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Transfer photos from external drive to iPhone 11

I have a new iPhone 11 with iOS 13 and an external hard drive with 10,000 photos on it.

I want to transfer the photos from the HD to the iPhone/iCloud without using a computer.

I know that with iOS 13, a USB to Lightning adapter and powered USB hub files can now transferred.

My question is that having transferred the photos to a folder in "Files" how to I import them into Photos /iCloud?

Many thanks

iPhone XS Max, iOS 13

Posted on Jul 24, 2020 2:55 AM

Reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Posted on Jul 27, 2020 8:12 PM

Hi, derekfromcoleraine.


Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. We’re glad you decided to reach out about transferring your photos from the Files app to the Photos app on your iPhone without using a computer.


Try this:


  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone and navigate to the folder where the photos are stored.
  2. Tap Select in the top right.
  3. Tap Select All in the top left.
  4. Tap the Share icon on the bottom left.
  5. Tap Save # Images.


This should automatically start saving those images in Photos, and if you have iCloud Photos enabled, it will also begin uploading them to iCloud.


Note that this method will double the storage your photos are using in iCloud since they're currently being stored in Files (iCloud Drive) and you'll be uploading them to iCloud Photos. Once they're all uploaded to iCloud Photos, you can remove them from the Files app, but you may want to ensure you have the iCloud storage to accommodate this in the process.


All our best.


1 reply
Question marked as Top-ranking reply

Jul 27, 2020 8:12 PM in response to derekfromcoleraine

Hi, derekfromcoleraine.


Welcome to the Apple Support Communities. We’re glad you decided to reach out about transferring your photos from the Files app to the Photos app on your iPhone without using a computer.


Try this:


  1. Open the Files app on your iPhone and navigate to the folder where the photos are stored.
  2. Tap Select in the top right.
  3. Tap Select All in the top left.
  4. Tap the Share icon on the bottom left.
  5. Tap Save # Images.


This should automatically start saving those images in Photos, and if you have iCloud Photos enabled, it will also begin uploading them to iCloud.


Note that this method will double the storage your photos are using in iCloud since they're currently being stored in Files (iCloud Drive) and you'll be uploading them to iCloud Photos. Once they're all uploaded to iCloud Photos, you can remove them from the Files app, but you may want to ensure you have the iCloud storage to accommodate this in the process.


All our best.


Transfer photos from external drive to iPhone 11

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