Today I want to show you how you can easily back up all your Procreate files to an external hard drive without using desktop computer, Wi-Fi or cloud storage. Backing up your work regularly is so important. Hands up if you’ve ever accidentally deleted something from Procreate, never to see it again!? I always recommend backing up your work in two separate places.
Why just backing up to the cloud isn’t enough
Somewhere in the cloud is good for accessibility but don’t forget that “the cloud” is simply another word for “someone else’s computer!”
You don’t own those servers and you also need to have Wi-Fi to be able to connect to them. So I always backup my files in a second physical location for security. If you’re relying on your illustrations for your future income, then you want to protect that, right?! Another thing to note with cloud storage is that most free plans don’t give you much space. Unless you’re prepared to pay an ongoing subscription you’ll just want to keep a few recent files in the cloud. Us artists love big files and we cannot lie! But the fact is if you want to store all those big files in the cloud (someone else’s computer) it’s going to cost you!
What if you don’t have a computer?
Backing up to your computer hard drive is one option if it’s big enough. But what if you don’t have a computer?
Well; did you know that it’s really easy to connect an external hard drive to your iPad Pro? You’ll get yourself access to multiple terabytes of storage to use for storing all your old Procreate files! This means you don’t have to worry about running out of storage space on your iPad Pro any more. Your files can always be backed up safely and you don’t have to pay for extra cloud storage! Definitely worth the one time outlay to get yourself an external hard drive!
Keep reading for the step by step instructions or watch the video at the end of the article.
What equipment do I need to connect and External Hard Drive to my iPad Pro?
Right of the bat I want to say that I’m just showing you the method I use for my iPad Pro. ie. I’ve tested it, I use it myself and I know that it works! Older iPad Pros or regular iPad Pros might also be able to connect to an external hard drive with an apple camera or USB adapter, but I don’t want to tell you to go spend money on something without it being a thing I do myself!
OK, so with that said, first of all you’re going to need to check your iPad Pro’s specs. If your iPad Proc uses a USB-C port for charging then you’re good to go. (My iPad Pro is a 12.9” M1 2021 model)
You’re than going to need an external hard drive. I use a WD Elements 4TB Portable External Hard Drive. (Affiliate link) I have 2 of these babies now. I’ve had my first one since 2019 and it’s still going strong! (The second one lives in a different location as a backup to my backup!) You can choose different capacities from 500GB up to 5TB. I’d recommend going for the max amount of storage you can afford as it’s cheaper in the long run to get one big drive than several smaller ones as they inevitably fill up.
What cable do I need to connect and External Hard Drive to my iPad Pro?
The next thing you’re going to need is the correct able to connect your hard drive to your iPad Pro. You won’t be able to use the cable that comes with the hard drive. You need a USB Micro B cable to USB C cable to connect them. The one that I use is a PAXO 0.5m Nylon USB C-MICRO USB 3.1 (USB 3.0) Hard Drive Cable. (Also an affiliate link!) Again, I have 2 of these. I’ve been using them since 2021 when I upgraded to an iMac with (unhelpfully!) no old USB ports in it. I couldn’t connect my external hard drives to my new computer until I got these cables! But I would never have thought of plugging them right into my iPad if I hadn’t! So those are the 2 bits of kit that I use.
Always double check that any equipment you buy will be compatible with your iPad and any external hard drive you want to connect it to.
So now, all you need to do is connect your hard drive to your iPad Pro. You can open the Files app and check that it’s mounted successfully.
How to safely remove an External Hard Drive from your iPad Pro
Incidentally, if you use a computer and are used to unmounting a disk from your computer before unplugging it, just know that there isn’t a way to do this on an iPad Pro. As long as you aren’t actively transferring data at the time, it is OK to just unplug it. If you want to be extra safe you can lock your iPad Pro’s screen, wait a few seconds until the disk goes quiet and then unplug.
How to back up your Procreate Files to the External Hard Drive
So to back up your files from Procreate, first of all, you need to select them from the gallery. If you’re doing this for the first time and have a whole stack of files, I’d just do a few at a time to ease the load on your system. It’s up to you what format to back up with. I use PSD as I use Photoshop for processing all my files after I’ve made them in Procreate, but if you only ever use Procreate, you could just as well use the Procreate format.
Then you want to Save to Files, find your external hard drive under Locations and then either choose an existing folder or set up a new one called something like Procreate Backups, tap Save and you’re done!
Now all your Procreate files can easily be backed up safely to your external hard drive!
How to open a Procreate file from your External Hard Drive
To open a file from your hard drive, you’ll need to go to Import, find your external hard drive, navigate to the file you want and open it. It’s as easy as that!
Don’t forget to backup your Procreate files regularly!
It’s a good idea to get into the habit of backing up a piece as soon as you’ve finished it. That way you’ll never accidentally delete and lose something again!
I hope you have found this post useful. If you want to see more weekly tips like this for Procreate, illustration or surface pattern design, then please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. You can also find a more in depth set of classes over on Skillshare where I’m a Top Teacher. Find out more about my Skillshare classes here.
Have fun, stay creative, and I will see you next time!
