An unexpected and useful feature of iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 is also nearly invisible, and for most uses, requires a special adapter. With this feature, the Files app now can “see” external storage devices.
That’s huge—now you can move data to and from an iPhone or iPad using standard flash drives, SD card readers, or even powered USB hard drives. It’s also a great way to play videos and other data that won’t fit in the available free space on your device. (You’ll still need an app on the iOS device that knows how to open the files—for videos, try VLC for Mobile.)
iOS should be able to read any unencrypted file system supported by the Mac’s Disk Utility, including the PC-focused MS-DOS (FAT) and exFAT, and the Apple-focused MacOS Extended (HFS+) and APFS. If you’re formatting a drive for sharing with a PC, we recommend exFAT; for use within the Apple ecosystem, use Mac OS Extended.
Necessary Hardware
If you plan to use a flash drive with an iPhone or iPad regularly, it’s worth buying a new MFi Lightning flash drive that you can plug in directly. Apple’s MFi program should ensure that drives with that label meet the necessary power and file system requirements. Or, if you have a 2018 iPad Pro model with USB-C, get a USB-C flash drive.
But what about all those USB flash drives and hard drives you already have? To connect those to a Lightning-based iPhone or iPad, you’ll need Apple’s $39 Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter. For the USB-C iPad Pro models, any USB-C hub with a USB-A port should work.
There is one big gotcha, which is that many USB flash drives require 500 milliamps (mA) of power, which is more than the iPhone or iPad can provide. When that’s the case, iOS will usually alert you to the problem (or the drive simply won’t show up in Files). You’ll need to provide extra power by plugging a standard Lightning-to-USB cable into the adapter and a power source. That passthrough power should usually be enough to charge the device and run the flash drive, although we’ve seen flash drives that work with the iPhone 11 Pro but not with a 10.5-inch iPad Pro. (Avoid Apple’s older $29 Lightning to USB Camera Adapter, which supports only the slower USB 2 and doesn’t provide passthrough power.)
Happily, flash drives that require only 100 mA of power work fine without additional power. To learn how much power a drive requires, connect it to your Mac, open the System Information app (in the Applications folder’s Utilities folder), click USB in the sidebar, select the drive in the USB Device Tree at the top, and then read the Current Required line.
Accessing Your Drive
Once you’ve connected a drive to your device, you can access it in Files. On the iPhone, or if you’re using your iPad in portrait orientation, tap the Browse tab at the bottom of the screen. On an iPad in landscape orientation, Browse appears automatically in the sidebar.
Either way, you can find your drive in the list of locations—remember that flash drives are often called Untitled or have funky names.
Copying Files to and from Your Drive
The Files app works a bit like the Mac’s Finder in that it lets you copy files by dragging or by using Copy and Paste. This latter approach is often easier:
- In Files, navigate to the file you want to copy.
- Tap and hold it until a popover appears with commands.
- Tap Copy in the popover.
- Tap the Browse tab to return to the Browse screen, and then tap your flash drive.
- Tap a blank spot in the flash drive’s directory, and then tap Paste in the popover.
Moving a file works similarly, except that once you tap Move in the popover, iOS displays a list of destinations.
Dragging to copy a file is easier on the iPad if you open two Files windows showing different locations in Split View. With Files as the frontmost app, swipe up to reveal the Dock, and then tap and hold the Files icon briefly so you can drag it to the left or right edge of the screen. Then, to copy files, simply drag them from one view to the other.
Even without Split View, you can also drag to copy files on the iPhone. Tap and hold the file you want to copy, but instead of letting up or working with the popover, start dragging. Then, with another finger (your thumb may work well), tap the Browse tab to switch back to the Browse screen, and then keep dragging the file onto your flash drive. If you’re dextrous, you can even tap the flash drive with another finger to open it—do this to nest the dragged file into a sub-folder on the flash drive.
Obviously, you can also use the commands in the tap-and-hold popover to perform numerous other actions on files. These commands include Duplicate, Delete, Info, Quick Look, Tags, Rename, Share, Compress, and Create PDF.
One last thing. On the Mac, you need to eject external storage devices manually by dragging their icons to the Trash, Control-clicking them and choosing Eject, or pressing Command-E. Once you’ve done that, you can unplug the drive. Happily, that’s not necessary for drives mounted in iOS—just use common sense and don’t remove a flash drive while files are being read or written.
