It can be devastating to lose photos and other important data from your iPhone, especially if the device is completely dead and won’t turn on. The good news is that there are several methods you can try to recover photos from a dead iPhone.
Quick Summary
Here are some quick answers to common questions about recovering photos from a dead iPhone:
- Yes, it is often possible to recover photos from an iPhone that won’t turn on, as long as the data is still stored on the device.
- Methods like connecting to iTunes, iCloud backup, iPhone data recovery software, and professional data recovery services can help extract photos.
- The sooner you act, the better chance you have of recovering photos successfully. Don’t continue using the iPhone or overwrite any data.
- Recovery success depends on the issue that caused the iPhone to die and the backup methods used.
- For best results, consider professional data recovery, but expect to pay several hundred dollars or more.
Can I Recover Data from a Dead Phone?
If your iPhone is totally unresponsive and won’t turn on at all, you may be wondering if it’s even possible to recover any data from it. Generally speaking, as long as the data is still stored on your iPhone’s memory, there is a chance to recover it, even if the operating system is corrupted or the device does not power on.
When stored data becomes inaccessible because of software issues, physical damage, or other problems, the device is considered “dead” but often the raw data remains intact on the internal memory. So it is possible to copy this data off the device, though the recovery process can be complex depending on the severity of the issue.
Factors That Affect Data Recovery from a Dead iPhone
There are several factors that determine whether you can recover data from a dead iPhone and how successful the recovery attempt will be:
- Cause of failure: Was it water damage, physical damage, software crash, etc? Different issues have different recoverability.
- Condition of internal memory: If memory components are damaged, recovery is difficult.
- Encryption status: Encrypted iPhones are nearly impossible to recover data from if you don’t have the passphrase.
- Repairs attempted: DIY repairs risk further data loss if not done properly.
- Continued use: Using the device more can overwrite the stored data you want to recover.
As long as the iPhone failure was caused by logical issues like a software crash and the internal memory is intact, your chances of photo recovery are good. But if hardware components have failed or extensive damage was done, recovering data is difficult and risky.
Can I Recover Photos from a Dead iPhone?
Specifically for photos stored on an iPhone, there are very good chances of recovering them from a dead device as long as the internal memory is physically intact.
Here are some key points on recovering photos from a non-working iPhone:
- iPhones store photos on internal NAND flash memory chips that retain data even when power is lost.
- As long as these memory chips are undamaged, the raw photo data can be accessed and copied.
- Photo recovery requires bypassing the iPhone’s operating system but getting direct access to the storage.
- Methods range from DIY data recovery software to professional disassembly and imaging of memory chips.
- Recovered photos may need repair if some segments of data were corrupted.
So in most cases where the iPhone failure was caused by something like liquid damage or software issues, recovering lost photos is very likely. But if hardware components have failed or extensive physical damage was done, photo recovery becomes risky and uncertain.
How Can I Recover Photos from an iPhone That Won’t Turn On?
If your iPhone is stuck on the Apple logo, has a black/blank screen, or just won’t power on at all, here are some methods you can try to recover photos from it:
1. Connect to iTunes
Connecting the dead iPhone to a computer and scanning it with iTunes can potentially detect the device and allow you to make a backup. This will let you retrieve photos as well as other data from the backup later.
The downside is iTunes may not recognize the iPhone if it’s completely unresponsive. But it’s worth a quick try, though don’t expect much from this method.
2. Use iCloud Backup
If you had iCloud backups enabled on the iPhone before it died, you may be able to restore from a recent backup and access your photos again. This requires the iPhone to still have enough function to be restored to factory settings.
Log into iCloud.com and check for available backups. You can also try restoring directly from the iPhone if possible. Just connecting the device to power may allow it to run a recovery mode restore.
3. Try iPhone Data Recovery Software
A better DIY option is to use data recovery software designed to extract data from dead or damaged iPhones. These tools can access internal memory directly and save the data to your computer.
Some top iPhone data recovery programs include:
| Tool | Price |
| Tenorshare UltData | $39.95 |
| iMyFone D-Back | $59.95 |
| EaseUS MobiSaver | $99.95 |
The process involves downloading the recovery software on a computer, connecting the iPhone, scanning for recoverable data, and saving it to the computer. This bypasses the iPhone’s operating system.
4. Use Professional Data Recovery Services
For the best chance at recovering photos from an iPhone that’s completely dead, professional data recovery is recommended. Reputable companies have advanced tools and methods for accessing internal memory directly and imaging the data for recovery.
They can also repair any failed hardware components and tackle challenges like encryption that make DIY recovery very difficult. However, costs typically start around $300-600.
Look for established iPhone data recovery companies like:
- DriveSavers
- Kroll
- Ace Data Recovery
- Secure Data Recovery
Can I Recover Photos after Factory Reset?
