top of page
Writer's pictureAaron Harrington

iPhone Data Recovery – When DIY Tricks Don't Work


a broken iPhone
A broken iPhone

The phrase iPhone data recovery is something that can instill fear and panic in many Apple device owners. We all know that there is an inherent risk in carrying so much critical information in our pocket. We try to follow best practices for backing up our phones but often, we aren't as diligent as we should be. We purchase the latest protective covers, but nothing can save such a sensitive electronic device from damage in extreme situations.


There are also times when we do everything right, but we just have bad luck. You may be meticulous with your backups but are suddenly looking for iPhone picture recovery if disaster strikes when you are away from a data connection. No matter why it happens, when you have a water damaged or broken iPhone, and it contains data or photos that aren't backed up, you will find yourself scrambling.


Looking for iPhone Data Recovery Help

If your first thought when you need to recover information from a water damaged or broken iPhone is to search online, you will find more advice than you could ever possibly sort through. There are plenty of sites that will walk you through restoring data from a backup. However, if you have a backup, you wouldn't be trying to recover data from the actual phone. Once you have sorted through those tips, you will also see a long list of potential solutions offering you the chance to fix the problem yourself with the help of software.


Software Solutions for Fixing a Broken iPhone

If you have an iPhone like this, you may someday need iPhone data recovery.
If you have an iPhone like this, you may someday need iPhone data recovery.

When searching for iPhone data recovery solutions, you will find numerous DIY software packages making some pretty impressive claims. Some of these offerings claim they can restore data no matter what has happened to your iPhone. They promise to recover data from an iPhone whether it merely has a broken screen or is completely broken and unable to power up. If you look carefully, you will see some pretty significant limitations to these claims. Sure, it is possible to recover some data no matter the condition on an iPhone, even if it is lost or destroyed. However, in these cases, we are talking about recovering from backups. If you have a backup on iCloud or a local computer, there are many ways to access that data. Still, most people searching for iPhone data recovery don't have a complete backup, or they would have already gone that route. Sometimes these software packages can assist with a phone that has a broken screen. There may be a solution to get to your data even if you aren't able to enter a password or use facial recognition. There are some limitations to this as well. However, none of these software methods can help you with a phone that can't even power up.


Water Damaged iPhones: A Big Problem - With a Potential Solution

One of the most challenging problems to deal with when it comes to iPhones is water damage. Water-resistance is an excellent feature of new iPhones, but it has its limits. It tends to work fine for splashes and quick, shallow plunges into the water. However, with each passing year, the seals begin to degrade, and the phone loses some of that resistance. If your iPhone goes into deeper water or spends too much time submerged, it is going to be a problem. If you are looking into iPhone picture recovery to save your latest shots after some time in the pool, lake, or oceans, you will again find a lot of advice. Most of them involve keeping the phone off, letting it sit long enough to dry out, or putting it in a bag with uncooked rice or silica gel packets. There is some anecdotal evidence that these methods will work if they are done right away and the extent of the water infiltration is limited. If you are lucky, these methods may get your phone back on long enough to back everything up.


Real iPhone Data Recovery for Real Water Damage Requires Expert Help

iPhone picture recovery sometimes requires disassembling the phone
iPhone picture recovery sometimes requires a professional disassembling the phone.

If you don't have a recent backup containing your critical data and your iPhone has experienced severe water exposure, you will need professional help. There is not much you can do yourself at home for a seriously water-damaged, broken iPhone. Even if you have the tools and knowledge to open up your iPhone, there is little chance of making any significant headway in getting to a point where data recovery is possible. At this point, your best chance at recovery lies in the hands of a professional with the right parts, tools, and experience. Even then, success will be based on how much damage was done. This usually depends on how long the phone was in the water, how deep it went, and whether it was fresh or saltwater. A quick dip in a freshwater lake will likely have very different results than an overnight soak in the ocean.


How Does iPhone Data Recovery Work For a Water Damaged iPhone?

Recovering data from any broken iPhone is even more complicated than one might imagine. That is thanks to Apple's end to end encryption. Before this type of security, phone data could be recovered simply by opening the device, removing the memory, placing it in a working device, and backing it up. Now, that memory needs to check with other components of the phone to ensure it is connected to the right device and that the device has been unlocked via a password or facial recognition. This is an excellent feature if someone physically steals your phone. No matter what they do, they can't access your data simply by gaining access to the memory chip.


Due to the security setup, fixing a water damaged iPhone requires a much more delicate and intricate process. Basically, the phone is carefully opened, disassembled, and carefully cleaned of debris and corrosion. The internal components are disassembled as much as possible to facilitate cleaning and looking for issues. There are many simple parts, like connecting cables, that can be replaced without impacting the phone's security features. Essential pieces are completely cleaned of corrosion, and in some cases, soldered connections are repaired. In the process, even some-more critical components still not related to security can be replaced.


As you can see, this is intricate work, and every broken iPhone is different and presents a new set of challenges. There are also, of course, cases where the damage is too extensive. However, professional services like this are your best bet when it comes to fixing a water damaged iPhone. There are a lot of DIY solutions out there for broken iPhones. However, if your iPhone is dead due to too much time in the water and retrieving your data is critical, your best bet is to put your phone in the hands of a professional.


Learn more about professional iPhone data recovery from the iPhone motherboard expert iBoard Data Recovery. We offer the best results for iPhone picture recovery and iPhone data recovery. We succeed even when others have failed. Get in touch today and let us help you get your data and photos back.







106 views0 comments

Comments


bottom of page