iPad: Moving photos from All Albums

[Lisa in California]

Hi Spelk.  I will first see if I can copy a photo from the general photos area (which is beyond full and truly a mess) and place it into the files section. That would be my preferred choice.  If that doesn’t work, I will try your other suggestions.

We live in a somewhat rural part of California (moving here three years ago), and wildfires have become a concern.  We had to evacuate two summers ago (for a short time) and were prepared to evacuate last summer but the fire’s forward movement was stopped before orders were given.  I would like to get treasured photos stored electronically in case something happens in the future.

Thank you for your continued help, Spelk.  I will try your suggestion tonight and will advise if it worked (in case it helps others).   

[Biggles50]

When you either take an image with the iPad camera or import an image it goes into the LIBRARY in the inbuilt Photos app, this is not an Album it is simply a listing of all the images on your iPad

You can then put the image in as many Albums you want and it will appear in each Album.

Delete it in Library and it will be removed from all Albums.

As regards storing safely, if you enable iCloud and check appropriate boxes all your iPad will be backed up to the iCloud including the images, plus images of important documents.  If anything happens to your iPad you can buy a new one and restore all apps and data including the precious images of the photos to your new iPad.

As a backup, copying all your photos to a portable hard drive and having that stored in a secure and fire safe location will give an added layer of protection.

I have a detached garage and I store my backup hard drive there plus my Cousin has a digital copy of all our family records on another hard drive.

[Lisa in California]

Hi Biggles50.  I didn’t realize that I could use a portable hard drive with my iPad.  I will see if my iPad has that capability.

Thank you for explaining about the library and albums.

Our older son visited us last month and actually backed up my photos. I do understand a bit about iCloud but never thought to back up the photos; I thought it was done automatically. 

Thank you for explaining more things about iPads and for mentioning the portable hard drive.
—————-

Unfortunately, I inadvertently ended up trying to tackle two projects at the same time: electronically saving old photos and going through old, boxed up paperwork and treasured papers, documents, etc.  (I’m trying to clean out our extra room so that we can finally have a spare bedroom/office/craft area.  Three years after moving, we still have quite a few boxes in the room.)  I’ve been flitting between going through papers and old files and trying to figure out how to electronically store photos so that I can view them in one place. I think my problem with my iPad is “operator error”;    I never had any trouble understanding my old computers.  Thank you all again for your patience and helping.

PS  I want to store our most treasured paper items in one area so that they can be easily grabbed should we need to evacuate again. Hence the need to do both projects.

[Biggles50]

It depends upon the model.

It will probably need to be a solid state such as a large capacity memory stick.

I have an iPad Pro which has a USB C connection, my memory stick is a dual Sandisk 128Gb that has both a USB A (A is the flat rectangular type, the type B is the square one that you find plugs into a printer) & a USB C plug.

I literally have just transferred 300 images onto my iPad using mine.

Alternatively you can buy an Apple SD card adaptor and do the transfers using a high capacity SD card, this is what I used to use on my old lightning socket iPad

[Lisa in California]

…I literally have just transferred 300 images onto my iPad using mine…

I am so envious!   

Thank you for providing clear, concise details.  Even if I do buy a computer (my main obstacle is trying to find a suitable spot in our house for it) I will invest in memory sticks for my iPad and computer.  Our older son does not live near me or my brother, so his home would be a logical place to keep one set of memory sticks.  Thank you again for your suggestions.

[Spelk]

I have yet to find a way to use any USB memory or SD card with my mini iPad. Recognises the memory but says "this device uses too much power". Probably a way for Apple to get people to buy more expensive iPads.
May be a way to do it but just getting a Lightning to USB adaptor does not do it. Not looked hard to find a solution as I can easily just copy files to my desktop and them from there do whatever I want.
As regards not knowing where in your house you could put a computer - a laptop can be used anywhere and is easily carried away if you get driven out by a wildfire.

[Lisa in California]

I have yet to find a way to use any USB memory or SD card with my mini iPad. Recognises the memory but says "this device uses too much power". Probably a way for Apple to get people to buy more expensive iPads.

Thank you for the head’s up, Spelk.  That’s good to know.

May be a way to do it but just getting a Lightning to USB adaptor does not do it. Not looked hard to find a solution as I can easily just copy files to my desktop and them from there do whatever I want.
As regards not knowing where in your house you could put a computer - a laptop can be used anywhere and is easily carried away if you get driven out by a wildfire.

I hadn’t thought of using a laptop.    I will see if our older son can help me figure out the best one for my needs.

Unfortunately, I don’t care about electronics (a couple of months ago, I finally broke down and bought the most basic cell phone because my old phone finally semi-died - it was years old and the kind that you had to open to use.)     I think a tiny part of my lack of knowledge about electronics and iPads is due to lack of experience with the cell phones that most people use these days.

Thank you very much, Spelk, for suggesting a laptop and for your comments.


I will keep all comments in mind - everyone has brought up good points and suggestions that can be used when I buy a laptop. Thank you!  Lisa

[Biggles50]

I have yet to find a way to use any USB memory or SD card with my mini iPad. Recognises the memory but says "this device uses too much power". Probably a way for Apple to get people to buy more expensive iPads.
May be a way to do it but just getting a Lightning to USB adaptor does not do it. Not looked hard to find a solution as I can easily just copy files to my desktop and them from there do whatever I want.
As regards not knowing where in your house you could put a computer - a laptop can be used anywhere and is easily carried away if you get driven out by a wildfire.

Apple sell a Lightning to SD card adaptor, simply plug in the SD card into the adaptor and the adaptor into the iPad. 

This method worked for me when I had an iPad Mini.

USB memory sticks in an adaptor most certainly never worked.

[Biggles50]

I have yet to find a way to use any USB memory or SD card with my mini iPad. Recognises the memory but says "this device uses too much power". Probably a way for Apple to get people to buy more expensive iPads.

Thank you for the head’s up, Spelk.  That’s good to know.

May be a way to do it but just getting a Lightning to USB adaptor does not do it. Not looked hard to find a solution as I can easily just copy files to my desktop and them from there do whatever I want.
As regards not knowing where in your house you could put a computer - a laptop can be used anywhere and is easily carried away if you get driven out by a wildfire.

I hadn’t thought of using a laptop.    I will see if our older son can help me figure out the best one for my needs.

Unfortunately, I don’t care about electronics (a couple of months ago, I finally broke down and bought the most basic cell phone because my old phone finally semi-died - it was years old and the kind that you had to open to use.)     I think a tiny part of my lack of knowledge about electronics and iPads is due to lack of experience with the cell phones that most people use these days.

Thank you very much, Spelk, for suggesting a laptop and for your comments.


I will keep all comments in mind - everyone has brought up good points and suggestions that can be used when I buy a laptop. Thank you!  Lisa

Rather than a Windows Laptop an Apple Macbook Laptop would serve you better.

You are used to an iPad, well an Apple Laptop has a very similar operating system.

Or simply buy an large screen high storage capacity iPad Pro, that is what I am using myself most if the time, mine has 512Gb storage plus the USB memory stick I quoted in a prior post gives extra storage and I have just order another with 256Gb of capacity at a low price of just £16, and its a Sandisk so a good make.