How to Export Media from iPhone Directly to External Drive

• The article explains how to export media from iPhone directly to external drive using a wireless hard drive and a third-party app, without using a computer.
• The article provides step-by-step instructions on how to connect the wireless hard drive to the iPhone, access and transfer files between them using the app, and disconnect them safely.
• The article also answers some frequently asked questions related to this topic, such as the limitations of using a wired external hard drive or a cloud service instead of a wireless one.

If you have a lot of photos and videos on your iPhone, you might want to transfer them to an external drive to free up some space on your device or back them up safely. However, unlike Android phones, iPhones do not support USB OTG (On-The-Go) functionality, which means you cannot connect a flash drive or an external hard drive directly to your iPhone and transfer files. So, how can you export media from iPhone directly to external drive without using a computer?

In this article, we will show you a simple and effective solution to this problem, using a wireless hard drive and a third-party app. We will also answer some frequently asked questions related to this topic at the end of the article.

What You Need

To export media from iPhone directly to external drive, you will need the following items:

• An iPhone with iOS 13 or later
• A wireless hard drive that supports Wi-Fi connection and has enough storage space for your media files
• A third-party app that can access and transfer files between your iPhone and the wireless hard drive

How to Export Media from iPhone Directly to External Drive

Here are the steps to export media from iPhone directly to external drive using a wireless hard drive and a third-party app:

1. Connect your wireless hard drive to a power source and turn it on. Make sure it has enough battery life for the transfer process.
2. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Wi-Fi and connect to the wireless hard drive’s network. You may need to enter a password or scan a QR code to join the network.
3. Download and install a third-party app that can access and transfer files between your iPhone and the wireless hard drive. For example, you can use FileBrowser, FE File Explorer, or Documents by Readdle. These apps are available for free or for a small fee on the App Store.
4. Launch the app and tap on the wireless hard drive’s name under the Network section. You may need to enter a username and password to access the drive.
5. Navigate to the folder where you want to save your media files on the wireless hard drive. You can create a new folder if needed.
6. Tap on the + icon at the bottom right corner of the app and select Photos or Videos from the menu. This will open your iPhone’s photo library.
7. Select the photos and videos that you want to export from your iPhone to the external drive. You can select multiple items by tapping and holding on one item and then dragging your finger across other items.
8. Tap on Copy or Move at the bottom of the screen. This will start transferring your selected media files from your iPhone to the wireless hard drive.
9. Wait for the transfer process to complete. You can check the progress on the app’s screen or on the wireless hard drive’s LED indicator.
10. Once the transfer is done, you can disconnect your iPhone from the wireless hard drive’s network and turn off the drive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions and answers related to exporting media from iPhone directly to external drive:

Question: Can I use a wired external hard drive instead of a wireless one?

Answer: No, you cannot use a wired external hard drive directly with your iPhone, unless you have a computer as an intermediary device. iPhones do not support USB OTG functionality, which means they cannot read or write data from a USB device without a special adapter or software.

Question: Can I use iCloud or other cloud services instead of an external hard drive?

Answer: Yes, you can use iCloud or other cloud services to backup or transfer your media files from your iPhone, but there are some limitations and drawbacks. For example, iCloud only offers 5 GB of free storage space, which may not be enough for all your media files. You will need to pay for more storage if you want to use iCloud for backup or transfer purposes. Other cloud services may also have similar limitations or fees.

Moreover, using cloud services requires a stable internet connection, which may not be available everywhere or may consume your cellular data plan. Also, uploading and downloading large files may take longer than transferring them directly to an external hard drive.

Question: How can I export media from iPhone directly to external drive using a computer?

Answer: If you have a computer (Windows or Mac), you can use it as an intermediary device to export media from iPhone directly to external drive using a USB cable. Here are the general steps:

1. Connect your iPhone and your external hard drive to your computer using USB cables.
2. Unlock your iPhone and trust your computer if prompted.
3. On Windows, open File Explorer and locate your iPhone under This PC. On Mac, open Finder and locate your iPhone under Locations.
4. Open your iPhone’s internal storage and find the DCIM folder, which contains all your photos and videos.
5. Copy or drag the files that you want to export from your iPhone to the external hard drive.
6. Eject your iPhone and your external hard drive safely from your computer.

Conclusion

Exporting media from iPhone directly to external drive is not as straightforward as it is with Android phones, but it is not impossible either. You can use a wireless hard drive and a third-party app to transfer your photos and videos from your iPhone to the external drive without using a computer. Alternatively, you can use a computer as an intermediary device to export media from iPhone directly to external drive using a USB cable.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to export media from iPhone directly to external drive easily and effectively. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment below.