How to Get a Flash Drive to Work on an iPad Without Jailbreaking

Use a flash drive to move photos.
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Although Apple's iPad does not have a full-sized USB port, it's nevertheless possible to connect a USB flash drive to an iPad using the Camera Connection Kit. The process requires a drive formatted according to the FAT32 format -- and it's limited to just the transfer of photos.

  • Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit

1 Reformat the Flash Drive to FAT32

2 Insert the flash drive into your computer

Insert the flash drive into your computer.

3 Hover your mouse pointer

Hover your mouse pointer over the top right or bottom right of your screen, or swipe in from the right, and click "Search" from the Charms bar. Type "This PC" and click this search result.

4 Locate the flash drive

Locate the flash drive, then right-click it and choose the "Format" menu option. Choose "FAT32" within the "File System" option.

5 Click Start to format the drive

Click "Start" to format the drive.

6 Create a DCIM Folder and Put Photos In

7 Open the flash drive in Windows Explorer

Open the flash drive in Windows Explorer, then right-click any blank space in the flash drive's folder and select "New Folder."

8 Right click the folder

Right-click the folder and select "Rename." Name it "DCIM" and click "Enter" to save the name.

9 Locate any photos

Locate any photos you want to get onto your iPad from your flash drive and drag those into the DCIM folder on the flash drive.

10 Import Files from Flash Drive to iPad

11 Insert your USB flash drive

Insert your USB flash drive into the Apple iPad Camera Connection Kit.

12 Insert the Camera Connection Kit into the Apple iPad

Insert the Camera Connection Kit into the Apple iPad.

13 Wait for a few seconds

Wait for a few seconds until the photos on your flash drive appear on your iPad in the Photos app.

  • Properly eject the flash drive from the computer before pulling it out by right-clicking it in "This PC" and clicking "Eject."
  • Getting the flash drive to work with your iPad requires that photos are the only files in the DCIM folder. Do not attempt to get documents, for example, onto an iPad by putting them in the DCIM folder of your flash drive.

George Tinari has been writing about technology for more than five years on websites such as IntoMobile, Neowin, TUAW and more. He is a college student who is enthusiastic about all things tech.

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