Connect external storage to your iPhone and iPad
Connecting an external drive can be useful if you want to transfer files and you do not have internet access. It can also be useful for large files, if the transfer would take a very long time. The Files app supports external storage.
- Connect external drives
- Using network drives
- Move files
- Watch movies from an external drive
Connect external drives to your iPhone and iPad
To connect a hard drive, SD card or USB stick to your iPhone or iPad, you may need an adapter. For devices with a Lightning port, you almost always need an adapter, because there are only a few storage media that can be connected directly (such as the SanDisk iXpand).
Most iPad models have a USB-C port, so you don’t need a special adapter. You can usually connect your USB-C accessory directly. The type of USB-C port varies per iPad model. On our page about USB-C applications on the iPad you can read which USB-C specs your iPad has.
How to connect an external drive:
- Connect the data carrier to the iPhone or iPad.
- Open the Files app.
- Search for your accessory in the menu (recognizable by the USB icon).
Once a properly formatted drive is connected, you will see all the files on it. You can drag and manage these as if they were local storage. You can also browse through all folders.
This is how you can create a new folder:
- Hold your finger on an empty part of the screen.
- The New Folder button appears.
- Tap it and give your new folder a name.
- Then tap Done.
Please note: do you not see the storage medium? With Lightning you often need a special hub or adapter with power supply. Your drive must also be formatted with APFS or FAT. Apple products cannot handle NTFS.
You can connect multiple storage media to the iPad and they will all be recognized as long as the correct formatting is used. So you can connect any external drive to your iPad, just like you are used to with a Mac. Also read our tip about connecting multiple USB accessories to your iPad.
The iPhone and iPad recognize the following formats:
- ExFAT
- FAT32
- HFS+
- APFS
Access network storage (SMB) from your iPhone or iPad
It’s also possible to browse external drives connected to the network from the Files app on your iPhone or iPad. This can also be done remotely. You will need to enable sharing of files accessible through your Mac:
- On your Mac, go to  > System Settings.
- Choose General > Share.
- Turn on the switch for File Sharing.
- Click on the i icon and then on the plus sign (+) at the bottom to add the desired folders.
- If necessary, also enable Remote Login and Remote Management.
- Now open the Files app on the iPad.
- Open the side menu and tap the three dots.
- Choose Connect to server.
- Enter the name of the server, for example ‘MacBook-of-YourName.local’.
- Choose registered user.
- Enter the login name and password of the account on your Mac.
- The Mac with the shared folders now appears in the sidebar.
You can only access the Mac from your iPhone or iPad when both are connected to the same network and when the Mac is turned on.
Move files to and from an external drive
Not only can you view files, but you can also move them to and from your local storage or iCloud Drive.
Moving a file or folder works like this:
- Find the file or folder to move.
- Press and hold your finger on the file or folder.
- Tap Move in the menu.
- Navigate to where the file or folder should be moved.
- Tap Move or Copy at the top right.
You can also put your file or folder in a new folder. To do this, first navigate to the place where you want the new folder and tap on the icon with the folder and the plus sign at the top right. Give your folder a name and voilà .
Watch movie from external drive
It is also possible to play a movie or other footage from an external drive, directly on your iPad. All that is required is that the external drive also has its own power supply. Furthermore, it only applies to files with the using .m4v, .mp4 and .mov extensions.
Another option you can consider is the iXpand from SanDisk. If all goes well, it will be possible to play the videos directly from the stick via the Files app. The version with 128GB costs around €50. However, we have not tested this, so it is entirely at your own risk.
Also read our other tips about connecting accessories to the iPad:
- This way you can connect multiple USB accessories to your iPad
- USB-C on the iPad: you can connect this, this may or may not work
