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iPad Pro iOS 13: Import Media from External Hard Drive Directly into Apple Photos?
- Thread starter purdnost
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Nothing that you can do for direct transfer, at least from what I know. Best you can do is connecting the external drive via USB and moving photos to Files app first, then to Photos (this feature should be already implemented on iPadOS if not mistaking).
As a heads up, Files remains buggy and some posters have reported that at times not all files get transferred when moving a large number at a time so check your counts.
I tested this idea with some photos already in Files, and I’m not seeing any way to get media from Files into Photos. I’m trying to bypass having to use Photos for Mac because it chokes when it comes to importing large batches of photos and also when uploading to iCloud.
I could use AirDrop, but then I have to deal with duplicates.
I could use AirDrop, but then I have to deal with duplicates.
I think that with any version of FileBrowser, you first have to copy or move from Files to a FileBrowser folder and then from there to the Photos library.
To follow up on that, FileBrowser for Business is a one-time buy for $10.99 (standard version is$5.99). I recently upgraded to it from the standard version as the the Business version provides its own direct access to attached storage under iOSPad. Interestingly, it has the same issues as Files with large files (>4.3GB) on exFAT storage which means that it's on OS-level problem, not a Files app problem. But FileBrowser is easily one of my favorite apps for file management, SMB access to my local network, and access to cloud services (Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive, etc.).
Sorry if this is off topic but it got me to wondering... if we can’t import directly TO an external drive from the the photos app, Can we import photos directly FROM the photos app to an external drive? In other words can I move the photos on my iPad Pro directly to an external drive?
You can select in Photos and do a Share and then "Save to Files" and then select the external storage as destination. That does a copy, not a move, so you'd then have to delete the files from Photos.
Thank you for the reply! That’s awesome to know. I need to pick up an SSD for my photos. So I can just confirm it “copied” my pics and videos and then delete the originals from the photo app bypassing my MBP? That’s what I was hoping for...
again, sorry for going off topic. Or reverse topic. Lol
No problem. I just did that - Photos to SSD copy and then delete from Photos - with my 2018 12.9 iPad Pro and a 512GB Samsung T5 SSD.
