External Memory

Which version iPad Air model and what model SanDisk flash memory drive?

Also, you must use a full Mac or Windows PC computer to do the re-formatting of any external drive to use with iPad/iPhone/iOS/iPadOS.

My experiences have recommended that any external drive needing to be used with ANY Apple iPadOS device really needs to be formatted on an Apple Mac computer to ensure/insure correct operation.

If NO Mac computer, find and family member or friend that owns a Mac to possibly help you format this drive

OR

You need to search online for your nearest, “local” Apple store location and call contact phone numbers and call to make an appointment to ANY external drive you have properly format by Apple employees who have access to a Mac.

They will be glad to assist you.

In addition, the external drive needs to be formatted using a single data drive partition into one of these file/data formats below.

Apple Mac computer native drive formats - APFS ( Apple Proprietary File System ) OR Apple HFS+ ( Hierarchical File System+ )

Fat 32

exFAT

Apple Website external drive help links here below.

Tap the links below.

Connect external devices or servers with Files on iPad – Apple Support (UK)

Connect external storage devices to iPad - Apple Support

Good Luck to You!

Babowa lists one.

Here's another. Faster data transfer rates.

Here's another. Larger data storage capacities.

Here;’s another. Easier and faster local, external data access to ANY data when on the go and when NO or reliable celllular or WiFi connections/signals are present.

Many other reasons, as well.

Follow my instructions and the Apple Website links that I supplied

Best of Luck to You!

I have an iPad Air 4th generation so try start using iCloud+ instead of your external device.

why would you use an external disk anyways?

what iPadOS version do you have ,

for example:iPadOS 15.6

I can think of many ressons for using external flash memory drive local storage with iOS/iPadOS devices.

So can any of our regular contributors here.

I would not trust a nameless online server that can get hacked into with my precious files/info; I can control an external drive.