Buying guide for Best iPhone flash drives
Your most prized commodity isn’t actually a phone – it's the data on it, like all the selfies, contacts, videos, and more. A phone can only hold so much data, though. Using a cloud service is an option, but you'll never be done paying for it because you're only renting the space. With an iPhone flash drive, that memory belongs to you.
The best iPhone flash drives are durable and compact (but not so small that they’re easily lost) and USB 3.0. The app that interfaces with your iPhone flash drive should be intuitive, easy to learn, and include security measures so that others won't be able to access your data.
Key considerations
Non-volatile memory
Volatile memory needs an electrical charge to work. Think of your car – when your battery dies, your radio loses all the programmed stations. That's volatile memory. Flash drives use non-volatile memory, which keeps your data safe even without an electrical charge. There are two types of non-volatile memory used with an iPhone flash drive: a USB flash drive and an SD card.
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USB flash drive: The latest USB flash drives (3.0) are faster than SD cards. Typically, they hold more data (but not always) and are universal – you can plug them into any USB port. (Note: An iPhone flash drive will connect to your phone using a Lightning connector, the crucial part that makes it an iPhone flash drive. The USB connector is used to connect the flash drive to a computer or other device that has a USB port.)
- SD card: This is in devices like your camera and your phone. It holds data, but without it, your device won’t work. An iPhone flash drive that has a slot for an SD card makes it an effortless process to back up media that is on your camera. The SD slot isn’t needed on a flash drive, but it can make certain types of data transfer much easier.
Many iPhone memory storage options utilize flash drive technology with USB 3.0. This allows faster memory backup than other options on the market, which is something we consider.
Certain iPhone flash drives may come with additional SD card slots. This makes it easy to back up photos and connect to any device. We find added value in these products.
The exterior case of a flash drive can make or break how comfortable you are taking it on the go. We look for options that provide outstanding durability.
Most iPhone flash dives utilize apps to provide detailed transfer options. We weigh the pros and cons of each included app and how well it works for certain phones.
Many iPhone flash drives come with an adapter for multiple different generations of the iPhone. We check to see how versatile each product we consider is.
Certain flash drives may double as a charging cable. We assess how well each feature of a product works to see if it is truly worth your investment.
Some iPhone flash drives utilize dust covers or other safety features to ensure that the drive is always protected. We assess how well these additions provide durability.
iPhone flash drives come in a wide variety of different memory options. We research how big each option is and whether the additional memory is worth the added cost.
Most iPhone flash drives utilize some sort of protection in the event it is lost. We assess how well the privacy features work on each drive we evaluate.
One of the most important aspects of an iPhone flash drive is how quickly it can transfer files, which is something we consider with all of these products.
iPhone flash drive features
Even though an iPhone flash drive is a tiny gadget, there are many features it may or may not have. You’ll need to carefully weigh each one of these options to decide if it’s one you need or one you can do without.
USB 3.0
This is the third version of the Universal Serial Bus (USB) port. You would mainly want it for your iPhone flash drive because it transfers data ten times faster than USB 2.0. You can quickly tell if you have USB 3.0 because the inside of the connector is blue.
App
Your iPhone flash drive is only as good as the app that runs it. If it's intuitive and easy to use with one-tap controls, you'll be much happier than you would be if you had an awkwardly designed app that is complicated to learn.
Design
iPhone flash drives come in a number of aesthetically pleasing, futuristic designs. You should pick the one you like, but only if there are no design flaws. For instance, don’t forsake durability for a thin, sleek, and fragile device or choose a flash drive that’s so small it's easily lost.
Charging cable
Besides simply being a flash drive for your iPhone, some units double as a charging cable. Cable break easily, so this feature could be handy.
Durability
An iPhone flash drive is going to get tossed about, so it needs to be sturdy enough to withstand the rigors of being constantly carried around.
Dust cover or retractable connectors
The shield and contacts of USB and Lightning connectors need to be protected. iPhone flash drives do this in one of two ways. Retractable connectors slip inside the unit like a turtle's head and limbs into its shell. Dust covers work great, but they’re tiny and easily lost.
Multiple connectors
Some iPhone flash drives have several different connectors. While this may look cool, it's usually unnecessary. Typically a Lightning connector for your iPhone, a USB connector for your computer, and maybe a slot for an SD card are all you will need.
Memory
How much memory do you want? Is 32GB enough or do you need 128GB? When in doubt, it's usually wisest to spend a few extra dollars to have the additional memory.
Protection
If you misplace your iPhone flash drive, you'll want it protected so strangers can't get to your data. Password protection should be fine, but if you want to go the extra mile, some devices have touch ID that uses your fingerprint to gain access to the flash drive's contents.
SD slot
If you’ll be using your iPhone flash drive to back up data from your camera, having a slot for an SD card is a desirable feature.
Speed
Unless you’re filming directly to your iPhone flash drive or constantly moving exceptionally large files, a slightly slower speed will likely be little more than a minor inconvenience.
Wireless
If you want to bypass physical connections, there are a few wireless iPhone flash drives on the market. However, most of these are not as highly recommended as the wired models.
Did you know?
In order for your iPhone flash drive to function, you’ll first need to download and install the manufacturer's app so your phone can communicate with the flash drive.
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iPhone flash drive prices
The overall price range for iPhone flash drives extends from $10 to $60. Although there are some outliers, the price is most closely related to the amount of memory the flash drive has.
32GB flash drives cost about $15 to $25.
64GB flash drives cost about $25 to $40.
128GB flash drives cost about $40 to $60.
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Most apps give you the option to either back up your data to the flash drive or back up your data to the flash drive and delete it from your iPhone. Be careful not to accidentally delete both your original data and the backup copy.
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Connecting your iPhone flash drive
Although devices and apps differ, there is a basic connection process that is similar for all iPhone flash drives. The following are three simple steps that will get you up and running.
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Download the appropriate app to your iPhone. For instance, if you have a Kingston flash drive, you’ll need to download and install the Kingston Bolt app.
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Plug in your iPhone flash drive. Yes, it’s as easy as it sounds – just plug your flash drive into your iPhone.
- Launch the app. If the app isn't already running, you’ll get a prompt to launch the app. Familiarize yourself with how it works so you can start backing up your files.
FAQ
Q. When I plug my iPhone flash drive into my iPhone, I can't see everything. Is my flash drive not working properly?
A. Your flash drive is likely fine. iPhones are stingy with the data that you can see and back up. Mostly, it will be media files like photos, videos, and audio files. However, if you’re running the latest iOS, you might be able to back up a few other bits of data that you can find in the Files app. You also may be able to back up your contact data depending on the abilities of the app.
Q. My iPhone is out of memory. Is it possible to record a video directly to my iPhone flash drive?
A. That depends on if the data transfer rate is fast enough to keep up. If not, you’ll either have to get a faster iPhone flash drive or try shooting your video at a lower resolution. Taking pictures directly to your flash drive, however, shouldn’t be a problem.
Q. What about the photos I have on my social media accounts? Can they be backed up, too?
A. Again, it depends on the app. The photos on your social media accounts don’t have to be on your iPhone. By granting certain apps access to your social media accounts, they can back up the photos you may no longer have on your iPhone.
