How to Use an External Storage Device With an iPhone or iPad

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Over time, Apple has gradually made it easier to use external storage with an iPhone or iPad, giving you more options when it comes to transferring files to and from your Apple device. As of iOS 18 and iPadOS 18, you can format external drives too, reducing your reliance on a computer even further.

Most storage options that work with your computer will work with your iDevice as well, including USB hubs and memory cards. As per Apple's guidelines, storage devices must have a single partition and be formatted as APFS, APFS (encrypted), macOS Extended (HFS+), exFAT (FAT64), FAT32, or FAT.

Choosing the right drive

You can format new drives from your iPhone or iPad. Credit: Lifehacker

It's not difficult to find an external drive that'll work with your iPhone or iPad, because the vast majority of options out there should work, from little flash drives to larger hard disks that use the old mechanical platters rather than the newer SSD tech. Any external storage you can use with your computer should also work with Apple's devices.

That said, it's a good idea to double-check product listings before buying. Some external storage drives are built specifically for iPhone and iPad use, while others might not be suitable for whatever reason. Note that you'll need a connection type to match your iPhone (Lightning or USB-C), or an adapter cable.

It's also worth checking if the external storage requires an additional power cable, as some larger and higher capacity drives will. This doesn't mean you can't use it with your iPhone or iPad, but it's something to consider: The setup isn't quite as convenient if you need an extra power lead, but it does mean the drive won't be sipping battery power from your Apple device while it's being used.

Obviously the key spec you're looking at with these drives is storage capacity: It's a good idea to get more than you think you'll need, just in case, within the limits of your budget. Tiny USB sticks are the easiest for portability and won't need another cable, but they're also usually more expensive than larger portable USB drives.

Here are a few recommendations to get you started (you can get these drives in multiple configurations, but the largest available capacity is mentioned here):

Kingston XS2000 4TB: Tiny and tough, and with support for the latest USB 3.2 speeds. It has a small rubber sleeve to add water resistance and shock-proofing ($270)

Seagate Portable External HDD 5TB: Not as fast as the latest SSD tech, but fast enough for most people, very affordable, and easy on the eye in terms of design. ($110)

Samsung USB-C Flash Drive 512GB: Compact and speedy (with USB 3.2 support), this plugs straight into your iDevice, though the capacities don't go as high. ($50)

Formatting drives and managing files

Long press on files and folders to bring up file management options. Credit: Lifehacker

When you've purchased your drive—or found one lying around you can use—you can plug it right into your iPhone or iPad to get started. There's no need to use a computer for formatting anymore, though if it's an older drive you've used before, it's a good idea to check if there's anything important on it before wiping it.

The Files app built into iOS and iPadOS is best for managing the external device. Tap Browse, and you should see the external storage drive listed alongside internal storage and iCloud storage: Tap and hold on the drive name to see information about it and to rename it, if needed.

Tap and hold on the drive and pick Erase to wipe and format the device. You get a choice of formats—APFS (the Apple File System) is best for Apple devices—and then you can tap Erase again to wipe the drive. Confirm your choice on the pop-up dialog, and the external storage is wiped.

File operations in Files are pretty straightforward. Tap and hold on a file or folder to see a list of options pop up, including Copy and Move—choose Copy, and you can then tap and hold and choose Paste on your external drive. Choose Move, and a new window appears inviting you to choose a destination. To handle multiple files at once, tap the three dots (top right), then Select, and once you've made your selection, you can tap and hold on it again to bring up the file operations.

Tap and hold on a blank part of a folder inside your external storage to create folders for organizing files, and tap and hold on files or folders to delete or rename them. All the usual Files features apply to your external drive: Tap the three dots (top right) to change how files and folders are displayed, and in what order, for example. There's no specific eject feature for external storage on the iPhone or iPad—just make sure you're not moving data to or from the drive when you disconnect it.

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How to Use Fabric Gift Wrap (and Why You Should)

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I absolutely love presents. Giving them, getting them, even wrapping presents is something I get pumped about. Yes, I’m the weirdo in the family that creases the corners to get those sharp perfect edges. And maybe I judge the wrapping of others, but that’s besides the point—all that is changing this year. I’m jumping on the sustainable fabric gift wrap train, and I hope you’ll join me for the ride.

What’s the point of fabric gift wrap?

Fabric gift wrap is not a new thing. It’s been used for centuries in other countries, like Japan where it’s called furoshiki, Korea where it’s called bojagi, as well as in India, Turkey, and across multiple African countries and cultures. It’s so widely used I wonder why it’s not more of a popular practice in America. Using paper gift wrap can be attractive, I agree. But I have a lifetime’s worth of memories of a massive trash bag of paper wrap after every Christmas and at every child’s birthday party. It is, truly, so much waste. Additionally, as if you needed a reminder this holiday season, nice wrapping paper is inordinately expensive. 

Why not pay for some beautiful and sustainable wrap, that can be easier on the environment and save you and your family money in the long run? Even if you only use it for half of your presents, that’s a big difference. 

