Can I Transfer Data From Ipad To External Hard Drive

For the longest fourth dimension ever, iOS users have been criticizing the way Apple handles file storage on its iPhones and iPads. Unlike Android, accessing storage on the iPhone or iPad isn't quite as simple equally plugging it into a calculator. There is besides no way of adding actress storage in the form of a microSD carte.

However, Apple has made some improvements to this over time, peculiarly with the company'southward iPad Pro which back in 2018, they swapped out the Lightning connector for USB-C. This is excellent news because at present it means that users will exist able to connect USB-C devices to it, such as external hard drives.

If you're looking for how to use an external drive with your iPad, you've come to the right place so read on as we'll guide you through the relatively easy process.

Requirements

Y'all volition demand an iPhone or iPad with iOS 13 or newer installed on information technology. This is because official support for external storage was merely added in iOS and iPadOS 13.

Your external bulldoze volition also need to be formatted to ExFAT, FAT32, HSF+, or APFS.

iPad Pro With USB-C

If you have bought the 2018 iPad Pro that comes with a USB-C port, and so the process is very straightforward. If you take an external drive or wink drive that uses USB-C, and then it is as simple every bit plugging it into the iPad Pro's USB-C port and y'all're good to go.

All the same, if your external bulldoze still relies on USB-A connectivity, then you lot volition need to find a USB-A to USB-C adapter. Apple tree sells an official adapter on its website but it'due south not exactly cheap, but a quick search on Amazon will show you several 3rd-political party alternatives that will work just also.

iPad With Lightning Port

If yous don't have the newer iPad Pros with USB-C, it ways that your iPad still relies on the Lightning port. This makes it slightly more complicated because Lightning to USB-A adapters aren't quite as mutual compared to USB-A to USB-C adapters. You lot will need to buy something like Apple's Lightning to USB-three Camera Adapter in gild to get it to work.

The upside is that this adapter also comes with a USB-C port, significant that technically you should be able to connect USB-C accessories through this adapter also.

Yet, in that location is a take hold of and that is if you lot plug in external hard drives that are too big, you could see ability problems. There have been some user reports claiming that smaller flash drives have no issues, but plugging in an external difficult bulldoze could result in an fault message saying that the adapter will require more power. This tin be overcome past plugging in a USB hub to the adapter, simply that substantially means you lot'd be calculation a dongle to your dongle.

How To Move FIles From The External Drive To Your iPad

Launch the Files app and select your external bulldoze
Tap Select
Tap all the files that you want to motility
Tap Move and select On My iPhone/iPad (you can also opt to transfer it straight to some other location like Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive)
Select the folder where yous desire to store the files
Tap Re-create and look for the files to transfer and you're washed

How To Motility Files From The iPad To An External Drive

Launch the Files app and select the location of the files
Tap Select and choose all the files yous want to motion
Tap Move
Select your external bulldoze from the menu and the folder location
Tap Copy and expect for the files to transfer

How To Move Photos From The iPad To An External Drive

In add-on to copying and moving files from an external hard drive to the iPad and vice versa, you can also move photos directly inside the Photos app to an external hard drive if y'all want to back it up speedily and easily. This is platonic if you lot prefer using your own storage instead of a cloud storage service like Apple's iCloud.

Open up the Photos app and select the photograph(southward) you desire to transfer to the external drive
Tap the Share button
Select "Save to Files"
Cull your external drive and the folder and tap "Save"