How to copy files from an iPhone to a Windows shared folder

By Isaac Griffiths, developer of SMBDrop · 7 October 2026

A Windows PC can act as a perfectly good home file server. Windows has shipped an SMB server for decades (it's the same "shared folder" you'd open from another PC), and an iPhone can talk to it directly over your Wi-Fi. No cloud, no cable, no extra software on the PC.

This guide sets up a shared folder on Windows 10 or Windows 11, connects to it from the iPhone's Files app, and then covers sending photos with their originals intact. Most of the time goes on the Windows side, and most failures come from three things: the network profile, the account you sign in with, and the firewall. Each has its own section below.

What you need: a Windows 10 or 11 PC on the same network as your iPhone, an administrator account on that PC, and about ten minutes. The PC has to be awake while you transfer.

Step 1: Make sure the network is set to Private

Windows only allows file sharing on networks it considers trusted. If your home Wi-Fi was marked as Public when you first joined it, sharing is blocked no matter what else you do.

Open Settings → Network & internet.
Choose Wi-Fi (or Ethernet), then click your network's properties.
Under Network profile type, select Private network.

Then go to Settings → Network & internet → Advanced network settings → Advanced sharing settings and, under Private networks, turn on File and printer sharing. Network discovery is optional for the iPhone, since you'll connect by address, but it does no harm on a home network.

Step 2: Decide which account the iPhone will sign in with

This is the step that causes the most "wrong password" errors. The iPhone has to authenticate as a Windows user, and there are two ways to do that:

A Microsoft account (the one you sign in to Windows with, an email address). Use the full email address as the username and the account password, not your Windows Hello PIN. If you normally sign in with a PIN or face and have never typed the password on this PC, network sign-in can fail until you sign in to Windows with the password once.
A dedicated local account (recommended). It has a simple username, a password that only exists on this PC, and you can limit it to the one shared folder.

To create a local account: Settings → Accounts → Other users → Add account, then choose I don't have this person's sign-in information → Add a user without a Microsoft account. Give it a name such as iphone and a strong password. It doesn't need to be an administrator.

If you prefer a terminal, open Terminal or Command Prompt as administrator and run:

net user iphone * /add

It prompts for the password without echoing it.

Step 3: Share the folder

Create the folder you want photos to land in, for example D:\iPhone.
Right-click it → Properties → Sharing tab → Advanced Sharing…
Tick Share this folder. The share name defaults to the folder name; keep it short and without spaces, e.g. iPhone.
Click Permissions. Add your account (e.g. iphone) and tick Change and Read. You can remove Everyone if you want only that account to see the share.
Click OK, then open the Security tab on the same Properties window and make sure the same account has Modify permission on the folder itself. Windows checks both the share permissions and the folder (NTFS) permissions, and the stricter one wins.

Step 4: Find the PC's address

Open Terminal or Command Prompt and run ipconfig. Look for IPv4 Address under your Wi-Fi or Ethernet adapter; it will be something like 192.168.1.20. You can also use the PC's name (shown in Settings → System → About), but an IP address is more reliable from an iPhone.

Home routers can hand out a different address after a restart. If you'll use this regularly, set a DHCP reservation for the PC in your router so the address never changes.

Step 5: Connect from the iPhone

The quickest test is Apple's Files app:

Open Files → Browse, tap the ⋯ menu → Connect to Server.
Enter smb://192.168.1.20 (your PC's address) and tap Connect.
Choose Registered User and enter the username and password from step 2.
You should see the iPhone share. Open it, and try saving a file into it.

If that works, the Windows side is done. The Files app is fine for moving the odd document; for photos it has real limits, covered in what Connect to Server can and can't do.

Step 6: Send photos and videos with SMBDrop

Disclosure: I make SMBDrop. It was built for exactly this setup, so here's how it fits:

In SMBDrop, open Settings and add a share. Enter the PC's IP address, and the username and password from step 2.
Tap Find Shares. It lists the shares Windows actually exports, so you pick iPhone instead of typing it.
Run Test Connection, then save.
Pick photos or videos (drag to select a range, or Select All) and tap Send.

Files arrive as the originals: the same HEIC, JPEG, or video bytes that are in your library, with metadata intact, and both halves of each Live Photo. Transfers carry on in the background, and anything that fails waits in a retry queue. If you want new photos to go to the PC without thinking about it, turn on Automatic Backup; it runs when you open the app and overnight while the iPhone is charging and can reach the PC.

Troubleshooting

"The username or password is incorrect"

With a Microsoft account, use the full email address and the account password, not the PIN. If that still fails, create a local account (step 2). It's the most reliable fix. Don't prefix the username with the PC name unless your setup needs it.

Connection times out

Check the network profile is Private (step 1). Then open Windows Security → Firewall & network protection → Allow an app through firewall and make sure File and Printer Sharing is ticked for Private networks. Third-party security suites sometimes have their own firewall that blocks port 445. On the iPhone, check Local Network is on for SMBDrop in Settings (under Settings → Apps → SMBDrop on iOS 18 and later).

Share connects but you can't write

That's permissions: the account needs Change on the share and Modify on the folder's Security tab (step 3).

Transfers stop part-way

The PC went to sleep. Plug in a laptop and set Settings → System → Power so it doesn't sleep while you transfer a big batch.

FAQ

Do I need SMB1 for an iPhone to connect to Windows?

No. SMB1 is disabled by default on current Windows and should stay off. The iPhone Files app and SMBDrop both use SMB2/SMB3, which Windows 10 and 11 support out of the box.

Can I share a folder on Windows 11 Home?

Yes. File sharing works on Windows 10 and 11 Home as well as Pro; the steps above are the same.

Can I use guest access with no password?

It isn't recommended, and current Windows versions increasingly block guest SMB access. A dedicated local account with a password is just as easy and much safer.

Does this work away from home?

Only if your iPhone can reach the PC, either on the same network or through a VPN back to your home network. Never expose SMB (port 445) directly to the internet.

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