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Level 1

9 points

Can I use a thumb drive on an iPad Pro?

im looking to get a 12.9 iPad pro with 128 gig memory. Also getting the keyboard and usb loghning adapter. My question is this: can I use a thumb drive with this to transfer files around?

FOr example: I start a word document on a desktop, save to thumb drive and then want to continue working on it with the iPad Pro. Can I transfer the file to the iPad to edit, resave said file, and then go back to the desktop with it?

Could I also transfer other files around with this set up?

i need mobility and stationary solutions and was looking to use this for small, on the go stuff, then an iMac for the intensive stuff.

Would my idea work out? Thank you for your time and help.

Posted on Jul 25, 2016 12:41 AM

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130lbsrock

Level 1

38 points

Posted on Mar 2, 2017 12:49 PM

This does not solve the problem that the iPad cannot accept files from colleagues that are already on a flash drive. This happens often that when I arrive in a meeting, my colleagues will give me a flash drive with files needed for the discussion, but I have no way of viewing these files. This greatly limits an iPad-pro as a laptop replacement as it cannot freely exchange files using one of the most common means of exchanging files between computers. Apple needs to fix this problem.

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25 replies

Jweeks123 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 25, 2016 2:37 AM in response to MichelPM

Thank you for the heads up.

So, what you're telling me is that what I want to do is possible, although I can't do it with a standard thumb drive. However, any wireless drive would work? What about the hard drive I have connected to my AirPort Extreme? Would that work out? Thank you.

Jul 25, 2016 3:30 AM in response to Jweeks123

GGiven everything you said, why not just use online sources as this is exactly what they are best for. With Apple you have your free 5GB of iCloud storage which will work great to keep Pages, Numbers etc documents sync'd across all you Apple devices. With MS Office there is one drive or iCloud to do the same thing. Or use dropbix, box.net or whatever else online storage you have.

Using thumb drives to keep files synchronized across platforms using the same apps seems very inefficient.

Jweeks123 Author

Level 1

9 points

Jul 25, 2016 3:30 AM in response to Michael Black

I Honestly just don't like relying on those services alone. I like having hard copies in hand. Weird I know, but I generally keep 3-5 backups at any given time.

THat, and I have well exceeded my 5 free gigs for iCloud, looking at an upgrade though.

But, what you're saying is my theory is indeed feasible?

MichelPM

Level 10

80,968 points

Jul 25, 2016 4:50 AM in response to Jweeks123

Jweeks123 wrote:

Thank you for the heads up.

So, what you're telling me is that what I want to do is possible, although I can't do it with a standard thumb drive. However, any wireless drive would work? What about the hard drive I have connected to my AirPort Extreme? Would that work out? Thank you.

No.

Both Seagate and Western digital make Wifi portable hard drives for iOS that, like one of the Sandisk WiFi flash drive links I sent to you, have their own local, built-in WiFi hotspot that you need to connect to to, actually, accessed that drive via Wifi with the use of an additional free app that you must download to be able to access and move around all of the different types of data on the drive and, in most cases, data on these types of drive for iOS must be organised into folders that the drive app recognises, like a folder for documents, photos/images, video, movies, books, etc.

A wireless hard drive that merely only receives WiFi signals will not work.

The hard drive needs to be able to send out its own WiFi signal that you pair your iPad to to be able to gain local access to the drive.

Your best and easiest method to transport/share data is to just purchase and use one or more of one of those new SanDisk iXpand flash drives that will directly connect to your iPad's lightning connector as shown in the webpages for this drive.

This made for iDevices and iOS, iXpand flash drive will work much faster without using any wireless WiFii connection at all.

It will still need a free SanDisk companion app to access the drive and you still may need to organise the data on that drive for the SanDisk iXpand app to be able to see/access/move all of the stored data around.

Good Luck!

Jun 12, 2017 7:28 PM in response to Jweeks123

Although I love my 9.7 Pro, I have to admit it has severe limitations when it comes to non wifi interoperability. IOS even lacks Bluetooth file transfer capabilities, sadly.