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Transferring photos from iPhone to PC is very useful, and most users do it very often. But sometimes things don’t go as planned and you may encounter an error when importing photos. So, if you can’t import all the selected photos from iPhone via Microsoft Photos, chances are that the Photos app installation is corrupt. Here, we have presented some possible workarounds that should solve the “Something went wrong” iPhone Photos import error.
Table of Contents:
What causes the “Something went wrong” error message when importing photos from iPhone?
In most cases, it is due to the incompatibility of the HEIC format of iPhone photos, which cannot be imported directly into the Windows system. It could also be because the Microsoft Photos app or iPhone photo settings have been corrupted.
Whatever the reason, this is still disastrous news for some users who usually transfer photos from iPhone to Windows computers. If you’re one of those users, you’ve come to the right place, as we’ve compiled a list of effective methods you can use to solve this problem.
How to resolve the “Something went wrong” error message when importing photos from iPhone?
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Updated: January 2025
Change the permissions for the “Images” folder
- Press the Windows + E keys to open File Explorer.
- Right-click on the Images folder and select Properties.
- Switch to the Security tab.
- Under Group or user names, click Change.
- Select a user name from the profiles.
- In the Allow for (your username) section, make sure that all the checkboxes under Allow are checked.
- Enable Full Access, click Apply, and OK to save your changes.
- If you have already activated the “Full Access” option, deactivate it and activate it again.
Also, try giving full access to the Everyone/System profile in the image properties.
- Press Windows + E to open File Explorer.
- Go to:
Image/Properties/Security/Advanced/Add/ Select Main. - Enter Everyone, click Check Names, and then click OK.
- Under Basic Permissions, select Full Controls, then press OK.
By default iTunes transfers media files to the default location on your Windows computer, depending on the file format. If you recently made changes to your computer, you may have changed the file permissions for these folders.
Utilize the Import Pictures and Videos option
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and make sure the device is recognized in File Explorer.
- Right-click on the phone in the left pane.
- Select the Import Photos and Videos option.
- Select Browse, organize, and group items to import to select the files you want to import.
- Click Import to transfer the photos to your computer.
Windows File Explorer lets you import photos and videos from any recognized device directly into File Explorer.
Importing photos in small batches
If you don’t import photos from your phone often, you may have thousands of photos on your phone.
If you try to import all the photos at once, you may have problems with the loading process, resulting in an error message Something has gone wrong. The solution is to import photos in small batches.
Choose up to a few hundred photos and try transferring them to your computer. If that works, increase the number until the error occurs again. You can also continue to import photos in small batches until all the files have been transferred.
Check the USB cable
A faulty USB cable can cause problems with file transfer. Therefore, make sure that the USB cable of your iPhone is not damaged. Also, make sure that you are using an official Apple cable to transfer files.
The “Something went wrong” error may occur if you are using a third-party USB cable to transfer files from your phone to your computer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the “Something is wrong” message keep appearing when I import photos from my iPhone?
In most cases, this problem can be caused by your iPhone automatically going into "lock mode" or "sleep mode. Once this happens, there may be problems or interruptions when importing photos because Apple devices do not allow data to be transferred between different platforms in this state.
Why can’t I import my photos to my computer?
If you're having trouble importing photos to your computer, the problem may be with your camera settings. If you are trying to import images from your camera, you should check your camera settings. According to users, if your camera's USB connection settings are set to "Automatic," you won't be able to transfer your photos.
Why aren’t all photos imported from my iPhone?
If you've activated "Optimize Storage" in your iCloud photo library, turn off "Optimize" and wait for photos to load on your iPhone if you have enough storage space. Then disable the iCloud photo library. Now import the photos to your Mac and delete them from your iPhone.
What causes the “Something went wrong” error with iPhone photos?
A faulty USB cable can cause a file transfer problem. So make sure that your iPhone's USB cable is not damaged. Also, make sure that you are using an official Apple cable for file transfer. The "Something went wrong" error may occur if you are using a third-party USB cable to transfer files from your phone to your computer.