APPLE SKILLS iOS/iPadOS software
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Tap and hold
If you tap and hold on a file or folder, you will see a menu
with additional file management features. You can delete or
rename files, move them to another folder or location, and
even merge files into a PDF.1
Plug and play
Current iPad Pro models have a standard USB-C port, so
you can connect any USB drive or SD card reader that also
has USB-C. Not all USB drives will work though, as some
drives may require more power than the iPad can provide.HOW TO Transfer iPad files to an external device
1
On location
The Locations list
shows all the places
that you can store
files – including our
USB memory stick.2
Folder features
Just tap the Folder
icon to create and
name a new folder,
and then move files
between folders.iPad
OS46 | MACFORMAT | DECEMBER 2019 macformat.com @macformatUse a USB drive
with your iPad
It’s been a long time coming, but we can
finally pop an iPad file onto a USB stick!
IT WILL TAKE
10 minutesYOU WILL LEARN
How to connect a USB
drive to your iPad, and
use the new Files appYOU’LL NEED
An iPad with iPadOS
or iPhone with iOS 13,
and USB drive with
USB-C or Lightning
connectorBetter late than never, as the
saying goes. Apple has always
tried to keep the iPhone and
iPad hidden behind a digital
wall, preventing the sharing or transferring
of files via external devices such as USB
drives and memory sticks.
However, the new iPadOS has opened up
the iPad at long last, enabling you to connect
external USB storage devices or SD memory
card readers to your iPad – just like a
conventional laptop or desktop computer.
This feature is primarily intended for use
with iPad Pro models that have a USB-C port,
but it also works with iPhone and other iPad
models that use the Apple-only Lightning
connector. The new Files app in iPadOS and
iOS 13 has also been updated, adding many
features for file management. So here’s a
quick guide to using your iPad (or iPhone)
with an external USB drive. Cliff Joseph