If your iPhone 5s is broken or damaged and you need to recover photos from it, there are a few options you can try. The easiest way is to back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes before it breaks. However, if you didn’t back up your device, you may still be able to retrieve your photos.
Connect Your iPhone to a Computer
If your iPhone is physically damaged but still powers on, you can try connecting it to a computer to access the photos. Here’s how:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer using the USB cable that came with your device.
- Open iTunes on your computer. If your iPhone is recognized, you’ll see it appear in iTunes.
- Click on your iPhone icon in iTunes. In the left menu, click “Photos.”
- Select “Sync Photos” and check “Include videos.” Click “Apply.”
- This will transfer all photos and videos from your iPhone to your computer’s photo library. The transfer may take some time depending on how many photos you have.
- You can now view and access your iPhone photos on your computer even if the phone no longer works.
If your iPhone is completely dead and won’t turn on, you won’t be able to connect it to a computer. In that case, you’ll need to remove the iPhone’s memory chip and connect it to a device that can read it.
Extract the iPhone’s Memory Chip
If your iPhone 5s won’t power on at all, you can physically remove the flash memory chip and connect it to another device to access the photos. This method requires some technical skill:
- Purchase an iPhone logic board repair tool kit. You’ll need small screwdrivers and prying tools.
- Follow a tutorial to fully disassemble your iPhone and locate the flash memory chip. It’s a small black chip soldered to the logic board.
- Very carefully desolder the chip from the logic board. Apply flux to help loosen the solder joints.
- Obtain a USB flash memory card reader that can interface with an iPhone memory chip.
- Carefully insert the memory chip into the card reader. It may require an adapter.
- Plug the card reader into your computer. The iPhone memory chip will appear as an external drive.
- You can now browse the contents of the chip and copy photos to your computer.
Extracting the memory chip is difficult and there’s a risk of permanently damaging the chip in the process. Only attempt this method if you have repair experience. Consider going to a phone repair shop instead.
Use a Photo Recovery App
If your iPhone is functional but the screen is cracked or damaged, you may be able to use a third party iOS photo recovery app to retrieve your pictures.
- Download and install the app on another iPhone or iPad.
- Connect your damaged iPhone to the iOS device using a USB cable.
- Open the photo recovery app and grant it access to your iPhone data.
- The app will scan your iPhone and rebuild the photo library.
- You can then save the recovered photos to the app device.
Some free photo recovery apps to try include iMyFone Fixppo, EaseUS MobiSaver, and Disk Drill.
Take Your iPhone to a Repair Shop
Rather than risk further damage to your iPhone, the safest option is to take it to an Apple store or third party repair shop. Technicians have the expertise to safely remove memory chips and recover data.
Here’s what to expect if you go to a repair shop:
- Describe the iPhone issue and state that you need to recover photos.
- Confirm your iPhone model – the shop may not work on all models.
- The technician will attempt data recovery through various methods.
- If successful, your photos can be saved to a USB drive or cloud storage.
- There is usually a diagnostic fee even if photos can’t be recovered.
- The process takes 1-2 business days in most cases.
Going to a professional ensures your iPhone won’t be damaged further. However, data recovery services can be expensive. Costs vary depending on the repair shop and iPhone model, but expect to pay $100-$300 or more.
Recover from iCloud Backup
If you previously enabled iCloud backups on your iPhone, you may be able to restore your photos from the cloud. Here’s how iCloud recovery works:
- Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
- Navigate to Settings > Photos.
- Check if “iCloud Photos” is enabled. If so, your photos should be in iCloud.
- Under “Download a copy of all your photos and videos,” select your desired download size.
- Click “Request Download.” The download link will be emailed to you.
- Click the link, then download and unzip the files to your computer.
If you never enabled iCloud Photo Library on your iPhone, this method won’t work. Also, make sure your iCloud storage isn’t full, or backup photos may have been deleted.
Recover from iTunes Backup
Similarly, if you backed up your iPhone locally through iTunes, you may have photo backups there:
- Open iTunes on your computer.
- Connect your new iPhone or iPad to your computer.
- Under Backups, select your old iPhone.
- Click Restore Backup. This will restore your iTunes backup to your new device.
- Once finished, your photos will be restored. You can now sync them to your computer.
As with iCloud, this requires you to have previously created an iPhone backup on iTunes. The backup also needs to be stored on your computer rather than deleted.
Use a Cloud Photo Service
If you were automatically backing up photos from your iPhone to a cloud service like Google Photos or Dropbox, you may be able to retrieve your photos that way:
- Google Photos: Open Google Photos on your computer. If auto-backup was enabled on your iPhone, your photos should be in your Google Photos library.
- Dropbox: Install Dropbox on a new phone or computer. Sign in to your account. Your synced iPhone photos should appear in the Photos folder.
- OneDrive: Go to OneDrive.com. Sign in and check the Photos folder. Auto-uploaded images from your iPhone may be available.
The key is that you need to have been already backing up photos from your iPhone to the cloud service before it broke. If you didn’t have auto-backup enabled, the photos won’t be there.
Contact Apple Support
If none of these DIY iPhone photo recovery methods work, one last option is to contact Apple support directly. Here’s how:
- Call 1-800-275-2273 or start a chat at getsupport.apple.com.
- Clearly describe your iPhone model, iOS version, and the issue.
- Specify that you need to recover photos from the iPhone.
- Be prepared to answer questions about troubleshooting you’ve already tried.
- Apple may be able to suggest additional steps for data recovery.
- As a last resort, they may be able to expedite services for a fee.
Calling Apple should be your last option after exhausting all other routes. Apple doesn’t guarantee data recovery services. Support assistance is free, but service fees may apply for any next-level help.
Avoid Third Party Apps
When searching for solutions, you may come across various third party software and apps claiming they can recover photos from a broken iPhone. However, we caution against using these for several reasons:
- The apps are often unreliable and may fail to recover any photos.
- They may incorrectly sync unrelated images to your device.
- Some apps try charging exorbitant fees for basic features.
- Installing third party software poses security risks to your data.
- Apple does not recommend or support using unverified apps for data recovery.
For the safest experience, only use reputable apps from well-known developers, and read reviews before downloading. Better yet, try the official methods above before resorting to third party software.
Prevent Future Photo Loss
Once you’ve recovered your photos, follow these tips to avoid losing your iPhone pictures again down the road:
- Enable iCloud Photo Library or Google Photos auto-backup to store photos safely in the cloud.
- Periodically back up your iPhone locally through iTunes.
- Avoid letting your iCloud or device storage fill up.
- Import your favorite iPhone photos to a computer or external hard drive.
- Use a case and screen protector to prevent future device damage.
- Avoid exposing your iPhone to water or extreme heat which can corrupt memory.
Taking preventative measures will save you the hassle of trying to recover lost photos if your iPhone breaks again. Keep your photos secure in multiple places to minimize risk.
Conclusion
Recovering photos from a damaged, dead or broken iPhone 5s may seem daunting but is usually possible throughpersistence. We recommend starting with non-invasive software-based methods like iCloud restore or photo recovery apps. If that fails, visit a professional repair shop to extract the memory chip as a last resort. Avoid unauthorized apps and services as they pose data risks. With some patience and luck, you should be able to get your photos back safely.