How to copy photos from your phone to a flash drive | Rich on Tech, by KTLA 5 on YouTube. 3 min 3 s.
- Video length
- 3 min 3 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Plug the flash drive into your phone using an adapter or cable that matches your phone's port. If your drive has a USB-C or Lightning connector, plug it in directly.
On iPhone, open the Files app and check that the drive appears under Locations or Browse. On Android, open your file manager and look for the drive in the storage list.
If the drive does not show up, unplug it and try again, or use a different adapter. Some drives need to be formatted first, which erases them.
On iPhone, open Photos, tap Select, and choose the photos you want to copy. Tap the share icon and choose Save to Files.
Pick the flash drive as the destination and tap Save. The photos are copied to the drive.
On Android, open the Photos or Gallery app, select your photos, tap Share or the menu, and choose your file manager or Save to drive.
Choose the flash drive as the target folder and confirm the copy. Wait until the transfer finishes before unplugging.
Open the drive on the phone and check that the photos are there. Then eject or safely remove the drive before pulling it out.
Tips and common mistakes
Copy a few photos first to confirm the drive works before moving a large batch.
Keep the drive plugged in until the transfer completes, or files may be corrupted.
Format the drive to exFAT if you want it to work with both iPhone and Android.
A powered external hard drive may need extra power and will not work on every phone.
Questions
Do I need the cloud to back up my photos?
No. Copying to a flash drive keeps a local backup without any cloud subscription. You can also copy the drive to a computer for a second copy.
Why does my phone not see the flash drive?
The adapter may not fit or support your phone, or the drive may be in a format the phone cannot read. Try another adapter or format the drive to exFAT.
Will copying photos delete them from my phone?
No. Copying leaves the originals on your phone. Delete them only after you confirm the copies are on the drive.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
