How to get extra storage for your iPhone

Over time, the available storage options on an iPhone have increased but for those in certain industries or with specific workflows, more is required. 

With Apple’s Lightning port, extending the storage of an iPhone has been more challenging than doing so with Android devices. Now that Apple has moved the iPhone from its proprietary Lightning connector to the USB-C, more options are available to those who require a larger amount of storage on a smartphone.

An iPhone with external storage creates new opportunities for creatives, especially those involved in data-intensive media production like photography or video. Also, lens development and the ability to capture high-resolution imagery has led to an exponential increase in the number of people that require additional storage. For example, a ProRaw image taken on an iPhone with a 12-megapixel (MP) sensor has a file size of approximately 25 megabytes (MB). On an iPhone with a 48 MP sensor, the file size increases to around 75 MB. Hence, external hard drives are now an integral part of the mobile ecosystem.

In this guide, we are going to take you through the different types of storage available and how to connect an iPhone to an external hard drive. External hard drives for iPhones solve the issues presented by data-intensive file formats and open up a world of opportunity for creative professionals. Here at Crucial, our aim is to provide high-quality external storage solutions  so you can create and save your best work.

An external hard drive is a storage device that allows you to save files permanently and is designed so that it can be disconnected, then taken wherever you need it to be. It is also more cost-effective on a per-gigabyte basis to use an external hard drive than purchasing an iPhone with a larger native storage capacity. External memory for your iPhone means you [PD1] will almost never run out of space. See our article What Is A Portable SSD for more information.

External hard drives come in two formats – SSDs and HDDs. The former is a newer technology, boasting both higher levels of performance and improved durability. Both can be used as external hard drives for iPhones, but most – understandably – now opt for the latest technology. 

When selecting the best external SSD for your iPhone, Crucial's X9 for Mac is a top contender. The Crucial X9 for Mac was specifically designed with Apple's ecosystem in mind, ensuring seamless compatibility with Mac interfaces like the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers. This makes it an excellent choice for users who need a versatile storage solution that works effortlessly across multiple Apple devices. The X9 for Mac offers impressive read speeds of up to 1050 MB/s, ideal for swiftly transferring large files like high-resolution photos and 4K videos. While the X9 is fully compatible with iPhones, including the latest iPhone 15, it doesn't cater specifically to the iPhone interface like the X9 for Mac, but instead focuses on broad compatibility within the multiple ecosystems. 

To put the storage capacity into perspective, consider the density of data storage: the Crucial X9 for Mac can store up to 4TB of data. This is equivalent to storing over 1 million high-resolution photos or approximately 500 full-length 4K movies. To visualize this further, imagine a group of teenagers, each with an average of 100GB of media and files on their phones. You would need 40 teenagers to fill up the capacity of the Crucial X9 for Mac. For most users, 1TB would probably be enough storage for your iPhone photos, videos, and backups. However, if you’d like to use an external SSD to back up multiple iPhones, edit big files, or save your whole movie library, you may want to consider buying more storage. With such high density and robust performance, the Crucial X9 for Mac offers an efficient and reliable storage solution for iPhone users looking to expand their device's capabilities.

With the Files app on iPhone, you can easily access and move data to an external hard drive. Depending on your current iPhone model, you may need an adapter. With the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro lineup, you will be able to use USB-C – a recent addition that will make using a portable SSD with a smartphone even easier. 

Now, it’s time for a breakdown of how to use external hard drives for iPhones.

Now that we’ve taken you through the process of how to use an external hard drive with your iPhone, it’s time to find the most suitable storage device. Discover more about our lineup of portable SSDs and how each one can benefit you today.