Doing a factory reset or restore on your iPhone essentially erases the internal memory and reinstalls the operating system from scratch. So if you then realized you lost photos and other data, can you recover after factory reset?
Unfortunately, a proper factory reset makes DIY data recovery nearly impossible. The process intentionally overwrites the internal memory to make sure all user data is deleted. This removes the raw photo data needed for recovery.
However, there is still hope in some cases:
- If the reset failed or froze partway through, data remnants may still exist.
- Fragments of deleted data could still be extracted by advanced recovery tools.
- Your iCloud backup made before resetting may have preserved photos if enabled.
A professional iPhone data recovery service is the best chance for recovering anything after a factory reset. They can search for photo fragments that may remain. Just don’t expect high recovery rates.
Can Photos Be Recovered If I Replace My iPhone?
If your dead iPhone is beyond repair and you need to replace it with a new one, what about the photos still stuck on the old device? Here are your options for recovering photos from your dead iPhone even if replacing it:
- Backup to iCloud/iTunes before replacement – If possible, create a backup before the iPhone dies completely.
- Use data recovery before replacement – Recover photos directly from the iPhone using data recovery software or professional services.
- Extract from iCloud backup after replacement – If you have a recent backup, you can download photos to the new phone.
- Recover from old iPhone after replacement – The old iPhone can still have data recovered even after you activate the replacement.
The key is to preserve the data before discarding the dead iPhone. Even after replacing it, recovery is still possible by treating the old phone strictly as a data storage device.
Tips for Preventing Data Loss on iPhone
Recovering lost iPhone photos can be a real challenge, so it’s much better to avoid data loss in the first place. Here are some tips for keeping your iPhone photos and data safe:
- Back up regularly: Use iCloud or iTunes to back up your iPhone to the cloud or your computer periodically.
- Enable Photos sync: Make sure iCloud Photo Library or Sync Photos is on so your photos are always backed up.
- Don’t overwrite data: Avoid using a dead iPhone until recovered, as it may overwrite deleted data.
- Handle with care: Always be careful with your iPhone and protect it from drops, water, etc.
- Encrypt iPhone: Turn on encryption in your iPhone settings to secure data if it’s ever lost or stolen.
- Store safely: Keep old iPhones safely stored away even after upgrading instead of discarding.
Following best practices for iPhone data management will give you much more peace of mind if anything ever happens to your device.
Can I Recover Photos without Backup?
If you didn’t have any backups enabled and your iPhone stops working, can you still get photos and other data back? Without a backup, your options are more limited but there are still ways to try recovering lost iPhone data.
- iPhone data recovery software: DIY recovery tools can scan the iPhone memory directly and extract photos without needing a backup.
- Professional data recovery: Mail your iPhone to a pro recovery company to disassemble it and image the memory contents.
- iCloud recently deleted: If you had iCloud Photos enabled, some deleted photos may be retrievable from Recently Deleted.
- Synced devices: Any photos synced to other devices like your computer or iPad may still be accessible.
The lack of a backup makes it much harder to recover lost iPhone photos. But in some cases, especially with professional help, it is still possible by extracting data directly from the internal memory.
Can I Recover Photos Deleted from iPhone?
Accidentally deleting photos from your iPhone through the Photos app or deleting camera photos from previews doesn’t necessarily mean they’re lost forever. As long as those photos have not been overwritten by new data, there are ways to recover recently deleted iPhone photos.
How the iPhone Deletes Photos
When you delete photos on an iPhone, it doesn’t immediately erase the data from memory. Instead, it marks the space used by those photos as available to be overwritten by new data.
Until new data replaces the deleted photos, the original data still physically exists and recovery is possible. But at any point, the deleted data could get overwritten with new photos, apps, etc.
Recovering Recently Deleted Photos
To recover deleted photos before they get overwritten, you have a few options:
- iCloud Recently Deleted: View and restore deleted photos for up to 30 days if you use iCloud Photos.
- iPhone data recovery software: Scan your raw iPhone memory to find deleted photos.
- From a backup: Restore photos from your most recent iCloud or iTunes backup.
The sooner you use one of these methods, the better, as you lower your risk of the deleted photos getting overwritten by new data. If it’s been a while, a professional recovery service may be able to find fragments of deleted image data.
Conclusion
Recovering photos from an unresponsive, dead iPhone is often possible as long as the internal memory remains intact. While DIY recovery methods like data recovery software exist, for the highest chance of getting photos back, professional iPhone data recovery services are recommended.
To prevent needing data recovery, be sure to regularly back up your iPhone photos and handle the device with care to avoid failures. But should you ever find yourself with a dead iPhone containing important lost photos, there are still recovery options available.