Fix Windows Photos Launches When iPhone is Connected

If you want to stop the Photos App from opening when you connect your iPhone to your Windows 10 computer, this guide is for you.

But first, let’s see why the Photos App automatically launches when you connect your iPhone to your PC.

It’s the AutoPlay Feature

AutoPlay is a very useful Windows 10 feature that kind of anticipates how you would like to interact with the external devices you connect to your PC.

In other words, AutoPlay scans your iPhone and assumes you want to view, edit, or download the media files and photos stored on the phone. That’s why the Photos App pops up on the screen.

But viewing or transferring your photos and media files may not be what you want to do on that day. Maybe you’re the kind of user that never imports any pictures from their phones to their computers.

Prevent Windows Photos App From Launching When Connecting Your iPhone

Method 1: Disable AutoPlay from Settings

One of the quickest solutions to prevent Photos from opening is to simply disable AutoPlay.

1. Go to the Windows search bar and type autoplay.
2. Then double-click on AutoPlay Settings.
3. If you want to completely disable AutoPlay, toggle off Use AutoPlay for all media and devices.

To configure AutoPlay for your iPhone only, scroll down to Apple iPhone. Click on the drop-down menu. Select Take no action.

Once this setting enabled, Photos will no longer launch automatically when you connect your iPhone.

Choose an Action for Memory Cards

To further establish how your computer behaves when you connect a device with a memory card, such as a phone or digital camera, follow the steps below.

1. Under the Memory card option, click on the drop-down menu.
2. You will be presented with five options:
   1. Import photos and videos (Photos). This will automatically launch the Photos app when you connect your phone.
   2. Play (Windows Media Player). The Media Player will launch if AutoPlay detects there are video files stored on the memory card.
   3. Take no action. Select this option if you don’t want any program to open when you connect your device to the PC.
   4. Open folder to view files (File Explorer). This option will display all the folders stored on your external device.
   5. Ask me every time. Windows 10 will prompt you to select an action every time you connect a memory card device to your computer.

Choose an Action for Removable Drives

You can also set up individual settings for removable drives.

1. Under Removable drive, click on the drop-down menu.
2. You’ve got four options you can choose from:
   1. Take no action. In other words, nothing happens when you connect your external device to your computer.
   2. Open folder to view files (File Explorer). The File Explorer will show you what folders it found on the removable drive.
   3. Ask me every time. Your PC will prompt you to select an action every time you plug in a removable drive in the USB port.
   4. Configure storage settings. This option allows you to set up particular storage settings.

Method 2: Disable AutoPlay in the Registry Editor

You can also turn off AutoPlay using the Registry Editor.

1. Type regedit in the Windows search bar.
2. Launch the Registry Editor.
3. Follow this path: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\AutoplayHandlers.
4. Under the AutoPlayHandlers folder, locate the DisableAutoPlay key.
5. Double-click on the key.
6. Edit its value from 0 (zero) to 1.
7. Then save the changes and restart your computer.

The Photos app should no longer pop up on the screen when you connect your iPhone to your Windows 10 computer.