Data loss from smartphones is a common issue that many users face. According to a Deloitte survey, 67% of smartphone users worry about data security and privacy on their devices [1]. When an iPhone stops functioning and won’t turn on, recovering the lost photos, messages, notes and other data becomes vital.
This guide will cover several methods to try and retrieve data from a broken, turned off iPhone. We’ll look at resetting the device, connecting it to a computer, using iCloud backups, data recovery software, professional recovery services, and retrieving iCloud photos specifically. Following these steps can help you get back lost iPhone data and avoid it being permanently gone.
Assess the Damage
The first step when dealing with a broken iPhone that won’t turn on is to thoroughly assess the external physical damage. Carefully look over the device to see if the screen is cracked or shattered and note any significant dents, scratches, or other exterior issues. Pay special attention to the charging port to see if it is damaged or blocked with debris. Try plugging the iPhone into a charger to see if it will charge when connected to a power source. If the phone does not charge when plugged in, the charging port or internal charging mechanisms may be damaged.
According to analysis from iFixScreens, cracked screens and other physical damage are among the most common iPhone failures. Checking for any external damage can help you diagnose what repairs may be needed to get the device functioning again.
Try a Hard Reset
A hard reset can sometimes get an unresponsive iPhone to turn back on. To hard reset an iPhone, press and hold the sleep/wake button and the home button together until the Apple logo appears.
According to this source, holding these two buttons resets the phone and may allow it to turn on if it is currently unresponsive or stuck on the Apple logo screen.
The hard reset forces the phone to restart, which can help if the phone has frozen or will not respond. It essentially performs a reboot of the device.
While a hard reset may get the phone to turn back on, it will not recover any data from the device. However, if the phone is accessible again, other data recovery options may then become available.
Connect to a Computer
One option to try and recover data from a broken iPhone that won’t turn on is to connect it to a computer via a USB cable. This allows you to access the iPhone’s file system and possibly recover data stored on the device.
To do this, first connect the iPhone to a computer (Windows or Mac) using the USB cable that came with the phone. The computer may automatically prompt you to “Trust This Computer” on the iPhone screen. Since the phone is broken, this won’t appear but try connecting it anyway.
Next, check if the computer recognizes that the iPhone is connected. On a Windows PC, look for the iPhone under Devices and Drives in File Explorer. On a Mac, the iPhone should appear as an icon on the desktop or in the Finder sidebar.
If the computer recognizes the iPhone, you may be able to access photos and other data stored on it, depending on the type of damage. You can browse the iPhone’s files and folders much like a USB drive. Try copying any accessible data off the iPhone and onto your computer for safekeeping.
Utilities like iTunes on Windows or the Mac Finder may allow you to access additional files and backups stored on the iPhone itself or synced from iCloud.
If the computer doesn’t recognize the iPhone at all, the connection ports or logic board may be too damaged, preventing data recovery through a USB connection. You’ll need to try other options to attempt to recover your data.
Use iCloud Backup
iCloud provides automatic backups for iPhone data as long as the user has enabled iCloud backup in Settings and the phone is connected to power and WiFi. To restore an iPhone from an iCloud backup without resetting the device, follow these steps:
- On the iPhone, go to Settings > [Apple ID] > iCloud.
- Under “Backup”, check that there is a recent backup listed. The date and time of the last backup will be shown.
- On a computer, go to iCloud.com and sign in with the Apple ID used on the iPhone.
- Click on “Settings” then “Advanced” and make sure iCloud Backup is enabled.
- Under “Restore Files”, click “Restore”. Select the backup you want to restore from the list.
- The iPhone data will be downloaded from iCloud and restored onto the device over WiFi without needing to erase or reset it.
This allows recovering lost iPhone data if there is a recent enough iCloud backup available. However, it will only restore data that was in the iCloud backup, so any new data since the last backup will not be recovered.
Try iPhone Data Recovery Software
If your iPhone is not responding or connecting to a computer, specialized iPhone data recovery software provides another option for retrieving data. Trusted software options like EaseUS MobiSaver and FoneLab can extract data from an iPhone even if the screen is cracked or it won’t turn on.
This type of software is designed to scan the iPhone’s storage and extract recoverable data like photos, messages, contacts, notes, and more. It does this by reading the raw data stored on the device rather than relying on a backup.
To use iPhone recovery software:
- Download and install the software on a computer the iPhone has been connected to before.
