Hey everyone! My dad accidentally dropped his iPhone 8 in the Ohio River for about a minute, and although he put it in rice right after, he's now trying to charge it to see if it'll turn back on. The main thing he cares about is retrieving hundreds of family photos from it. Here's the info:
- Phone: iPhone 8
- Time in water: about 1 minute (fresh water)
- Steps taken: dried in rice, currently charging it (not sure if it'll actually power on)
- We don't want to spend over $300 on data recovery services like DriveSavers.
- He's planning to get a new phone soon, so our priority is just the photos, not fixing this phone in the long run.
What's the best, cheapest way to recover the photos if the phone doesn't power on?
- Is there a way to swap the logic board into another iPhone 8 affordably?
- Should we consider going to a local repair shop, and what should we specifically ask for?
- Are there any DIY options worth exploring?
- Is it a bad idea to keep charging it right now?
We're located in Kentucky, and we'd prefer local solutions against mailing it out. Would appreciate any advice to help us recover those pictures without breaking the bank! Thanks!
3 Answers
Honestly, just keep it off and don't charge it too much longer—this can worsen any damage. After you’ve dried it well, give powering it on another shot, but if it doesn’t work, do consult a pro before attempting any fraud DIY fixes. Remember, if the damage is severe, often the best approach is a professional data recovery service—they know how to handle these types of situations!
Going the professional route can be pricey, but it’s often the safest bet for retrieving water-damaged data, especially since the photos are encrypted. If you don’t want to go big bucks, think about hitting up a local repair shop and simply ask if they can safely access the data. It could be less than $300 if they have the right tools. Just be careful with DIY methods—sometimes they can do more harm than good.
Since he only had it in fresh water for a minute, there's a chance it’s salvageable! I’d suggest trying a local repair shop specializing in water damage first. They might be able to recover the photos without replacing parts. Just make sure to communicate that you’re only after the photos, not a full repair.
That’s good to know! I think we’ll definitely try a local shop before considering anything more drastic.
Yeah, I agree! The right expertise could save a lot of heartache later. And enabling cloud backup next time could really save some trouble in the future!