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Your iPhone and iPad can do much more than you might realize. The iOS operating system is already great at doing most things you need, but the entire app ecosystem on iOS takes the devices to another level. There are several examples where an app turns your iOS device into something remarkable, and in this article today, we're going to see how you can turn your iPhone and iPad into a portable drive that you can use to transfer files off your PC or Mac computers.
Instead of spending on expensive external thumb drives or hard disks, you can utilize the storage on your iOS devices to store and carry your files around. All you need is a Free app from the App Store called Documents. It boasts an incredible set of features and has everything you need to work with files on your iPhone and iPad.
Here's how to use your iPhone and iPad as a portable drive to backup and save files from your Mac or PC
Option 1: Use iPhone/iPad as a Wireless Portable Drive
When connected to the same Wi-Fi network, your iPhone and iPad can work as wireless portable drives for your Mac or PC. Here's how!
- Download Documents for Free from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad device you want to use as a portable drive.
- Launch the app and tap the orange "+" button at the bottom right, then tap the 'Connect to Computer' option. You will see a four-digit code.
- On your PC or Mac, go to https://docstransfer.com in your browser window and enter the four-digit code from your iPhone when prompted.
- Your devices are now wirelessly connected, and you can transfer files between them securely and instantly.
- You can use the blue 'Upload Files' button to copy files to your handy new portable drive on your iPhone and iPad.
Option 2: Use iPhone/iPad as a USB Portable Drive
If a Wi-Fi network is unavailable or does not seem to work, fret not. You can still use Documents to turn your iPhone and iPad into a portable drive using USB tethering. You can instantly copy files to and from your Mac or PC over USB using the following steps:
- Download the Documents app on your iPhone or iPad device that you want to use as a portable drive.
- Connect your device to your PC or Mac using a compatible USB cable, then open https://docstransfer.com in any browser on your Mac or PC.
- On your iPhone and iPad, tap the orange "+" button, then tap 'Connect to Computer'.
- Type in the four-digit or tap the 'sign in with QR code' option to scan the QR code displayed on your computer.
- Your devices are now connected over USB.
- You can use the blue 'Upload Files' button to copy files to your handy new portable drive on your iPhone and iPad.
Troubleshooting:
If the wireless connection is not working
- Ensure that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Temporarily turn off any VPNs or Firewalls that are enabled on the devices.
- Check if you’re using the latest Documents app and web browser versions.
- Try clearing the cookies on your browser and restarting the app.
- Try restarting your browser without add-ons.
If a USB connection cannot be established
- Try connecting your devices with a different cable.
- Ensure that you’re using the correct USB port on your computer. Some PCs’ USB ports are disabled or do not function correctly. Try connecting to a USB port directly on the motherboard.
- Check if you can connect to your PC via IP address instead of the PIN code. This option can be found in Documents > Settings > WebDAV Server.
If the issue persists, please email us at rdsupport@readdle.com, and we’ll contact you to help.
This article shows how to transform your iPhone or iPad into a portable drive. Documents by Readdle has many other features that make it an essential app for these devices. With Documents, you can not only enjoy seamless file management and easy access to your important documents wherever you go but also benefit from a built-in VPN, a robust PDF editor, a feature-rich media player with extensive file format support, and much more!