DB LabsQuick Answer
To export iPhone photos to a NAS, open the Files app, tap Browse, then the three-dot menu, and choose Connect to Server. Enter smb://your-nas-ip with your NAS credentials. Once connected, open Photos, select photos, tap Share > Save to Files, and choose your NAS share. For automated backups, install the official vendor app — Synology Photos for Synology, QuMagie for QNAP, or UGOS Pro for UGREEN — which run continuous backups in the background.
What You Need
- A NAS device from Synology, QNAP, UGREEN, or similar.
- Both devices on the same Wi-Fi network (or VPN/remote access configured).
- NAS credentials (username and password with read/write permission).
- A shared folder on the NAS for photos (for example,
/photos/iphone-backup).
Step-by-Step Instructions
1 Find Your NAS IP Address
On your NAS dashboard (Synology DSM, QTS for QNAP, etc.), check Control Panel > Network for the IP. It's typically 192.168.x.x. You can also check your router's connected devices list. Make a note of this IP.
2 Open Files App on iPhone
Launch the Files app. Tap Browse at the bottom, then tap the three-dot menu icon in the upper right.
3 Connect to Server
Tap Connect to Server. Enter smb://192.168.x.x (replacing with your NAS IP). Tap Connect. Choose Registered User and enter your NAS username and password. Tap Next.
4 Choose Your Share
iOS lists available shared folders. Tap the photos folder you created. The NAS appears under Locations in the Files app from now on.
5 Export Photos to NAS
Open the Photos app. Tap Select, choose photos to export, then tap Share. Scroll down and tap Save to Files. Navigate to your NAS folder under Locations. Tap Save. The transfer runs in the background.
6 Set Up Automated Backup (Optional)
For continuous backups, install your NAS vendor's app: Synology Photos, QuMagie (QNAP), or UGOS Pro. Sign in with your NAS account and enable photo backup. The app uploads new photos automatically.
Why NAS Beats Cloud for Many Users
A NAS pays for itself in 1-2 years versus a 2 TB iCloud subscription ($9.99/month = $120/year). NAS storage scales to multi-terabyte arrays, runs locally for privacy, and is not subject to cloud provider price hikes or service shutdowns. The downside: hardware failure risk (mitigate with RAID), and no automatic offsite backup unless you configure one.
Before exporting, clean up your library to save NAS space. Swype Photo Cleaner helps you delete blurry shots, screenshots, and duplicates in minutes. For more backup options, see our guides on backing up without iCloud, SSD backup, and transferring to a computer.