NAS public beta

How to back up iPhone photos directly to a NAS

AmberTime 1.1.3 can back up original photos, videos, Live Photos, and selected Files folders from an iPhone to a NAS over your local network. NAS destinations are currently a public beta, and we are looking for real-world compatibility reports.

Quick answer

Yes. Connect your NAS or SMB share in the iOS Files app, create a backup task in AmberTime, and choose a writable folder on that share as the destination. The backup runs on the iPhone without a Mac. Files move over your local network to storage you control and are not uploaded to AmberTime servers.

Public-beta note: NAS behavior depends on the NAS model, SMB configuration, Files provider, Wi-Fi, and iOS. Use a small test task first and verify the copied files before starting a large library.

Why back up an iPhone Photo Library to a NAS?

A NAS can give every device at home a shared archive without connecting an SSD to the iPhone for every run. It is useful when the NAS is already your central storage for family photos, creator footage, or a second copy managed by your own backup system.

AmberTime is not turning that NAS into AmberTime cloud storage. It uses the location that iOS exposes through Files and writes regular backup files to the selected share. Your NAS account, disks, redundancy, snapshots, and off-site strategy remain under your control.

What you need

  • An iPhone running iOS 17.6 or later.
  • AmberTime 1.1.3 or later.
  • A NAS share that appears in the iOS Files app, typically over SMB.
  • An account with permission to create folders and write files to the chosen share.
  • A stable local Wi-Fi network. Keep the NAS awake during the test.
  • Enough free space for the selected photos, videos, and Live Photo resources.

How to back up iPhone photos to a NAS

  1. Connect the NAS in the Files app

    Open Files → Browse, tap the menu button, and choose Connect to Server. Enter the server address supplied by your NAS, such as an smb:// address, then sign in. Open the exact shared folder you plan to use and confirm that Files can create or copy a test file there.

  2. Create an AmberTime backup task

    Open AmberTime and add a source. Choose Photo Library for photos, videos, and Live Photos, or choose a custom folder for footage and documents exposed through Files. You can back up the full library, selected albums, or a date range.

  3. Select a folder on the NAS

    Tap Select destination. In the Files picker, open the connected NAS and choose a specific writable shared folder rather than the top level of the server. AmberTime will identify it as a NAS destination and show a public-beta notice.

  4. Start with a small test

    For the first run, use a small album or date range if possible. Keep AmberTime active, the iPhone on reliable Wi-Fi, and the NAS awake. Network-share performance can be lower and less predictable than a directly attached SSD.

  5. Verify the result on the NAS

    Open several backed-up photos and videos from another device. For Live Photos, confirm that both the image and motion resource are present. Do not delete anything from the iPhone based only on a completed message; verify your archive and keep another copy of irreplaceable data.

  6. Run the same task again for incremental backup

    After the first successful run, AmberTime keeps a local record for that task. Later runs compare the source with that record and transfer only items not already backed up by the task.

What the NAS backup preserves

The NAS destination uses the same streaming backup pipeline as an external drive. AmberTime writes the original PhotoKit resources where iOS makes them available, without adding a compression or format-conversion step.

  • Photos and videos in their available original resources.
  • Live Photos as paired resources, usually HEIC plus MOV.
  • Capture timestamps and embedded EXIF/GPS metadata where iOS exposes them.
  • Large files through a 4 MB streaming pipeline rather than loading the whole file into memory.
  • Incremental task history so completed items can be skipped on later runs.

Does a NAS backup stay private?

Files travel from your iPhone to your NAS over your own local network. AmberTime does not provide an account, does not host a cloud, and does not upload your files to AmberTime servers.

Two network cases still matter. First, the iPhone-to-NAS transfer itself uses your local network. Second, if Optimize iPhone Storage leaves an original only in iCloud and you choose to include it, iOS must download that full-resolution original from Apple before AmberTime can write it to the NAS.

Public-beta limitations

Directly attached USB storage remains the more predictable choice for very large first backups. During the NAS public beta, plan for these differences:

  • Compatibility varies by NAS firmware, SMB settings, user permissions, and the provider shown in Files.
  • Wi-Fi changes, NAS sleep, server restarts, and Files reconnection prompts can interrupt access.
  • iOS background time is limited. Keep AmberTime in the foreground for the most reliable large test.
  • Reported capacity may be unavailable for some network shares, so monitor free space on the NAS.
  • Transfer speed depends on the iPhone, access point, interference, NAS disks, and concurrent NAS activity.

If a run stops, reconnect the share in Files and run the same task again. Completed items remain recorded; items that did not complete can be retried.

If the NAS does not appear or the backup stops

  1. Open the share in Files before returning to AmberTime.
  2. Confirm the iPhone and NAS are on the same reachable local network.
  3. Check that the NAS is awake and that the account has write permission.
  4. Select a shared folder inside the server, not only the server root.
  5. Try creating a small file in that folder from Files.
  6. If Files asks you to reconnect, sign in again and reselect the destination if necessary.

Help test iPhone-to-NAS backup

Have a Synology, QNAP, TrueNAS, Unraid, OpenMediaVault, router-attached drive, or another Files-compatible NAS? Run a small backup and tell us what happened. Useful real-device reports are eligible for a complimentary AmberTime Pro code while the beta allocation is available.

Please include:

  • NAS brand and model, plus firmware or OS version if known.
  • iPhone model and iOS version.
  • How the share was connected in Files, such as SMB.
  • Approximate photo count and whether videos or Live Photos were included.
  • Whether the backup completed, stopped, slowed down, or required reconnection.
  • A screenshot or exact error message, with private server details removed.

Email your NAS test report

Pro codes are limited, subject to App Store availability and eligibility, and intended for useful public-beta compatibility reports. Please never send your NAS password, public IP address, or private file contents.

FAQ

Do I need a Mac?

No. Files connects the iPhone to the network share, and AmberTime runs the backup on the iPhone.

Does AmberTime require a Synology or QNAP package?

No brand-specific AmberTime server package is required. The public beta writes through a network location available in the iOS Files app.

Can I back up only one album or one year?

Yes. A Photo Library task can cover the full library, selected albums, or a date range. Starting with a smaller scope is recommended for beta testing.

Is NAS backup a replacement for another backup?

No single copy should be the only home for irreplaceable photos. A NAS can be one destination, but snapshots, redundant disks, and an off-site copy solve different risks.