Send Files from iPhone to Windows PC

iPhone and Windows don’t talk to each other nearly as easily as iPhone and Mac do. There’s no AirDrop on Windows, so most people end up reaching for iTunes, a cable, or iCloud; all of which have real friction. Nearsend gives you a fourth option that skips all three.

The usual problem

iTunes (or the Windows Photos app over a Lightning/USB-C cable) only exposes your camera roll, needs Apple’s drivers installed, and can hang on "waiting for device" for no obvious reason. iCloud requires an Apple ID, counts against your iCloud storage, and involves an upload-then-download round trip. And since AirDrop simply doesn’t exist on Windows, there’s no built-in wireless option at all.

How Nearsend solves it

Open nearsend.app in Safari on the iPhone and in any browser on the Windows PC. Pair them with a QR code, PIN, or voice phrase, then send photos, videos, documents, or a whole folder straight across, encrypted, direct, and without touching iTunes, iCloud, or a cable.

How to do it

Open Nearsend on both devices, Go to nearsend.app in any modern browser on the sending and receiving device; no app to install.
Pair them, Scan the animated QR code, enter the 6-digit PIN, or say the voice phrase to connect the two devices directly.
Send your files or folder, Drop files or a full folder onto the page, or pick them from the file browser. They stream straight to the other device.

Why it works well here

No app to install, runs in the browser on both devices
No account or sign-up required
Works across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, ChromeOS, and HarmonyOS
Files stream directly device-to-device; nothing is stored on a server

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer files from iPhone to Windows without iTunes?

Yes. Nearsend pairs the two devices directly in the browser, so iTunes and its drivers aren’t needed.

Does it work over Safari on iPhone?

Yes, Nearsend works in Safari on iOS as well as Chrome, Edge, and Firefox on Windows.

Will it use my iCloud storage?

No; files stream directly between the two devices and never pass through iCloud or any cloud storage.

Can I send a whole camera roll folder at once?

Yes, you can select multiple photos/videos or send an entire folder in one transfer.

Do I need an Apple ID or Microsoft account?

No account of any kind is required on either device.

Will photos and videos arrive at full quality?

Yes; files stream exactly as they are, with no automatic recompression, unlike sending a photo through a messaging app.

What happens if the Windows PC is on a locked-down work network?

Nearsend still works as long as the PC has a working internet connection; no special network configuration or admin rights are needed, since nothing gets installed.

Can I pair the same iPhone with more than one Windows PC over time?

Yes, pairing is per-session, not a saved relationship, so you can pair with any PC whenever you need to, with no setup carried over between sessions.

Does this work if the iPhone is in Low Power Mode?

Generally yes, though Low Power Mode can make iOS more aggressive about pausing background tabs, keeping the Nearsend tab open and the screen on for the duration of a large transfer avoids that.

Can I scan the Nearsend QR code with the iPhone Camera app?

No. The QR code holds pairing data, not a web link, so the Camera app cannot use it. Open nearsend.app in Safari and use the scanner inside Nearsend, or type the six-digit PIN instead.

Why do my iPhone photos open as HEIC on Windows?

Recent iPhones save photos as HEIC, and Nearsend sends each file exactly as it is. Windows may need the HEIF Image Extensions from the Microsoft Store to preview them. You can switch the iPhone camera to Most Compatible in Settings for future photos, or convert the files on the PC.