There are two ways to copy files from Picture Keeper to your iPhone or iPad. This can be helpful if you've lost photos on your phone, or if the files came from a different device, like a computer. Option 1 is the best and easiest way; Option 2 is quicker if you are already viewing files in the PK Drive section:
Option 1: Restore files
The Restore process is effectively the inverse of the Backup process, in that it copies files from the Picture Keeper to the device it's connected to. Just follow the steps below for help restoring files:
- Connect your Picture Keeper to your iPhone or iPad. Restore Files only appears while it's connected. The Pro SSD can only connect to an iPhone or iPad with a USB-C port. If yours has a Lightning port (older iPhones and iPads), Restore Files won't appear. Copy the files to a computer instead and move them to the phone from there (see Copy Files from Picture Keeper to Computer for Mac or Windows).
- Open the PK Connect app
- Tap Settings
at the bottom right:
- Tap Restore Files:
- Tap Got it! on the prompt:
-
Tap the checkmark to the left of a device or folder to select all files within that location, or tap the arrow to the right of a device or folder to enter the location and select specific files or folders:
-
Tap Start Restore at the bottom and wait for the restore to finish:
- Click this link or scroll to the bottom for help finding the files you restored.
Option 2: Save files while viewing
If you're already in the process of viewing your pictures within the app, you can save individual files back to your phone from the same screen. Just follow the steps below for help saving files:
- Find the files you'd like to save in the PK Drive
section, and tap Select at the top right:
- Tap to select each file you'd like to save to your phone (up to 50 files, and one video at a time; use Option 1 for more):
- Tap the share
button at the top right:
- You will briefly see that your files are preparing to be shared:
- Tap the Save Image(s) option to save the selected files to the Photos app on your iPhone:
Next: Finding photos saved from Picture Keeper
To locate specific files you saved from Picture Keeper to your iPhone or iPad, follow the steps below:
- Open the Photos app
- Tap the search
button at the top:
- Search 'PK Connect' and the results will display files that were saved from your Picture Keeper:
Restoring another device’s backup
The list you choose from holds every device that has backed up to this Picture Keeper, not only the one in your hand — so this is also how you move an old phone’s photos onto a new one. Pick the old device, then take all of it or open it and select what you want.
Two things to know before you start. Restored photos and videos go into your Photos library with their original dates rather than into an album of their own, so they land among the rest of your photos in date order. And the app attempts to skip photos and videos that are already on your iPhone or iPad, but some duplicates could remain. If you use iCloud Photos, let it finish downloading your library before you restore; anything that isn’t on the device yet gets restored, and iCloud then adds its own copy.
Restoring contacts
Only contacts the app actually backed up can be restored. On an iPhone or iPad the app asks for access to your contacts when it first backs up.
Open Settings, then Restore Files. Pick the device whose contacts you want, select the contacts, and start the restore. They are added straight into the Contacts app.
The app attempts to prevent duplicate contacts from being saved to your iPhone or iPad, but some duplicates could remain. To merge them, open the Contacts app: if it has found any, View Duplicates appears below My Card. Tap it, then tap Merge All, or tap each contact to review and merge it. Apple’s Get rid of duplicate contacts on iPhone has more.
If you need any additional assistance, please contact Picture Keeper support.