I'm trying to help my mom transfer photos from her new iPhone 17e, but she wants to do it using the USB-C port instead of iCloud. I've successfully managed this with my Samsung phone using an OTG (On The Go) USB cord. My question is, can I use a similar OTG USB-C cable with the iPhone 17e to make a flash drive show up as a drive? I've watched some videos that mention transferring photos directly to a flash drive using the Apple Photos app, but I'm running into issues because there are a lot of pictures to move. I also came across a Lexar flash drive designed for iPhones, but it's said to be incompatible with the new power system in the iPhone 17. Can anyone clarify if an OTG USB-C cable will work with the iPhone 17e? Are there better apps for transferring photos than the default iPhone Photos app? Is the USB-C port on iPhone 17 models causing additional problems?
2 Answers
You might also want to look into third-party transfer apps like PhotoSync or Image Capture! They can be much more efficient for large batches of photos than the built-in Photos app. Just connect your iPhone and follow the prompts. It’s sometimes less of a headache!
An OTG (On The Go) cable isn’t typically compatible with iPhones the same way it is with some Android devices. With iPhones, you can use a regular USB-C cable to connect a flash drive directly, but it won’t always show up as a drive. Some USB drives work fine, while others may need specific apps or setups. If you’re facing issues, ensure your flash drive is formatted correctly and check for any compatibility notes from the manufacturer. Also, using the Files app might help you navigate transferred files better than just relying on the Photos app!
That’s right! I had trouble too until I figured I just needed the correct format for my flash drive. It usually needs to be FAT32 or exFAT for compatibility with iPhones, so check that if you can.
Thanks for the suggestion! I’ll definitely check out PhotoSync. Sounds like it could save us a lot of time.