Bee's Wrap Reusable Organic Cotton Fabric Wrapping Paper

$23.99 at Amazon

$29.99 Save $6.00

$23.99 at Amazon

$29.99 Save $6.00

I got a set of four recently from Bee’s Wrap and fell head over heels simply on the pattern and feel. The fabric is a 100% cotton square (this set comes with two small squares, one medium, and one large), with bright patterns, and a finished, stitched edge. The fabric can be used over and over again, it’s washable, and can even be ironed if it gets wildly creased. 

How to wrap presents with fabric

There’s a whole lane of artistry you can go down with using fabric wrap. You can add pleats, multiple wraps that overlap, or beautiful knots. I’ll be honest here; I haven’t tried to get fancy with it. I put a box diagonally on the square and tie the opposite ends.

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Then with the other two flaps I tie a loose knot. Even though I'm definitely doing it the lazy way, it looks great!

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

If you have oddly shaped gifts you can take a look at this website or this one. Both have easy wrapping methods and solutions. Almost any gift can be wrapped beautifully with fabric. 

The only real difficulty is in wrapping extra-large presents. Most of these cotton squares won’t fit. You might end up using paper for those, or if you’re committing to fabric, use a flat sheet from a bedding set. 

Fabric gift wrap is great for everyone

If you, like my brothers, hate wrapping presents because it’s fussy and always turns out messed up, fabric gift wrap is for you. If you, like my stepfather, hate collecting everyone’s tossed, crumpled up paper balls and odd shreds of tape and ribbons, fabric gift wrap is for you. And if you, like myself, would never give up the suspense and joy of unveiling a present’s mysterious content, fabric gift wrap is for you. I can’t think of a significant downside, really. No more paper cuts, and no more running out of tape.

Fabric gift wrap actually makes a great gift, as well. It might seem weird to give sustainable gift wrap as the gift, but I’d be pretty stoked about it. I gave two people presents that were wrapped in the Bee's Wrap fabric recently, and they were both nearly more excited by the wrapping than the present itself. Once you get your whole family up to speed on fabric wrap you can even exchange wrapping with the gifts, knowing you’ll use theirs and vice versa, circulating different colors and patterns throughout the years.

Multiple vendors sell fabric gift wrap now, too, so you can explore gorgeous patterns and prints for all occasions. Happy gifting, all.

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Use Your Thanksgiving Leftovers to Make These Stuffed Mushrooms

Thanksgiving leftovers are perfect. That said, I’m aware that after a couple of days, you might grow weary of them. So instead of setting up a plate that imitates Thanksgiving, have a little fun: Use your leftover Thanksgiving dinner to make stuffed mushrooms. 

I’m a sucker for these snackable morsels. The humble de-stemmed mushroom cap is the perfect shallow vessel to hold anything savory. When roasted, white button or cremini mushrooms become juicy containers, bursting with concentrated umami. On a regular day, I’ll pack mushrooms with a sausage and cream cheese mixture. But the days after Thanksgiving present an unusually delicious opportunity. If the filling is anything related to carbs, cheese, or meat, the mushroom base seems to magnify those flavors—and this is exactly where the outcast scraps of your leftovers will shine. 

What can you use for stuffing?

At the risk of sounding too optimistic: anything. Anything that made it to the Thanksgiving table is eligible to get chopped up and smooshed into a mushroom cap. I used leftover stuffing (the name says it’ll work), chopped turkey, and mashed potatoes. Superb. You could use mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy, or Brussels sprouts—a combination of unlikely partners, or a single item with a bit of cheese. The post-Thanksgiving fridge is your oyster.

How to make stuffed mushrooms from leftovers

1. Set up your raw mushroom caps

Pop out the stems of medium to large button or cremini mushrooms, you can do this easily by wiggling the stem. Chop up the stems for the filling, or save them for another use.

2. Oil the fungi

Dribble a teaspoon or so of cooking oil into your palms and rub the caps to coat the outsides in oil. Line them up on a plate (to transfer to the air fryer), or on a foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the caps with salt.

3. Make the stuffing

If you’re using leftovers that are already mushy or in small bits, like mac and cheese, stuffing, peas, or corn pudding, there’s no need to chop it—just add it to a bowl. If you have roasted veggies or turkey you want to use, then chop it up into small pieces. Combine the components in a bowl and mix them thoroughly. You want the filling to hold together at least a little. This is easy if you add a spoonful of stuffing or mashed potatoes to the mix. If you don’t have those, you can add an egg or cream cheese and a spoonful of bread crumbs. 

4. Fill the mushrooms

Scoop spoonfuls of the mixture into the mushroom caps. Pack it down and heap it on top. Repeat with all of the filling or until you’ve filled all the caps. 

Even these teeny mushroom caps still held stuffing, mashed potatoes and a bit of cheese. Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

5. Cook ‘em

Air fry the mushrooms at 325°F for 10 minutes; you can also bake them in a conventional oven at 375°F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until you see mushroom juices pooling at the bottoms. 

Serve the stuffed mushrooms after they’ve had a few minutes to cool. These small bites packed with big umami energy will bring you a small reminder of Thanksgiving while bringing an entirely new vibe to our plate. Enjoy them as an appetizer or a full meal if you pair them with a salad and some bread. 

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