This iPad crash happens frequently, but there are different solutions.
Apple has developed iPadOS in such a way that it is already capable of reading external storage units, such as pen drives or hard drives. That does not prevent it from having some malfunctions, depending on the model or version of the operating system. To the point of having to Fix if iPad doesn’t recognize a USB stick or hard drive.
How to connect a pendrive or disk to the iPad
First of all, you should know how an external drive should be connected and the necessary requirements, to avoid possible errors. What your iPad needs for the storage of a pendrive or a hard disk is a USB with connector for Lightning or USB-C, although the most common is to use an adapter to connect these types of devices. Therefore, there are two ways to use a pendrive or hard drive on the iPad:
- If your iPad has a Lightning port, you will need to connect the external drive with the Apple adapter from Lightning to USB 3 connector for cameras. It has a Lightning socket to charge the device while you use a pendrive or a hard disk, thus avoiding a very common error such as the message “This accessory requires too much power“.
- If you opt for a USB adapter, in case you have a 2018 iPad Pro, there are two options to choose from. You can choose the adapter USB-C to USB or USB-C to Digital AV. Although there are several options for each case, the Satechi adapter has both connectors on the same device.
When you have the corresponding connector in your possession, it is as easy as plugging the external drive into your iPad and opening the iPadOS Files app to manage that storage device. In the sidebar of the interface you will see the name of it to be able to access its files.
Keep in mind that all this entails its compatibility, since the iPad does not support any type of external storage. For hard drives, they must have a exFAT32 format so that it can work with the iPad, since it is the only one capable of recognizing said device.
How to fix the failure of the pendrive or the hard disk with the iPad
Once you are clear about how to connect an external drive to the iPad and the aspects to take into account, that is when different problems can appear. It is clear that it is not your mistake when connecting it, so all eyes go to the component devices in the process.
Force restart iPad
The first thing you can try is reboot the device. Although you see it as a very basic solution, you should have no doubts about doing it. Some function or app may be running wrong on the system, making it difficult for different processes to be active. Therefore, a reboot of the device stops all processes and resets physical components such as the processor or RAM.
What you are going to do is force restart the iPad. To do this, press and quickly release the button “turn up the volume“, press and quickly release the” button.lower volume“and then press and hold the top button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button. This process is valid for models of the iPad Pro 2018 onwards.
Format the pendrive or hard drive
As we have mentioned before, an important aspect is the compatibility of these external drives, both the pendrive and the hard disk. However, in the second device there are usually more problems because there are several formats. If when connecting the disk with the iPad it does not appear in the Files app, it means that it has not recognized it because it has a different format.
To solve this, you will have to use your PC to connect the hard drive and format it. Either on a Mac or a Windows PC, locate the external hard drive, select it and with the mouse right click. When a menu opens, click on the option “Format“and another window will appear, where in file systems you will have NTFS or FAT32 selected. Change to exFAT format and click on “To accept“.
When the process is complete, the hard drive should already be recognized on the iPad. If you have problems with the pendrive, you can also try to format it to exFAT, although it is less frequent.
Check the connection port and cable
Finally, more remote but possible is the review of the components. This step includes both the cable that connects both devices and the connection port of the iPad. Both elements may be in poor condition or have some kind of defect, so it is important to clarify if the origin of the problem is this.
To check that the adapter cable or hard drive cable is OK, try connect them to another device, such as a computer. If they don’t work there either, they have a defect; if they are fully operational, then the fault may come from the receiver. Then, you will need to change that part of the iPad, either in a specialized store or through Apple technical support.
Related topics: Tutorials
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