Remotely Connect iPhone 16 to External HD Which is Connected to MacBook Pro

Question

Level 1

18 points

Remotely Connect iPhone 16 to External HD Which is Connected to MacBook Pro

I'd like to be able to jump on my iPhone 16 and remotely connect not just to my MacBook Pro (which we can all do via the Files app), but also to an external hard drive which is connected to and powered by my MacBook Pro.

To be clear, the iPhone and MacBook and external HD will not all be on the same Network. So in light of this, is it possible?! How?! Would this require a third party app like FileBrowser Pro? Can the SMB protocol handle this?

Thanks, y’all.

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 15.6

Posted on Aug 22, 2025 6:26 AM

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Answer 1

kaz-k

Level 9

51,384 points

Aug 22, 2025 7:24 AM in response to Michael XVI

Hi,

To connect an iPhone to an external hard drive on a MacBook Pro, first, share the drive from the Mac using File Sharing in Settings > General > Sharing.Then, on your iPhone, ensure you are on the same Wi-Fi network and open the Files app, tapping Browse, to access the external hard drive under the "Locations" section.

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Answer 2

Aug 22, 2025 7:30 PM in response to Michael XVI

You need a site for those files that is accessible from the internet.

There are ways you can make a computer on a home network accessible, but it comes with some headaches, and is not so simple. It involves opening ports on your Router and setting up port forwarding.

How many files are we talking about?

The obvious solution for a modest number of files is to use a computer that is already accessible from the internet, like your iCloud.

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Answer 3

Michael XVI Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 26, 2025 5:09 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

There’s no way to SSH in to an External HD? I guess if I were to go to the trouble of renting server space somewhere to host my files I might as well stick with my Cloud accounts. Thank you for the suggestion. Much appreciated.

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Answer 4

Michael XVI Author

Level 1

18 points

Aug 22, 2025 6:22 PM in response to kaz-k

It’s easy to connect the iPhone to the external HD if the devices are all on the same network. I’m looking for a solution when I’m remote, not on my home wi-fi. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

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