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Smashed iPhone - how can I back it up?

M

Mildredop

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Oct 14, 2013
2,478
1,510
So my iPhone is smashed, but it's smashed in a way that the screen is pressing itself. It's making random calls, sending messages, opening apps etc etc. all in quick succession. It's not responding to any of my taps. So the only way to stop it is to press and hold the power button to turn it off.

Thing is, it's not backed-up on my Mac, and plugging it in to do so it asks me to unlock the phone with my fingerprint, but I can't do that as it's not responsive.

Is there any way I can get the info off my phone?
 
The only way to get data off an iPhone is to have the device functional enough to get it unlocked and recognized by a computer. In your case, it should be as simple as replacing the screen. If you don't want to invest too much in repairing the phone, you could buy an aftermarket screen as they are less expensive than original/OEM screens (via Apple or third-party shops).
 
Minho said:
The only way to get data off an iPhone is to have the device functional enough to get it unlocked and recognized by a computer. In your case, it should be as simple as replacing the screen. If you don't want to invest too much in repairing the phone, you could buy an aftermarket screen as they are less expensive than original/OEM screens (via Apple or third-party shops).
Click to expand...

My daughter-in-law did exactly this with a cheap aftermarket screen. You're basically buying a throw-away screen, but it only has to work long enough and well enough to back up the data. Hint: for convenience, when you do this, encrypt the backup. Extra points: since you can't restore to a phone running a newer version of iOS, if possible, consider updating to the current iOS version before you back up the phone, if possible.
 
Mildredop said:
So my iPhone is smashed, but it's smashed in a way that the screen is pressing itself. It's making random calls, sending messages, opening apps etc etc. all in quick succession. It's not responding to any of my taps. So the only way to stop it is to press and hold the power button to turn it off.

Thing is, it's not backed-up on my Mac, and plugging it in to do so it asks me to unlock the phone with my fingerprint, but I can't do that as it's not responsive.

Is there any way I can get the info off my phone?
Click to expand...

Take it to a repair shop that can temporarily put a cracked screen or working screen on it to back up your data. I recommend only going to a shop that has original quality parts. You have to be cautious with independent shops around. I have a blog post about how to spot a fake iPhone screen hopefully it will help you get your data backed up and avoid loss of photos and such. See this post about fake iPhone screens.
 
Mildredop said:
So my iPhone is smashed, but it's smashed in a way that the screen is pressing itself. It's making random calls, sending messages, opening apps etc etc. all in quick succession. It's not responding to any of my taps. So the only way to stop it is to press and hold the power button to turn it off.

Thing is, it's not backed-up on my Mac, and plugging it in to do so it asks me to unlock the phone with my fingerprint, but I can't do that as it's not responsive.

Is there any way I can get the info off my phone?
Click to expand...
You didn’t mention iCloud. It should be backed up there.
 
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