Estimated
time: 15–30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy (beginner)
Audience:
Teens learning how to use Linux and safely copy files
What you'll do: Boot a computer from a Fedora live USB, plug in your phone, and copy the phone’s photos and files to a second USB stick (a simple, safe manual backup).
What you need
A computer that can boot from USB.
Two USB sticks:
USB A: a Fedora Live USB (the one you boot from).
USB B: an empty or spare USB (where you will copy the phone files).
A phone (Android is easiest for this guide).
A USB cable for your phone.
Optional: Wi‑Fi on the live session if you want to install extra tools.
Safety and privacy first
Only back up your own phone or a phone you have permission to copy.
Don’t overwrite important files on the backup USB by accident—make a new folder for the backup.
Keep the phone battery above 20% or plug it in while copying.
Quick overview
Prepare USB B (check space and format if needed).
Boot the computer from Fedora Live USB (USB A).
Plug in USB B and your phone.
On the phone choose "File transfer" / "MTP".
Use Fedora's Files app to copy folders (like DCIM for photos) from phone to USB B.
Safely eject both devices.
Step-by-step (GUI, kid-friendly)
A. Prepare USB B (backup USB)
Plug USB B into the computer before or after booting—either works.
Make sure there’s enough free space for your photos/files. If there’s old stuff you don’t need, move it or use a new USB.
If you want maximum compatibility with phones and Windows/Mac later, format USB B as exFAT:
Open "Disks" (gnome-disk-utility).
Select USB B on the left → the big gear icon → "Format Partition".
Choose exFAT (or FAT if the stick is small) and give it a name like PHONE-BACKUP.
Warning: Formatting erases everything on the USB. Back up first if needed.
B. Boot Fedora Live
Insert the Fedora Live USB (USB A).
Restart the computer and press the key to open the boot menu (often F12, F10, Esc or similar). Choose the USB device to boot.
When Fedora starts, choose "Try Fedora" or similar (we want the live desktop, not install).
C. Connect devices
Plug USB B into the computer (if not already).
Plug your phone into the computer with its cable.
On the phone, unlock it and choose “File transfer (MTP)” or “Transfer files” from the USB options that appear. If you don’t see it, pull down the notification shade and tap the USB options.
D. Copy files (Files / Nautilus)
Open the Files app (looks like a folder).
In the left sidebar you should see:
Your USB B (named as you formatted it or its device label).
Your phone as something like "Phone — " or "MTP device".
Click the phone entry → open "Internal storage" (sometimes named Internal shared storage).
Common folders to back up:
DCIM (your phone camera photos and videos)
Pictures (other app photos)
Downloads (files you saved)
Documents (if present)
In USB B, create a new folder for the backup. Use a name like MyPhoneBackup-2025-11-28 so it’s not mixed with other stuff.
Click to open DCIM on the phone, select the folders or files you want (Ctrl+A to select all), right-click → Copy (or Ctrl+C).
Go to the backup folder on USB B and Paste (Ctrl+V). Wait—don’t remove anything while copying.
When the copy finishes, spot-check by opening a few photos from the USB to make sure they copied correctly.
E. Finish safely
In Files, right-click the phone and choose "Unmount" or "Eject" (or just safely disconnect on the phone first).
Right-click the USB B device in Files and choose "Eject" or "Safely Remove Drive".
Remove the phone cable and USB stick when the system says it is safe.
Troubleshooting (common problems)
Phone not showing up:
Make sure the phone is unlocked and set to "File transfer (MTP)".
Try a different USB cable (some cables only charge).
Try a different USB port.
Files app says “Cannot access”:
Wait a few seconds—MTP sometimes takes a moment to mount.
Reconnect the phone, or restart the Files app.
USB B doesn’t have enough space:
Copy only the DCIM folder first (most space).
Use a larger USB or delete files you don’t need.
If Fedora Live doesn't offer MTP support (rare):
You may need network to install a tiny package; optional advanced steps below show how to use adb or install MTP support.
Optional advanced: use adb to pull files (power user)
This requires enabling Developer options and USB Debugging on Android (Settings → About phone → tap Build number 7 times; then Settings → Developer options → USB debugging).
In a Fedora live session you likely need to install android-tools (requires internet):
Open Terminal and run: sudo dnf install android-tools
Connect phone, allow debugging access when prompted.
List device: adb devices
Copy the entire storage (example): adb pull /sdcard/ /run/media/live//MyPhoneBackup-adb/
adb can copy everything including hidden app files, but it’s more advanced and slower.
iPhone users — short note
iPhones don’t offer a simple MTP file transfer like Android. On Linux, you can often access photos using libimobiledevice tools, but support varies and may require installing software or using a Mac/Windows with iTunes to do a full encrypted backup.
Best simple options:
Use iCloud to back up (Apple devices).
Use a Mac or Windows machine with iTunes for a full local backup.
If you want to try on Linux, you’ll need network in the live session and to install libimobiledevice packages—this is an advanced setup.
What to check after the backup
Open a few photos on the USB to confirm they open.
Check the total size on the USB to make sure it matches an estimate of files you copied.
Keep the backup in a safe place or copy it to cloud storage for extra safety.
Why this is a great first project
You get hands-on experience booting a live Linux system.
It’s a real-life useful task—saving photos and files.
You learn about USBs, filesystems, and safely ejecting drives.