- Run the software and enter the iPhone model. The software will scan for connected devices.
- If the software detects the device, select “Recover from iOS Device” and click start.
- The software will scan the device storage and extract recoverable data.
- Preview and select the data to recover, then save it to your computer.
This provides an effective way to regain access to data from an unresponsive iPhone. Just be sure to use a trusted software and save the recovered data to another location.
Use Professional Data Recovery Service
If you have critical or irreplaceable data on your iPhone that you absolutely need to recover, using a professional data recovery service may be your best option, despite the high costs. Reputable data recovery companies like Secure Data Recovery and SalvageData employ experienced engineers and technicians who specialize in iPhone data recovery using sophisticated tools and methods.
The pros of professional iPhone data recovery include:
- Very high iPhone data recovery success rates, often over 90% for critical user data.
- Advanced capabilities to repair physical damage and access data from iOS devices with any issue – water damage, broken logic boards, stuck in recovery mode, etc.
- Direct access to the iPhone’s memory chips to read raw data.
- Clean room facilities to prevent further data loss.
- Bypassing screen locks and extracting data without passcodes.
- Retrieving data even after factory reset.
The costs for professional iPhone data recovery typically range from $300 to $1000+ depending on the service, level of damage, and amount of data to recover. While pricey, for many the invaluable data makes the cost well worth it compared to the data being lost forever. Reputable services like R3 Data Recovery offer free evaluations to determine if your data is recoverable before any costs are incurred.
With professional data recovery, there is still risk that some or all data may not be salvageable if the iPhone is too badly damaged. But for the best chance at recovering data from a broken or unresponsive iPhone, a dedicated iPhone data recovery service is highly recommended.
Retrieve iCloud Photos
If you had iCloud backup enabled on your iPhone before it stopped working, you can restore your photos by downloading them from iCloud.
To download photos stored in iCloud:
- On your computer, go to icloud.com and login with your Apple ID.
- Click on Photos to open your iCloud Photos library.
- Select the photos you want to download by holding down the Command key and clicking on each photo.
- Click the Download button at the bottom right to save the photos to your computer.
You can also restore from an iCloud backup to retrieve photos along with other data:
- Go to icloud.com and login with your Apple ID.
- Click Manage Storage > Backups and select the desired backup.
- Click Restore to download the backup to your computer.
- Open the iCloud app on your computer and select Photos to access your photos.
Restoring from iCloud backup will retrieve photos and videos stored in the Photos app on your iPhone before it stopped working. Just make sure you had iCloud backup enabled. If you need help accessing iCloud, see Apple’s guide on how to download photos from iCloud to iPhone.
Prevent Future Data Loss
To avoid going through iPhone data recovery again, it’s crucial to regularly back up your iPhone. Apple recommends backing up to iCloud as well as to a computer through iTunes or Finder [1]. Backing up in two places gives you redundancy in case one backup fails or becomes corrupted.
To enable iCloud backups, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and turn on backups. You can also connect your iPhone to a computer and back up to iTunes (PC) or Finder (Mac). Local computer backups allow you to save a snapshot of your iPhone that can be restored even without internet access.
Other tips for preventing data loss include updating to the latest iOS version, using stronger passcodes, enabling Find My iPhone, and utilizing built-in security features like Face ID. You may also want to be cautious about allowing third-party apps access to sensitive data. Lastly, make sure to keep your iPhone away from excessive heat, liquids, and falls whenever possible.
Summary
In summary, there are several methods you can try to recover data from a broken or unresponsive iPhone:
Doing a hard reset may allow you to restart the phone and access data if the issue is software-related. Connecting the iPhone to a computer and scanning with data recovery software can help retrieve photos, messages, and other files. For iCloud users, restoring from a recent iCloud backup is the easiest way to get your data back.
Third-party iPhone data recovery services can be effective when all else fails, but often come with a high price tag. If you had iCloud Photos enabled, you may be able to restore at least your photos through iCloud.com even if the phone itself does not turn on.
Each method has its pros and cons. Hard resets are quick and easy but may not work if the hardware is damaged. Software should be able to extract quite a bit of data if the phone can connect to a computer. iCloud backups are convenient but only work if you had them properly configured. Professional services offer skilled data recovery but cost hundreds of dollars.
The best way to avoid being in this situation is having regular backups of your iPhone data, either through iCloud or iTunes. But should you ever suffer data loss, this gives an overview of the main options to try to get your photos, messages, and other information back.