Dropping an iPhone into water is a common accident many people face, especially when the device won't power on, making the important data inside even more concerning. Many users might ask, "Can data be recovered from a water-damaged iPhone?" or "How to recover data from a water-damaged iPhone?" This article will answer these questions in detail and provide effective solutions to help you recover your data.
Dropping your iPhone in water is a depressing experience. When that happens, you should keep calm and take some effective measures to avoid further loss. Below are the dos and don'ts for water-damaged iPhone. Go through these essential steps before you try to recover data from a wet iPhone.
* Switch it off immediately
After getting your iPhone out of the water, turn it off entirely as soon as possible. Do not turn it back on or plug it into power; otherwise, your iPhone may suffer permanent water damage.
* Dry your iPhone
Remove any accessories from your iPhone, including your case or the screen protector. Then, use a lint-free cloth (or t-shirt) to rub the water on the outside of your iPhone. Shake your iPhone gently to clear the water in the sockets and ports.
* Remove the SIM card
As soon as the outside of the iPhone is dry, eject the SIM tray of your device and remove the SIM card, then dry the SIM card off carefully. Also, leave the SIM tray out of your device.
* Wait for your iPhone to dry
Place your iPhone in a dry, open, and well-ventilated space and leave it for at least 48 hours. To speed up the process, you can place some silica gel packs around your iPhone.
* Do not press any buttons on a wet iPhone
Pressing the buttons may push the water further inside.
* Do not turn on your iPhone
This will cause a short circuit on your iPhone. Wait patiently till your iPhone is completely dry.
* Do not use any drying tools to dry your iPhone
Drying your iPhone with a hairdryer or radiator could cause additional damage to your iPhone.
* Do not stick your iPhone in raw rice
Placing the wet iPhone in raw rice to absorb water is not a workable solution. The particles of rice will cause more harm to your iPhone. If you want, you can use silica gel packs instead.
To learn more about how to fix an iPhone that fell in the water, you can refer to the article: What to Do If You Dropped iPhone in Water >>
Additional Tip: How to Tell If an iPhone Is Aamaged by Water?
Apple has introduced the Liquid Contact Indicator (LCI) to help users check if their iPhone has water damage. Here's how to check:
After removing the SIM tray, look inside the SIM card slot. If you see a red color, that means the LCI has been activated, and your iPhone is water-damaged.
You can head to Apple's website for more information.
Yes, it is possible to recover data from a water-damaged iPhone, but the success largely depends on the extent of the damage to the device and whether there is a backup.
If your iPhone was backed up using iCloud or iTunes before it was dropped in the water, you can easily recover data from the water-damaged iPhone.
If you don't have a backup, after your iPhone is completely dry, if it still works and can be detected by your computer, you can use professional iPhone data recovery software to recover the lost data from the iPhone directly.
Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery is a professional iPhone data recovery tool that supports selective recovery of data from iTunes or iCloud backups without connecting your iPhone to the computer. It is easy to use and does not overwrite existing data. If you have previously backed up your device data via iTunes or iCloud, it will be your best choice.
What can Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery do for you?
Download this tool on your computer and follow the step-by-step guide below to recover data from water damaged iPhone that won't turn on.
01Run the tool on your computer and click "Recover from iTunes Backup File" from the interface. The software will automatically scan and display the iTunes backup files on your PC. You can select the required one and click "Start Scan" for more details.
02Select the types of data you want to recover, then click the "Start Scan" button to begin the scanning process. Once completed, you can preview the contents of the iTunes backup files on your computer.
03Click on a specific category and select the files (both deleted and existing) you wish to recover. Then, click the "Recover to Computer" button to begin restoring the selected files from the iTunes backup.
01Launch the software and select the "Recover from iCloud" mode. Sign in to your iCloud account as prompted. If Two-Factor Authentication is enabled, enter the verification code sent to your iOS device and click "Verify" to proceed.
02Choose the types of files you want to recover, then click the "Next" button to initiate a quick scan. This will allow you to preview detailed information about your iCloud backup files.
03Select the files you wish to recover and click the "Recover to Computer" button to save them to your computer.
Video Tutorial:
You can also try the official way to restore backup from iTunes. But you will need another iPhone to do the job if your water-damaged iPhone is not working. And after restoring, the existing data on your iPhone will be erased and replaced by the iTunes backup.
Here is how to recover data from a water-damaged iPhone using iTunes:
Step 1. Connect your new iPhone to your computer and launch iTunes.
Step 2. Click the device icon and then go to the "Summary" tab.
Step 3. Click "Restore Backup" to restore the iTunes backup to your new iPhone.
You can also try the official way to restore backup from iCloud. However, you will need another iPhone to complete this task. Besides, if you have already set up the new iPhone, you will need to reset it before restoring it. (How to restore from iCloud backup without reset?)
Here is how to recover data from a water-damaged iPhone with iCloud:
Step 1. On the new iPhone, go to "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Erase All Content and Settings".
Step 2. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the initial setup. When prompted to choose a restore option, select "Restore from iCloud Backup".
Step 3. Enter your Apple ID and password to log into your iCloud account, which must be the same account used on the water-damaged iPhone.
Step 4. Select the desired backup file and click "Restore".
That's all about how to recover data from water damaged iPhone. If your iPhone is in contact with water, stay calm and follow the steps above to avoid further damage. To get back the lost data, Coolmuster iPhone Data Recovery is the best choice without overwriting data.
If you have any problems using the software, leave a comment below to let us know.
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