We all love iPhones. They have many great apps, they are simple to use – and once you get used to Apple, it’s difficult to go for something else. God forbid your iPhone breaks and you have to go for another phone – especially considering the money you paid for it. iPhones aren’t exactly known for their affordability.
But although iPhones are pretty resistant devices, there’s still a chance of damaging them. Whether you dropped your phone or spilled water on it, the device is definitely damaged. There are a few things that you should do before deciding to buy a new one, so here are the first five things that should pop into your mind right after you damaged your iPhone.
1. Turn It Off – Or Keep It Turned Off
Most people make the mistake of turning their phones on after they splash water on it or drop it somewhere – but doing that is generally 90% of the reason why your phone goes from temporarily damaged to damaged beyond repair.
If your phone turns off as you drop it into water, for example, don’t turn it on until it has fully dried. If it didn’t turn off, just do it quickly yourself. After you’ve disassembled and dried it, you can try turning it on to see if it works.
2. Make Sure Your Data Is Safe
After you’ve finished feeling sorry for the damage or freaking out, take some time to decide what’s more important: the device itself or your precious data. You can always buy a new iPhone or fix the old one, but if you end up losing all of your photos, videos, messages, internet history or notes, you won’t be able to recover them if they’re gone for good.
If you’ve backed up your iPhone in the past by using iCloud or iTunes, you might be able to recover all of your files. But how to access those files? The safest way of doing it is by using a program that specializes in recovering data.
All you have to do is download the software onto your computer and follow the steps that are provided on the apps website. Each tutorial explains exactly what you should do in order to recover and extract your data safely. Enigma Recovery is one of these tools and you can understand the process better by reading more here. You can even use the software to transfer data directly from your device into your computer, by connecting the two devices via a USB cable.
3. Take It To a Repair Shop
If your iPhone only has a broken screen or case, you can find a quick solution by fixing it at a phone repair shop. It’s a lot cheaper than taking it to the manufacturer and a lot quicker. But if the device is completely dead you might have to take it to the official Apple store.
4. Try to Repair It Yourself
There are many DIY repair options if the problem is minor. For example, if the phone has been dropped into water, you may want to try covering it in silica gel packets. They will act as moisture absorbent and remove the water from your phone.
If you don’t have silica bags, the same thing can be achieved by placing it in uncooked rice. No, the iPhone won’t be fixed by a team of Chinese people that live in the rice, as the urban myth goes. It will, however, act as an absorbent by taking the water out of your phone.
You can also try hiding the marks of a broken screen or a scratched foil by using a rubber. Other people say that using a microfiber cloth with just a bit of coconut oil can hide the marks – but that also depends on the extent of the damage. If you have one or two fine lines, this will work; but if your screen looks like a 10,000-piece puzzle, then you might want to consider replacing it.
5. Buy a New iPhone
The best option though is to buy a new phone. Although it’s the most expensive one, you might end up paying a lot of money for fixing the old phone anyway. So why not buy a new one? After getting it, use the iCloud or iTunes to get all of your iPhone data transferred to the new device. All you have to do is log into your iCloud account. But there are still a few steps that you need to do before, such as backing up the old iPhone and logging out of iCloud on your broken device by using specialized software.
The best piece of advice would be to not damage your iPhone in the first place. Use a protective case, handle it like it is a baby – anything to keep it safe. But in the event that disaster strikes, you can try any of the suggestions mentioned above.
