. Pick as many photos as you like and tap Add.
- That's it. The photos arrive in your Downloads folder (or any folder you choose), with their original date. The page shows how far along it is.
Tip: tap Remember this phone – a short animated guide shows how to add Velvet to your home screen (this works only in Safari on iPhone). Next time it's one tap – no QR code. Want a fresh photo instead? Tap Camera and the shot goes straight to the PC.
Also works the other way
Drop files on the Velvet Link page on your PC and they show up on the phone under From PC, ready to save. Under Text you can copy text to the PC, take the PC's clipboard to the phone, or open a link from the phone right in the PC's browser.
Questions
Do I need a cable or iCloud?
No. The iPhone and the PC talk directly over your own Wi‑Fi. Nothing is uploaded to iCloud or any other service.
Do I need to install an app on the iPhone?
No. You scan a QR code with the iPhone's camera and a page opens in Safari. That page sends the photos.
Are the photos compressed?
No. Photos arrive in full resolution. The iPhone usually sends them as JPG, which opens on every PC.
Does it work with Android?
Yes. Any phone with a camera and a browser works the same way.
How do I transfer photos from iPhone to PC wirelessly?
Open Velvet Link on the PC, scan the QR code with the iPhone's camera and pick the photos. They arrive over your Wi‑Fi in full resolution.
How do I get photos from iPhone to PC without iTunes?
No iTunes or Apple software is needed – the photos come through a page in Safari.
Why don't my iPhone photos show up on my PC?
With a cable, the iPhone has to be unlocked and you must tap “Trust this computer” – and large libraries often still stall. Velvet Link skips the cable entirely.
How to transfer photos from iPhone to PC?
Open Velvet Link on the PC, scan the QR code with the iPhone and pick the photos – they land in Downloads in full quality.
How to get photos off an iPhone onto a computer?
The same way – over your Wi‑Fi, with no cable, no iTunes and no iCloud.
Why doesn't the phone connect?
The phone and the PC need to be on the same Wi‑Fi. Guest networks and some office networks keep devices apart – try your home network.
Get Velvet for Windows
Velvet Link is part of Velvet – the app that also compresses, signs, scans and converts your files with one drag.