The battery in our iPhone 13 has swollen, and the phone no longer turns on. Unfortunately, many of the photos and other files were never backed up to iCloud or another service. We now have an iPhone 17, but we cannot transfer anything because the old phone will not boot. An authorized service center said they could send it to a central repair facility, but the process would reset or wipe the device. Since the data matters more than permanently repairing the phone, we want to know whether a battery replacement or temporary repair could allow the phone to start long enough to unlock it and copy the photos. Is there a safe way to recover the data without erasing the phone?
3 Answers
Look for a reputable independent Apple repair shop or a specialist in board-level data recovery, rather than a service process that routinely wipes devices. Explain clearly that data preservation is the priority and that you do not authorize an erase or restore. A swollen lithium-ion battery can be dangerous, so stop charging or trying to power it on and have the phone handled safely. If the phone’s logic board and storage are still functional, a technician may be able to install a known-good battery or otherwise make a temporary repair so you can unlock it and copy the data. There is no guarantee, because iPhone data is encrypted and generally cannot simply be read by removing the storage chip.
Before opening the phone, check whether any photos were already stored elsewhere: iCloud Photos, an older computer backup, the Photos app on a Mac or PC, or another cloud photo service. If nothing exists there, professional repair is the realistic option. Apple or an authorized center may prioritize standard replacement procedures and may not promise data recovery, so ask an independent specialist whether they can work under a no-wipe, data-recovery agreement.
Most of the photos were not synced, but we started trying after noticing the swollen battery. We mainly need the phone to work once so we can unlock it and save the remaining data.
Ask specifically for a data-preserving battery replacement or diagnostic repair. The goal is not to restore the operating system; it is to get the original phone to boot and remain usable long enough to unlock it and create an encrypted backup or copy the photos. Tell the shop not to update, restore, erase, or replace the logic board. A battery from another iPhone is not necessarily a good DIY solution, since the battery may be damaged, incompatible, or unsafe to remove.
A battery replacement by itself should not erase the phone, but attempting it at home is risky with a swollen battery. The phone will also need its passcode after a restart, so make sure you know it before handing the device over.