ThePhotoStick Mobile User Guide iPhone

For ThePhotoStick® Mobile for iPhone devices purchased after August 31, 2020, please see the user guide for the ThePhotoStick Mobile NEW app.

Rather watch a video of installing and using ThePhotoStick Mobile app? Click here.

ThePhotoStick Mobile App works with the ThePhotoStick Mobile USB to easily back up images and videos of your life's precious memories and free up space on your iPhone or iPad. The easy-to-use app will find, organize, back up and then safely remove files to free up valuable storage space on your iPhone or iPad device.

System Requirements:

Requires iOS 11.3 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.

Installing ThePhotoStickApp:

1. Download the free ThePhotoStick Mobile app from the App Store.

2. Install ThePhotoStick Mobile app.

3. Once the install completes, tap “Open” to start the app.

4. ThePhotoStick app will ask for permission to be able to send notifications to you. Tap "Allow" when prompted. NOTE: This will only prompt you the first time you use the app.

5. You will now be at the main screen:

Starting ThePhotoStickApp:

After you have installed ThePhotoStick Mobile App from the App Store, insert the ThePhotoStick Mobile USB device into your iPhone or iPad and launch the app (if you have not already done so) by tapping on the ThePhotoStick app shortcut.

Using ThePhotoStickApp:

Getting to know ThePhotoStick Mobile App Interface

1) Takes you to the backup options: “Backup All” or “Select to Backup”

2) Displays files that are currently on your ThePhotoStick Mobile USB device

3) Takes you to the restore options: “Restore All” or “Select to Restore”

4) Displays instructions on how to empty the Recently Deleted Album on iOS devices

5) Used to unmount and remove ThePhotoStick Mobile USB device

Backing up Photos and Videos

1. If the TPS Mobile USB stick is not plugged into your iPhone or iPad, do it now.

2. From the main app screen, tap “Backup Files Now!”

3. From the backup menu, chose either “Backup All” or “Select to Backup”.

1) Tapping “Backup All” will immediately begin a backup of all your photos and videos from your Camera Roll on your iPhone or iPad.

2) Tapping “Select to Backup” will bring you to another screen where you can select specific photos and videos to back up to your TPS Mobile USB device.

Important Note: The first time you run a backup, you will be prompted to allow ThePhotoStick app access to read your photos and videos. TPS Mobile needs permission to access your photos and media so it can save and restore them. Tap "OK" when prompted. If you don’t allow these permissions, the app will not run properly and won’t be able to backup and restore your photos and videos. You also may need to go back to the main menu and back into “Backup Files Now!” if your photos and videos do not appear. This will only happen the first time running the app and won’t be an issue in the future.

4. If you choose “Select to Backup,” you will be taken to the screen where you can select the photos and videos to back up:

1) If you want to hide all the photos in the picture list so it is easier to find just videos to back up, tap this button to uncheck it. Conversely, to show photos that can be backed up, ensure this button is checked.

2) If you want to hide all the videos in the picture list so it is easier to find just photos to back up, tap this button to uncheck it. Conversely, to show videos that can be backed up, ensure this button is checked.

3) Main picture gallery showing all photos and videos that can be selected to back up.

4) Tapping this button will select all currently displayed photos and/or videos in the main picture gallery.

5) Tapping this button will deselect all currently displayed photos and/or videos in the main picture gallery.

6) Tapping this button will start the backup of all selected photos and/or videos.

5. Selected photos and videos will have a green check mark on the thumbnail image indicating they are selected to be backed up:

6. Once a backup begins, you will be taken to the running backup screen where you can monitor the progress of the backup:

1) Progress bar indicating the percentage complete of the backup.

2) Displays the current photos or video being backed up.

3) Cancels the currently running backup.

7. Once the backup completes or is canceled by the user, you will see the backup summary status screen:

1) Displays the number of photos and/or videos that were successfully backed up

2) Tap this button to view photos and/or videos on your TPS Mobile USB stick. We highly recommend doing this at this stage to ensure that all the photos and videos you backed up are on the TPS Mobile device.

3) Remove photos and videos from your iPhone or iPad that were just backed up. **

4) Go back to the main menu.

** iPhones and iPads do not permanently remove photos and videos after deleting them. To immediately free up space on your iPhone or iPad, go to Photos, then Albums, then choose the “Recently Deleted” album. Delete the photos and videos in this album to free up space that the deleted photos/videos are using.

8. If you tap the “Remove Backed up files from phone” button, you will be prompted to be sure you want to remove those photos and/or videos from your iPhone or iPad. If you are sure, tap “OK”

9. You will be asked to confirm again if you want to remove those photos and/or videos by the iOS. If you are sure, tap “Delete.”

10. Tap “Close” on the removal confirmation pop-up message when removal is complete.

Note: iPhones and iPads do not permanently remove photos and videos after deleting them. To immediately free up space on your iPhone or iPad, go to Photos, then Albums, then choose the “Recently Deleted” album. Delete the photos and videos in this album to free up space that the deleted photos/videos are using. This is not a required step and only needed if you need to free up space immediately on your iPhone or iPad.

Viewing Files That Are On Your ThePhotoStick Mobile USB Device

The below steps explain how to view photos and videos from ThePhotoStick Mobile app on your iPhone or iPad. You can also view the photos and videos on your ThePhotoStick Mobile USB device by plugging it into your computer and using the ThePhotoStick Organizer software included on your ThePhotoStick Mobile USB device.

1. If the TPS Mobile USB stick is not plugged into your iPhone or iPad, do it now.

2. From the main app screen, tap “View Files on ThePhotoStick.”

3. Choose where you want to see the Photos or Videos currently stored on your ThePhotoStick USB device.

4. View the photos or videos on your ThePhotoStick USB device.

Restoring Photos and Videos

1. If the TPS Mobile USB stick is not plugged into your iPhone or iPad, do it now.
2. From the main app screen, tap “Restore Files”

3. From the restore menu, chose either “Restore All” or “Select to Restore.”

1) Tapping “Restore All” will immediately begin to copy all of the photos and videos on the TPS Mobile USB device to your iPhone or iPad.

2) Tapping “Select to Restore” will bring you to another screen where you can select specific photos and videos to restore to your iPhone or iPad.

4. If you choose “Select to Restore,” you will be taken to the screen where you can select the photos and videos to be restored to your iPhone or iPad:

1) If you want to hide all the photos in the picture list so it is easier to find just videos to restore, tap this button to uncheck it. Conversely, to show photos that can be restored, ensure this button is checked.

2) If you want to hide all the videos in the picture list so it is easier to find just photos to restore, tap this button to uncheck it. Conversely, to show videos that can be restored, ensure this button is checked.
Main picture gallery showing all photos and videos that can be selected to restore.

3) Tapping this button will select all currently displayed photos and/or videos in the main picture gallery.

4) Tapping this button will deselect all currently displayed photos and/or videos in the main picture gallery.

5) Tapping this button will start the restore of all selected photos and/or videos.

5. Selected photos and videos will have a green check mark on the thumbnail image indicating they are selected to be restored:

6. Once a restore begins, you will be taken to the running restore screen where you can monitor the progress of the restore:

1) Progress bar indicating the percentage complete of the restore.