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PLEASE HELP ME: Sending files between iOS device and PC?

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BeautifulWoman_1984

Contributor
Original poster
Sep 5, 2016
536
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Greetings Apple experts!

I just bought my first iOS device and it's truly amazing. I've only been using it for a short time and I didn't even need to read a manual!

I don't want to waste your time so I'll get to my question:

What's the safest and most secure way I can send files between my iOS device and my Windows 10 PC using a wired method and not using wireless?

Prior to this new iOS device I used to use a Blackberry and I could securely transfer files to it by copying files to the MicroSD card on my Windows 10 PC and then inserting that MicroSD card into the Blackberry and copying files off the MicroSD card from inside the Blackberry.

I know there are HDD products that can plug into an iOS device, but I don't want to do this.

I don't want to transfer my files using an app like Dropbox because I don't trust Dropbox...

Any help would be great!
 
Install a file manager app, such as Documents. And use iTunes, to load files into your device. This is the official way to send files from and to PC using wire.
But long story short, you cannot load files like what android or blackberry do, by using microSD card. The best you can do is transfer photos using PC without installing iTunes.
 
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I have always had problems getting files off an ios device to a Mac, let alone a Windows machine.

Maybe use an app such as Instashare to simulate airdrop and pass files around? But if it's a work laptop and you can't install new apps, then you are sadly out of luck, it seems.
 
BeautifulWoman_1984 said:
Greetings Apple experts!

I just bought my first iOS device and it's truly amazing. I've only been using it for a short time and I didn't even need to read a manual!

I don't want to waste your time so I'll get to my question:

What's the safest and most secure way I can send files between my iOS device and my Windows 10 PC using a wired method and not using wireless?

Prior to this new iOS device I used to use a Blackberry and I could securely transfer files to it by copying files to the MicroSD card on my Windows 10 PC and then inserting that MicroSD card into the Blackberry and copying files off the MicroSD card from inside the Blackberry.

I know there are HDD products that can plug into an iOS device, but I don't want to do this.

I don't want to transfer my files using an app like Dropbox because I don't trust Dropbox...

Any help would be great!
Click to expand...

Why do you not trust DropBox? Been using it for years and it has always worked perfectly. Are you scared of hacking?
 
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Newtons Apple said:
Why do you not trust DropBox? Been using it for years and it has always worked perfectly. Are you scared of hacking?
Click to expand...
There might be concerns of stuff being, yeah as you say, stolen, as data uploaded to the Internet no longer belongs to you alone. Or some other reasons I have no way to know.
 
Shirasaki said:
There might be concerns of stuff being, yeah as you say, stolen, as data uploaded to the Internet no longer belongs to you alone. Or some other reasons I have no way to know.
Click to expand...

I agree that some fear things like this but today there is nothing that is absolutely safe. Even stuff stored on your phone is not safe.
 
Newtons Apple said:
I agree that some fear things like this but today there is nothing that is absolutely safe. Even stuff stored on your phone is not safe.
Click to expand...
As long as the device is connected to the Internet, stuff stored at anywhere is not safe.
Anyway, I am open for such quite a lot. I use OneDrive heavily.
 
Shirasaki said:
As long as the device is connected to the Internet, stuff stored at anywhere is not safe.
Anyway, I am open for such quite a lot. I use OneDrive heavily.
Click to expand...

I use DropBox for my company. I choose what folders my employees can look at. Being able to call up any of our contracts on any device on any platform is of great value to me. I do not think anyone would be interested in hacking my stuff except for my competition. Not so worry about that. Have a great day.
 
When you connect your iPad to your PC and open iTunes, click on apps and if you scroll down you'll see apps that allow you to drag and drop files. As mentioned above, "Documents" is about as good of a free file managers you'll find on iOS.
 
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Your replies are appreciated!

Is it possible for me to transfer files from my PC to iOS device without using a 3rd party app like Dropbox, iCloud, or Instashare?
 
Thanks, but I want to transfer the files by using a method that uses software the least amount like how I could transfer files using a microSD card on my Blackberry. I know I can't use a MicroSD card with my iOS device, but is there a way I can transfer the files in a simple method?
 
BeautifulWoman_1984 said:
Thanks, but I want to transfer the files by using a method that uses software the least amount like how I could transfer files using a microSD card on my Blackberry. I know I can't use a MicroSD card with my iOS device, but is there a way I can transfer the files in a simple method?
Click to expand...
I believe you can use a microSD card if you use an iOS device adapter for those.

iTunes I believe allows for some file transfers. Various other software as well, like some mentioned earlier in the thread.

Then there's using something like iCloud Drive. As far as "trust" goes, well at least in case of iCloud you are already using various parts of it to one degree or another by using an iOS device.
 
C DM said:
I believe you can use a microSD card if you use an iOS device adapter for those.

iTunes I believe allows for some file transfers. Various other software as well, like some mentioned earlier in the thread.

Then there's using something like iCloud Drive. As far as "trust" goes, well at least in case of iCloud you are already using various parts of it to one degree or another by using an iOS device.
Click to expand...

So using iTunes would be the most secure method?

I don't want to install another 3rd party app to transfer files.
 
Sorry to be posting again, but I just wanted to know if there was another forum section I could ask this for better help?
 
Long story short, without installing a third-party app there is no simple method to drag and drop files from your computer to your iPad.
If you ever decide to install a third-party app, I recommend Google Drive with 2-factor authentication enabled.
 
BeautifulWoman_1984 said:
Thanks! So how can I transfer files without installing a 3rd party app?
Click to expand...
unfortunately without an app to "contain" the files, there is no way to transfer anything to the iPhone. everything exists in so called silos and no app can see another app's data without asking you for permission, and then only in certain strict ways. you could install Pages, or Numbers, or Keynote if it's documents to transfer, or for media there's all kinds of player apps that you can install. if you're worried about security of the data turn off the app's cellular access, turn off wifi, and transfer using USB via iTunes. by the way, with a wire, you have no choice but to use iTunes to transfer unless you jailbreak which breaks the whole iPhone security model and then it becomes why did you bother getting an iPhone when you're better off with an android haha.
the point is this: You must use iTunes and a cable and transfer the files to be carried in to a digital vault app made for such a purpose if you don't use wireless.
There are apps which create a file server on the iPhone or iPad that you can use wirelessly within your LAN only, like https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/files-connect/id404324302?mt=8 and anything worth while will cost some small amount of money.
If you don't trust any third party to hold your files on your iPhone, then you're out of luck. The iPhone has no accessible filesystem.
 
joshjohnson said:
if you're worried about security of the data turn off the app's cellular access, turn off wifi, and transfer using USB via iTunes. by the way, with a wire, you have no choice but to use iTunes to transfer unless you jailbreak which breaks the whole iPhone security model and then it becomes why did you bother getting an iPhone when you're better off with an android haha.
the point is this: You must use iTunes and a cable and transfer the files to be carried in to a digital vault app made for such a purpose if you don't use wireless.
Click to expand...

This seems like the safest idea to transfer my files to my iOS device.
 
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