My iPhone 15 was submerged in a swimming pool. The screen no longer works properly, although I can still hear notifications. I bought an iPhone 16 and tried transferring my data, but the newest iCloud backup available is from August 17, 2024, probably because my iCloud storage was full. Is there any way to create or transfer a more recent backup from the damaged phone to the new one?
2 Answers
A new iPhone can qualify for temporary additional iCloud storage specifically for transferring data, so check that option during setup. You can also manage your iCloud storage from a computer and remove unnecessary files or temporarily upgrade the plan. Unfortunately, none of those options can force a backup if the old phone cannot be unlocked or interact with the display, so a screen repair may be the only reliable way to recover the latest data.
The main thing to try is upgrading your iCloud storage or using Apple’s temporary extra storage for an iPhone transfer. Set up the new phone without restoring it yet, connect the old phone to its charger and a familiar Wi‑Fi network, and leave it alone for a while in the hope that an automatic backup completes. If the phone requires its passcode or confirmation on the damaged screen, though, you may not be able to start the backup without repairing or connecting a working display.
Restarting the damaged phone may make things worse because it could require the passcode before reconnecting to Wi‑Fi. I’d leave it powered on and connected to the charger unless a restart is absolutely necessary.