iPhone/Android Recovery

What Should I Do if I Need Phone Data Recovery?

Immediately power off your phone and submit our Chances Form to learn the cost and likelihood that your phone can be recovered.

Is Your Phone Recoverable?

“My Boss had his iPhone [bricked]… Drive Savers wanted between $700 to $1200 to recover the data and two weeks to do it. $300 Data Recovery took less than a day and only charged $300.” –Yelp

Phone data recovery consists of physical and logical failures.

1) Physical failure (bad logic board, liquid damage, bad battery)

We primarily use three techniques to recover from physical failures:

  1. We repair logic board or physical issue (battery, screen, etc.) so the phone works again enough to back up the data.
  2. We remove the NAND or eMMC chip (this chip stores the User data), and extract the files using chip-off data recovery.
  3. We can manually solder leads to the appropriate contacts points on the PCB and recover data directly from the data chip.

*2 & 3 only apply to unencrypted phones, including: LG G4, Samsung Galaxy S3/S4/S5/S6, Galaxy Note 4, Motorola XT1030 (Droid Mini). iPhone 3+ and Android devices with Android OS 6+ are encrypted.

2) Logical failure (corrupt firmware, deleted files, wiped OS)

  • We can recover data from phones when a software update or some other issue has corrupted the firmware. This includes most Samsung devices and iPhones.
  • Deleted files/wiped OS issues typically cannot be recovered. If you need back deleted files, we can recommend a mobile forensic data recovery specialist that may be able to help (email us). 
Phone recovery using ISP pinout data recovery method

Samsung phone recovery using ISP pinout data recovery method

Our Phone Data Recovery Abilities

We will try various in-house software fixes to repair OS corruption and basic logic board repairs for internal damage, along with chip-off recovery when possible. We know which repairs to try and which to avoid in order to keep your data safe! Other companies try risky repairs which can worsen the phone’s condition. If we can’t recover your data without risk, we won’t attempt it.

Like most data recovery companies, our phone data recovery abilities are somewhat limited as this is a highly specialized niche in data recovery. Even the biggest companies use third-party specialists outside of their labs to recover phones (they just don’t tell you, and charge you $2,500+)!

If we cannot recover the data in-house, we’ve partnered with the top phone repair specialist to offer affordable prices with expert abilities.

How Much Will It Cost?

  • If we can recover the data in-house, the cost is $300 (+ our $100 encryption fee if you have an encrypted phone — most phones made in the past 5 years or so are encrypted). If we need to attempt a “chip-off” recovery, we charge $75 to remove the chip from the phone’s PCB (this fee is due up-front and non-refundable).
  • If we cannot recover the data in-house, we’ll offer the “specialist” option. We have partnerships with the best phone techs in the world. With your permission, we’ll send the device to them.
  • If the specialist can recover your phone, the cost is $700, plus $20 shipping each way for Android phones. The cost is $600 for most iPhones (iPhone 15/16 is $800). This cost includes a donor phone, if necessary.
  • We need a “Transfer Drive” — a “good” drive used to store the recovered data; you may provide your own or purchase one from us.
  • Shipping — you are responsible for the cost of shipping to us. Return shipping is $20 within the United States. Drop-off/pick-up is available in Studio City, CA.

How Does The “No Data, No Charge” Policy Work?

Phones are typically either 100% recoverable or not recoverable at all. Once the repair is finished, the phone will almost certainly not work, as the goal is to recover the data to a Transfer Drive, not give you back a repaired/working device.

If we can recover your data in-house:

  • Payment is due after your data has been recovered and after you approve our file listing.
  • If we can recover your data, our previously discussed rate is due (there is no option to decline the recovery).
  • If we can’t recover any files, there is no charge (excluding shipping for mail-in customers).

If we need to send your phone to the specialist:

  • 50% payment + shipping both ways is required before we send out your device. After the technician recovers your data, the remaining 50% is due.
  • Should the recovery attempt fail with the specialist, there will be no charge for the recovery attempt (we will refund the 50% payment), though shipping costs will still apply.

What is your turnaround time?

Our average turnaround time for in-house phone repairs is 3-5 business days. If we send your phone to our partner, the turnaround time will likely be 2-6 weeks.

If you need your data back as quickly as possible, consider our Priority Service for an additional $200 ($50 up-front; +$150 if the recovery is successful).

How will the data be recovered?

Samsung Phones

For Samsung phones, Smart Switch is the best solution for getting a full backup that can be restored to a new phone. It is typically a seamless transfer, with applications included. The recovery will include the Secure Folder as long as the Secure Folder is unlocked before running the backup. You can copy the SmartSwitchBackup2 folder to a USB-C flash drive and connect it directly to your new phone to restore without needing to use a computer. With Smart Switch, the restored data should merge with any newly accumulated data. However, we recommend backing up your existing data just in case. So, if you have been using a new phone and accumulating text messages and calls, the backup that we provide will merge with your new data rather than overwriting it.

iPhones

For iPhones, we make a fully encrypted backup of all the data so it can easily be restored to a new phone using Finder. We also extract files like photos, videos, notes, voice memos, WhatsApp messages, and more from the phone and provide them on the external drive. Note that files from some applications cannot be extracted (but they will be included in the backup file). Restoring an iPhone backup will replace all existing data on the phone. So if you have already started using a new phone, you should back up its data first before restoring the recovered data.

Is your data recoverable?

Click below to submit our Chances Form and find out the likelihood of data recovery, along with a price quote.