How do I connect an external drive with an iPad?

You need to purchase the genuine Apple Lightning to USB-C adapter and plug that adapter into power using your iPad charge cable and Apple power/charging block!

https://www.apple.com/shop/product/MK0W2/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter?fnode=37

You need to purchase this exact Apple adapter.

Cheaper ( cheap in price and quality ) third party adapters WILL NOT WORK!!!!

With older Lightning connector iPads, you need this adapter as it has a power connection to power both the iPad and to connect a commonplace USB flash memory drive or portable SSD drive.

Without the additional power to thr iPad, USB flash drives and portable SSD drives will NOT work with older iPads with the Lightning connector.

The Lightning connector alone cannot convey the necessary power requirements needed for normal USB style flash memory drives.

There are lots of YouTube videos that discuss and demonstrate this.

Except, as is suggested in the comments on Fjordstrøm, the power connector only allows the ipad to be simultaneously charged, which in its turn only allows a slightly higher output to a memory stick so it will work. If you would connect an external usb drive with platters, this power connector is insufficient. You would need a powered USB hub for that. They say this will also work with the smaller adapter.

Question for me is still: will directly connecting a lightning stick be possible? Apple seems to suggest yes. ATM sandisk for instance has such a stick, but this (still?) only works in combination with an app which seriously limits the use.

Hi,

This problem is directly linked to the iOS 13.1 version. I have an iPad Pro 10.5 and it got the iOS 13.1 straight away.

I tried to use two different USB sticks (one bought on the Apple website) as well as my audio interface I always used and I got the error message accessory requires too much power. I was using the lightening to USB adapter (not the powered one) from Apple.

I then bought the powered on (Camera adapter + Lightening) and faced the same issue.

I have an iPhone XR and decided to plugged the USB stick and it worked straight away. Now, the iPhone was running iOS 13.0.

Stupidly enough, I updated the iPhone to iOS 13.1 and ta da !!! It is no longer working. Accessory requires too much power ...

So it has nothing to do with the adapter, Apple or not Apple, powered or not powered.

Now I have two devices and none of them would take USB accessories so I can’t make music anymore.

Surely there will be an update soon because now it is not possible to use anything related to USB...

Purchase the genuine Apple adapter already!

This adapter WORKS!

Apple has NOT lied about ANYTHING!

Incorrect. The Lightning connector on the adapter provides power directly to the USB-attached accessory and the connected iDevice. If you use a high power supply (such as the Apple 30W) you’ll have adequate power to both fast-charge an iPad Pro and provide power for an attached HDD. In most cases, a 12W or 18W will be adequate.

Third-party storage devices that feature a Lightning connector are typically low-devices - that the Lightning bus can directly power.

I have an iPad Pro and flash drive is working fine - as mentioned below cheap 3rd party adapters are not going to work.

I'd like to know that too. If you look at Apple's video on iPadOS they seem to state you can just plug in a stick in a model which is not even pro. Fjordstrøm Travel & Tech has YT topics on this.

https://youtu.be/7Glc2mHLPRM?t=28

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6hhQ-irYkc

Flash drives don't work at all with iPadOS no matter what Apple says. I have a iPad Pro and bought both a small lighting to USB adapter and a 4 in 1 reader that has a lighting port to plug in and still added a flash drive and says not enough power. Apple is falsely advertising that this is an option. Shame on Apple!

Rants and complaints are NOT allowed here, in these Apple product user to user technical support community per the Terms of Use we all agree to when we all sign up[ here.

As long as you keep ranting and complaining, your posts are going get removed by the community content moderators.

Just get that genuine Apple adapter and stop your complaining.

That adapter works and their are plenty of YouTube videos that recommend that Apple adapter as it is the ONLY one, currently on the market, that works!

I guess you do not really want to use your external drives that badly with your iPad.

Do what you will.

No one here really cares.

Hey! I have an iPad Pro 2018 (USB-C), and bought the Apple adapter to USB-A to connect my HDD, but when I plug it in it doesn’t recognize it in the files app. It doesn’t give me any message neither.

Thank you in advance!

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You need a Lightning to USB3 Camera Adapter - Model A1619 (MK0W2ZM/A). This model allows you to simultaneously connect both an external storage device (via USB) and external power via a Lightning connector to your iThing.

You should avoid the original/cheaper Apple Lightning to USB Adapter - as this adapter model cannot provide sufficient power for the majority of external devices.

If you have a 2019 iPad Pro, these have a USB-C connector instead of a Lightning connector. These iPads require a powered USB hub or self-powered USB storage device.