7 best flash drives for phone backups in 2025, according to experts
To celebrate World Backup Day, we're highlighting a few ways to keep your phone's data safe on an external device
When you think about the amount of information you store on your phone, chances are it’s worth backing up. That’s what World Backup Day is all about; it’s a reminder for all of us to keep tabs on the important data we have on our devices and ensure it’s safe - after all, accidents happen.
Cloud storage can be a great way to keep your important information safe in case something happens to your phone, but another method that many prefer over the cloud is physical external storage. Flash drives are great for storing your smartphone’s data thanks to their compact design, allowing you to take them anywhere you go to ensure you always back up the most important information on your device.
Whether you own an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy, or another type of smartphone, we’ve rounded up a list of the best flash drives for smartphones below.
Best flash drives for smartphone backups in 2025 list
SanDisk Phone Drive
Kingston DataTraveler Max
Samsung Type-C USB 3.2 Flash Drive
Zike USB-C Magnetic Extended Storage
Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD
PNY Duo Link
Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200
SanDisk Phone Drive
The SanDisk Phone Drive is a flash drive specifically designed for smartphones. It comes with two different connectors: USB-C and Lightning, allowing you to switch between the two depending on the device you’re using to back up all of your information and see it/copy it on other devices. It’s compatible with SanDisk’s mobile app that allows you to automatically back up important data when you connect it to your phone, and everything can be encrypted and protected behind a password.
Storage capacities: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB
Price: $42.99 - $76.99
Kingston DataTraveler Max
If you want something fast for backing up your phone’s data, look no further. Kingston’s DataTraveler Max is one of the best USB-C drives on the market; it uses USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology to deliver read speeds of up to 1,000MB/s and write speeds up to 900MB/s. Those are wildly impressive numbers. Plus, you can connect it to any Android or iOS device and store the files, documents, and other information you value most. It’s backed by a five-year warranty, too.
Storage capacities: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Price: $37.99 - $119.99
Samsung Type-C USB 3.2 Flash Drive
The Samsung Type-C USB 3.2 Flash Drive is an ideal choice if you want something small that won’t get in the way. It uses Samsung NAND flash for quick storage speeds in an ultra-compact design. You can transfer 4GB files in as little as 11 seconds, according to the company, which is perfect for quickly backing up your smartphone’s data on the go. It’s waterproof, shockproof, temperature proof, and X-ray proof - plus, there’s a five-year warranty.
Storage capacities: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Price: $13.99 - $64.99
Zike USB-C Magnetic Extended Storage
Zike has built an eye-catching flash drive for your phone in the form of the Z791A USB-C Magnetic Extended Storage drive. The device slots right in the bottom of your iPhone or Android and is designed horizontally so it doesn’t stick way out. There’s a miniature display on the front that allows you to see how much room you have left on your drive, and there are magnets in the back so you can snap it to the back of a MagSafe-compatible phone or case. With its light weight and small size, it’s a great solution for backing up your phone’s important data.
Storage capacities: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
Price: $99.99 - $199.99
Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD
Another compact option is the Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD. With USB 3.2 Gen 2 technology, this storage solution for your phone isn’t just handy for backing up your important information. It comes with a unique design that can be mounted to your phone, which means you can always have it on you to “expand” the internal storage of your phone. It can also be used for recording Apple 4K ProRes video. Plus, it’s IP65 certified so it’s safe against accidental splashes.
Storage capacities: 1TB, 2TB
Price: $189.99 - $299.99
PNY Duo Link
If you want to quickly back up files from your phone and transfer them to your computer, the PNY Duo Link is a great tool for it. This USB 3.2 flash drive comes with both a USB-C connector for your phone and a USB-A connector to plug into a laptop or PC, allowing you to use one flash drive for all of your devices. It supports data speeds up to 200MB/s and comes with a compact design that’s perfect for pairing with your smartphone.
Storage capacities: 128GB, 256GB
Price: $25.99
Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200
For those among us who keep ultra-sensitive information on their phones, there’s the Kingston Ironkey Keypad 200 with USB-C. It’s certainly not as compact or sleek as other phone-friendly flash drives we’ve recommended, but it’s by far the most secure. It comes with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 security with XTS-AES 256-bit hardware encryption, which protects your data and means no one's getting access to it any time soon. All of it can be protected by a special PIN you input using the keypad on the drive itself, and it even supports multiple PINs if you really need to hide something. Plus, it comes with USB 3.2 Gen 1 data speeds.
Storage capacities: 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, 512GB
Price: $74.99 - $272.99
Max Buondonno is Editor at The Shortcut. He’s been reporting on the latest consumer technology since 2015, with his work featured on CNN Underscored, ZDNET, How-To Geek, XDA, TheStreet, and more. Follow him on X @LegendaryScoop and Instagram @LegendaryScoop.
