Phone went in the water? Don't charge it and don't switch it on.
Recovering Photos and Files From a Damaged or Dead Phone
If the phone is dead and unresponsive, took in water, or has a shattered screen, the first step is to stop. Every attempt to power it on or charge it can turn temporary damage into permanent damage.
- +25
- Years of experience
- +50K
- Cases handled
- 99%
- Success rate after diagnosis
A silent phone is not necessarily an empty one.
When do you need a phone inspection?
- 01
The phone won't turn on
The device died after a drop, water or charging, and responds to neither the button nor the charger.
- 02
Broken screen, working device
The phone runs but the display or touch is unresponsive, so the lock code can't be entered.
- 03
Photos gone or a factory reset
Photos were deleted from a broken phone, or an Android device was reset to factory settings.
Encryption is part of the equation, not a side detail.
Can photos be recovered from a broken phone?
Recovery may be possible in many cases, but modern phones are encrypted from the factory and that puts real limits on what can be reached. On iOS, the data is tied to keys held inside the chip itself; on Android the outcome varies with the system version, the lock method and the encryption generation. When the board is damaged, the work needs a lab environment and precise soldering tools, and is not a home attempt. We start by inspecting the board, the memory and the lock state, then explain what is genuinely possible before any attempt.
Inspect the case
Choose the path
Safe recovery
Supported devices & brands
Every phone has a different way in.
The brand decides the memory type and the encryption method, and those two decide what can be reached and what cannot. These are the devices that reach the lab most often.
iPhone
iPhone data is encrypted with keys held inside the chip and tied to the board itself, so moving the memory alone reads nothing. The only path is bringing the board back to a bootable state, then unlocking with the owner's passcode.
Samsung Galaxy
Recent models use UFS storage with hardware-backed keys, while some entry-level lines still ship eMMC. The memory type decides whether reading the chip directly is an option at all.
Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO
The outcome varies with the Android version, the platform and the lock state. With a locked bootloader and encryption active, no tool goes around it, and the inspection shows which paths are left.
Huawei and Honor
Their own chipset, their own storage layout and a partition scheme unlike other Android phones. We identify the model and its partitions before any read attempt, because the wrong tool can write to the device.
eMMC vs UFS
eMMC in older phones can sometimes be read through test points or after removal. UFS is a high-speed serial interface where direct reading is limited and needs both precise equipment and a healthy board.
Damaged boards and micro-soldering
Water and drop cases are handled under a microscope: corrosion removed, power rails measured, and only what blocks the boot repaired. Moving the memory to another board is not enough on its own, because the keys belong to the original board.
What happens to a phone inside the lab
- 01
Intake with no power-on
We don't switch the device on when it arrives. It is opened, the battery disconnected first, and the board state documented. Water cases start with cleaning the board and stopping the corrosion before anything is measured.
- 02
Measure the board before soldering
Power rails and current draw are measured under the microscope to see whether the block sits in the charging circuit, in power management, or in the path to the memory. Measurement comes before any iron touches the board.
- 03
Repair the path to a single boot
We repair only what the device needs to come up once, stably enough to read the data, not to return it to daily use. If the memory has to move, whatever is paired with it moves too, because separating it from its original board leaves the data unreadable.
- 04
Extraction and handover
Once it boots, the data is pulled to an isolated medium and handed back on a separate drive. The passcode stays the owner's and we need it for access, and anything that remains encrypted without its keys cannot be read. We say so plainly.
Start from the case
Choose the closest case
Encryption on modern devices makes the order of steps matter more than their speed.
- 01
It works but the screen or touch is dead
The route may be restoring temporary access to the display or the data port, with the lock code still required on encrypted devices. Do not reset and do not change the account.
- 02
Dead after water or a fall
Do not charge it and do not use heat. We need to know when the incident happened and whether it was powered or charged afterwards — current and corrosion can do more than the length of water contact.
- 03
Stuck on the logo or rebooting
The problem may be software, storage or the board. Do not restore or factory reset if the data is the priority, and do not install an update before its effect is assessed.
- 04
Photos deleted or the device factory reset
Modern phones use encryption tied to the device and the lock code, and after a factory reset the keys to older data may be gone. Cloud and local backups are reviewed first.
- 05
It works and unlocks, but the data is inside an app
Exporting depends on the app, its version, the account and the encryption. We do not promise to retrieve chats or a specific app's data before verifying how it stores them and what copies exist.
A realistic expectation
What can actually be handed over?
When a device can be powered and unlocked reliably, handover may include photos, videos, documents, contacts and files available for export. App data and chats are not always a single file: some are encrypted on the device, tied to the account, or held in the cloud, so the outcome is established for each type separately.
Where the board is damaged, the aim is a stable enough state to reach the data, not necessarily returning the phone to daily use. The work may require opening the device or working on the board, and the effect on warranty, water resistance or usability must be made clear before starting.
What we need for the initial assessment
- 01
The device
Make, full model and capacity.
- 02
Operating system
Approximately, if known.
- 03
What happened and when
Water, a fall, heat, an update, deletion or a reset.
- 04
What happened afterwards
Whether it was powered, charged, opened or repaired.
- 05
How it behaves
Whether it lights up, vibrates, makes a sound, or connects to a computer.
- 06
The lock code
Whether it is known and can be entered.
- 07
Backups
Whether an iCloud, Google or computer backup exists, and the last sync.
- 08
Data priority
Photos, video, contacts, documents or a specific app.
- 09
Proof of ownership
Where needed — and without sending account passwords in an initial form.
FAQ
Before you try charging it again.
Switch it off, don't charge it and don't dry it with heat. Recovery may be possible if corrosion hasn't spread inside the board, and only an inspection can tell.
In many cases yes, if the device still runs. The result depends on the system, the lock method and whether the screen can be bypassed safely.
It may be possible in some cases, but encryption and the reset process on modern devices can leave the data unreadable even after the memory itself is reached.
No such promise should be made. Encryption on modern devices depends on the hardware and the code, and entering it is usually required once the device can boot.
No. On many modern devices the data is encrypted and tied to the board and processor, so reading the memory on its own can produce data that cannot be interpreted.
The device's state, the local backup, the cloud copy and the app's encryption are all reviewed. Chats that do not exist, or keys that are lost, cannot be guaranteed.
Do not puncture it and do not charge the device. A swollen battery is a safety hazard; keep the device away from heat and hand it over safely.
The case can be triaged from photographs, the model and the symptoms, but examining the board and memory requires receiving the device.
Do not send passwords in first contact. If we need access to a backup you own, we agree a safe method that keeps the process under your control.
It depends on the system, its version and the lock method. Encryption on modern devices is tied to the passcode itself, so we explain the limits after inspecting the device and never promise a result before that.
We don't ask for passwords at the inspection stage. If recovery requires proof of ownership or unlocking, we tell you up front and your data stays under your control.
Some cases require opening the device or working directly on the board, which can affect whether it stays usable afterwards. We tell you before starting, because the goal is the data, not repairing the phone.
Next step
Send case detailsTime and corrosion are working against you.
Send the device type, exactly what happened, and whether it was powered on afterwards. Inspection and diagnosis are free with no obligation, and we explain what's possible before any step.