Thumb drive, lightning, no spyware app

[Fsiwtfrr]

I’ve been attempting to locate a thumb drive to use with a lightning port, no app needed. Over the last year or so I’ve seen several posts about drives with apps where they are literally observed stealing data from the devices to which they were attached. One guy disabled cellular data, did a sampling with a port sniffer on his router for 2 hours, then connected a thumb drive to the phone, installed that app, and tried to use it to copy his photos. The copy progress from device to thumb was very slow but the data flow, externally, was high, as if the drive was sending more data to a remote site than it was copying. I bought a lightning flash device that allegedly didnt need an app but it’s not recognized as a device. Does anyone know of a thumb drive that will work with ios without an app? I’m going to be out in the wilderness for a bit and I want to be able to back up data as needed if I’m not back at the camp site, just in case I drop/destroy/lose my phone. I dont want all of my data stolen so I really want just a simple device that works ok and is recognized as a storage device.

 

[Rod]

Like the SanDisk iXpand range I can't imagine it would work unless there was device specific software either on the thumb drive or on the iPhone to enable file transfer. Some sort of file manager app so the iPhone could "see" the drive.

 

[Slydude]

@Rod I just purchased such a drive a few days ago but it's USB C, I have seen such drives with lightning connectors. I have one like that but I haven't used it in a while. The drives that don't rely on third-party software seem to use the Files app to handle "seeing" the drive and transferring data.

I was planning to post an Amazon link to the drive but it doesn't seem to be available at the moment.

 

[Raz0rEdge]

This article says that you can use the Files app on iPhone to talk to a USB drive or SD card plugged into the lightening port.

Connect external storage devices to iPhone

On iPhone, use files stored on USB storage devices and SD cards.

support.apple.com

You don't need any special app or anything, just an adapter to go from lightening to USB to plug in ANY USB drive.

You can go with a long adapter

https://a.co/d/j4McFEK

Or, you can go with a short adapter

https://a.co/d/9yfC4Hi

Or, you can go with an adapter that gives you the ability to charge the device simultaneously

https://a.co/d/1qafTUc

Search more with the keywords "lightening to USB female"

 

[Rod]

Ahh, I wondered about the Files app. I've never used one of those external drives although I've seen plenty with multiple connectors, Lightening and USB-C combinations. Perhaps the one the OP is referring to, "I bought a lightning flash device that allegedly didnt need an app but it’s not recognized as a device." can be added in the Files app?

 

[Fsiwtfrr]

This article says that you can use the Files app on iPhone to talk to a USB drive or SD card plugged into the lightening port.

Connect external storage devices to iPhone

On iPhone, use files stored on USB storage devices and SD cards.

support.apple.com

You don't need any special app or anything, just an adapter to go from lightening to USB to plug in ANY USB drive.

You can go with a long adapter

https://a.co/d/j4McFEK

Or, you can go with a short adapter

https://a.co/d/9yfC4Hi

Or, you can go with an adapter that gives you the ability to charge the device simultaneously

https://a.co/d/1qafTUc

Search more with the keywords "lightening to USB female"

THANK YOU VERY MUCH!

 

[newbutter]

Hi! Here are my 2 cents. For iOS devices, you might want to consider using a "lightning to USB adapter." It allows you to connect regular USB thumb drives to your iPhone or iPad without the need for any additional apps.

 

[Rod]

Hi! Here are my 2 cents. For iOS devices, you might want to consider using a "lightning to USB adapter." It allows you to connect regular USB thumb drives to your iPhone or iPad without the need for any additional apps.

I was so enamoured by this idea I ordered a lightning to USB adapter online to try. Certainly cheaper that the SanDisk iXpand. I'll let you all know how it works as soon as it arrives.

 

[Rod]

Just reporting back. I received my iP male to USB female adaptor, plugged in a USB "thumb" drive and it works like a charm. Drive is visible in Files app, I can copy photos or documents to or from the USB drive using the Share option.

I can see this as being a handy way to save copies of data such as passwords/photos or legal documents for storage in a secure location like a home safe.

I'm sure others can think of more uses.