How to transfer files to an iPhone?

How to transfer files to an iPhone?

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Discussion

Mars

Original Poster:

9,108 posts

221 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
In another thread I asked whether there are any reasons why I shouldn't use an old iPhone SE for a file store for a Sonos system. In principle, it seems like a good idea but I may have found a reason why not.

Every other USB device on the planet announces itself to Windows and then opens itself up as a file store into which you can paste your files. Well, this iPhone does announce itself but will not allow me to paste anything into its "internal storage" location. It did allow me to delete some old photos, so I know the connection is sound although it would not allow me to delete the folders where these photos resided.

Any ideas? Do I HAVE to use iTunes?.. because if I do, I just won't, the phone will go in the bin, and I'll move on with the Raspberry PI NAS idea.

It would be a shame - the phone has over 50GB of useful storage remaining - enough for my mother.

TIA.

parabolica

6,807 posts

191 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
iCloud.com on your laptop
Log in with the Apple ID used on your phone
Move desired file into “Drive”
Desired file should sync to your phone instantly

ETA there did used to be an option somewhere for when you plugged a iPhone into a computer it would be recognised as a standard storage device - no idea if that’s still the case.

Edited by parabolica on Sunday 3rd March 18:48

NumBMW

840 posts

136 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
Can you use the files app maybe?
I recall downloading a song from somewhere online and found it in files and might have played it from there.
If it works, then if SONOS can find it there is another matter I guess.


Mars

Original Poster:

9,108 posts

221 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
So, the suggestion to use iCloud is the only one I've managed to make work so far (thanks) but the interface will only allow me to upload files, and not folders, so I have to go into each folder and select the album's-worth of files, and upload those.

Then I have to use the Files app (which is positively hateful) on the phone to move them from iCloud to the local storage.

Apple couldn't have made it more difficult.

Thanks anyway. I'll keep going until I lose my patience... it's a competition to see if I can fill-up the phone before I give-up.


Somebody

1,317 posts

90 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
How much storage do you need? Dropbox offers 2GB free and enables syncing of folders between your desktop and iphone.

essayer

9,629 posts

201 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
As a transfer mechanism Dropbox can definitely copy files to Files. I just tried a directory and it didn’t let me do it though. And local sync appears to have become a paid for option - if Sonos can play from that?

Mars

Original Poster:

9,108 posts

221 months

Sunday 3rd March
quotequote all
It's working. iCloud allows for me to load it up with 5GB at a time which "clears" when you delete the deleted files.

The iPhone had about 50GB free. I've got more music than that but some of it won't be my mother's taste so this forces me to be a little selective.

Thanks all.

droopsnoot

12,667 posts

249 months

Monday 4th March
quotequote all
That frustrated me as well, when I got my second-hand iPhone. I couldn't believe I couldn't just drag and drop photos or PDF files onto it. I ended up creating a new gmail address just for the phone, and now I email stuff to myself when I need it.

My frustration with iCloud is that I've just had an email saying I'm running out of space, and that's because I've obviously set it to backup pictures, and it's stored every single photo that's ever been on the phone, mine and seemingly every one that's appeared in FB, Insta, Whatsapp etc.

Mars

Original Poster:

9,108 posts

221 months

Monday 4th March
quotequote all
Despite my dislike of the restrictive nature of Apple software, I can't deny they make attractive devices and I wondered why there wasn't an industry of people repurposing their out of support hardware with alternative software.

This little iPhone SE is actually a lovely piece of hardware in the style of the older iPhones with the aluminium edging. It has sat in its original box in the garage for around 3 years, unwanted and unloved. Now that it's charged, and loaded-up with music, I can park it in a corner of my mother's house, permanently attached to a charger, and it'll consume very little energy as it serves as her Sonos library.

Although it's only a 64GB version, it's really plenty enough for that purpose, and now that I understand how to navigate the iCloud, I can push music to it from my home so that when I next visit my mother, it's ready and waiting for me to copy to the local storage to add to her Sonos library.

Separately, I am looking into the NAS software on Raspberry Pi.

Thanks again.