AI Usage Transparency Report
Pre-AI Era · Written before widespread use of generative AI tools
AI Signal Composition
Score: 0.07 · Low AI Influence
Summary
iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 allow external storage devices to be read by the Files app, enabling data transfer between iPhone/iPad and standard flash drives/SD card readers/USB hard drives.
Related Posts
Leaving Flickr: Migrating 20,000+ Photos to Synology and Taking Back Control
There’s a certain kind of friction you start to notice when you’ve been using a service for a long time. Not enough to make you leave immediately, but enough to make you pause. Flickr had been that kind of service for me. It quietly held years of photos, uploads from old phones, albums I hadn’t looked at in ages, and a massive "Auto Upload" collection that had grown into something I didn’t fully understand anymore.
How I Finally Passed the PMP Exam (After 12 Years of Waiting)
Back in 2013, I registered for a PMI membership with every intention of pursuing my PMP certification. I downloaded the handbook, bookmarked the eligibility requirements, and even told a few friends that I was going to do it "soon." At the time, I thought getting certified would be a straightforward process, but little did I know what lay ahead in terms of studying and preparation.
10 Things You Didn't Know You Could Do With Apple Configurator (That Save Mac Admins Hours)
Most of us treat Apple Configurator like a fire extinguisher: break glass, DFU, restore, move on. But it can do a lot more, and when you know the edges, you can turn a bricked morning into a ship-it afternoon. Below are ten things I regularly use (or wish I’d used sooner) that demonstrate its capabilities beyond just emergency recovery.
The Evolution of Apple Certification: A Journey Through Versions, Challenges & Growth
When I recently passed the Apple Certified Support Professional (ACSP) exam again, I paused to reflect — not just on this milestone, but on the long path I’ve walked through Apple’s certification landscape. My first certification dates back to macOS 10.5, and over the years, I’ve earned credentials across nearly every version since. In that time, the exams — and Apple itself — have transformed significantly.
Secure Software, Secure Career: How I Passed the CSSLP
After passing the CISSP earlier this year, I decided to follow it up with the **Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)** certification. For those unfamiliar, CSSLP is an ISC2 certification that focuses specifically on secure software development practices across the full SDLC—from requirements and design to coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. My goal in pursuing this certification was to further develop my skills in ensuring the security of software throughout its entire lifecycle.
Managing Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) for Android with Microsoft Intune
Alright, so today we're going to be talking about the management of bring your own device BYOD for Android devices. There's a lot of information out there for the management of iOS devices and you can do that with pretty much any Apple MDM on the market. We just happen to use Jamf where I work, but you could use anything from Braavos to SimpleMDM to Kanji or JumpCloud. Mosyle is also a great option.
BYO with me in 2025: iOS with User Enrollment in JAMF Pro
It really depends on your company's needs. For example, many companies need to hire 1099 contractors and in such a case they come with their own devices but not the correct security settings or enforcements. Remember BYOD is a security construct. The idea here is that you should be securing the company's sensitive data in all forms. This may involve implementing policies for contractor-owned devices, ensuring that all devices accessing company data meet minimum security standards, and regularly reviewing and updating these standards to stay ahead of emerging threats.
Securing BYOD Email Access: Exploring Strategies in Microsoft 365
In today’s mobile-first world, organizations increasingly rely on Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) programs to empower employees while optimizing costs. However, this flexibility introduces unique challenges, particularly around securing email access. To mitigate risks, we are implementing a comprehensive strategy to block email access on non-company devices by default and ensure only sanctioned apps can access organizational email accounts. This approach will help prevent unauthorized access and data breaches, aligning with our commitment to maintaining the security and integrity of company communications.
How I Conquered the CISSP Exam: 9 Months, Top Resources, and Proven Strategies
Passing the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) exam is no small feat. It’s known for its breadth, depth, and ability to test not just your knowledge but your practical understanding of cybersecurity. After nine months of intense preparation, I’m thrilled to say I’ve joined the ranks of CISSP-certified professionals! Here's a detailed account of my experience, including the resources I used, some tips that helped me along the way, and what I learned from the process itself.
Get more out of scripting than you may expect
Expect is an extension to the Tcl scripting language written by Don Libes. The program automates interactions with programs that expose a text terminal interface. Expect, originally written in 1990 for the Unix platform, has since become available for Microsoft Windows and other systems. Its functionality allows users to interact with these programs through scripted commands, eliminating the need for manual input.
