Short answer
Connect the SSD to the iPad's USB-C port and confirm it appears under Locations in the Files app. In AmberTime, create a backup task with the Photo Library or a Files folder as the source and a folder on the SSD as the destination. The transfer runs on the iPad, and the task keeps a record so later runs copy only what is new.
What you need
- An iPad running iPadOS 17.6 or later.
- An SSD formatted APFS, exFAT, or FAT32. iPadOS does not mount NTFS or ext4 volumes.
- A USB-C cable on modern iPads. Lightning iPads need Apple's Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, preferably with power connected.
- A powered hub if the SSD is bus-powered and does not stay mounted under load.
What the iPad version does
AmberTime 1.2.0 added a native iPad layout rather than scaling up the iPhone screen. Backup tasks live in a sidebar, the selected task's drive and history fill the detail pane, and the app works in all four orientations.
- Keyboard shortcuts for the whole flow: ⌘N new task, ⇧⌘B start or stop a backup, ⌘R rescan, ⌘↑ / ⌘↓ to move between tasks.
- Split View and Slide Over are supported; narrow widths fall back to the compact tab layout.
- One universal app for iPhone and iPad, and the lifetime Pro unlock is tied to your Apple Account, so it applies on both.
Things to know
iPad local storage and iCloud Drive are blocked as destinations — the backup exists to put a second copy on physical storage you can unplug. If your library uses "Optimize iPad Storage", including iCloud-only originals means AmberTime must first fetch each full-resolution file from Apple, which needs network access.
Nothing is deleted from the iPad after a backup, and files are written as plain folders any computer can read later.