Why I can't copy photos from iPhone to PC?

Use the Windows Photos import workflow over USB and import by date range instead of selecting the entire library in one operation.

1. On the iPhone, set Photos > Transfer to Mac or PC to Keep Originals, then unlock the phone.

2. Connect it with a data-capable USB-C cable, tap Trust, and keep the iPhone awake during the import.

3. Open Microsoft Photos, choose Import > From a connected device, and wait for the scan to finish.

4. Import one month or a few hundred items at a time into clearly named folders. Do not delete items from the phone during the first pass.

5. After each batch, compare the item count, open several HEIC photos and videos, and back up the destination before starting the next batch.

If Photos stops on one batch, copy the corresponding DCIM subfolder in File Explorer in smaller groups; one damaged file or an iCloud-only placeholder can interrupt a very large import. The 1,000-item message is a selection limit in that workflow, not a limit on how many photos Windows can store.