How to Recover Data from Locked/Disabled iPhone

To safeguard privacy, most iPhone users opt to set a password on their devices, with some even changing it regularly for added security. However, if you accidentally forget your password or make several incorrect attempts, your iPhone can become locked. You might see a message like "iPhone is disabled, connect to iTunes" or "iPhone is unavailable." In this situation, you won't be able to use your iPhone or access any of its data.

If you're searching for ways to recover data from locked iPhone, especially when you haven't previously backed up your device, this guide is here to assist you. Nobody wants to face data loss, and within this guide, we will present effective methods for recovering data from a disabled iPhone without a backup.

How to recover data from locked iPhone via iTunes

Apple offers you a way to recover data from a locked iPhone by utilizing iTunes. Depending on whether you've previously synced your iPhone with iTunes, you can either opt for a restoration through iTunes or initiate the recovery mode on your iPhone to re-enable your iPhone and get iPhone data retrieved.

Way 1. Restore iPhone via iTunes

If you have backed up your iPhone recently, you can directly restore iPhone via iTunes. Follow the steps below to backup and restore your iPhone.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the computer with a stable USB cable > Launch iTunes.

Step 2. Select your iPhone at the top of the screen > Click Back Up Now.

Step 3. Click Restore iPhone to start resetting. It will take a few minutes to complete. When it is over, click Done, and restart your iPhone.

Way 2. Put your iPhone into recovery mode

The other way to unlock iPhone and recover data from locked iPhone is to put your iPhone into recovery mode and restore it. The followings are detailed steps.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to computer. Put your iPhone into recovery mode. The steps are slight different depending on the model of iPhone you’re using:
>> For an iPhone 8 or later: Press the Volume Up and Volume Down buttons, then briefly hold down the Side (or Top) button until the recovery mode screen appears.
>> For iPhone 7/7P: Simultaneously press and hold the Side (or Top) and Volume Down buttons.
>> For iPhone6, SE, and older: Hold down the Side (or Top) and Home buttons together until the recovery mode screen is shown.

Step 2. Open iTunes > Click the phone icon in the upper-left corner > When a prompt appears, click Restore and wait for the process to finish.

Step 3. iTunes will detect when your iPhone enters recovery mode. Proceed by selecting Restore from the menu to continue the process.

Step 4. Once iTunes downloads the latest iOS firmware, follow the on-screen prompts to proceed with the device restoration.

After restoration, you will be asked to decide whether you want to set up your iPhone as a new device or restore it from a backup, then, choose to restore from the latest backup.

How to recover data from iPhone without backup

If you don't have an iTunes backup or access to a synced computer, you can still recover data from a locked or disabled iPhone using third-party data recovery software. Here we recommend AOMEI Data Recovery for iOS, a powerful and reliable iOS data recovery software.

It has a user-friendly interface along with clear and simple operations. Even if you are a beginner, you can easily perform iPhone recovery. Click the download button to install this tool to your computer. Now, let’s take photo recovery as an example to tell you how to recover data from iPhone with it.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to PC with a USB cable. Run AOMEI Data Recovery for iOS, click Scan from its left pane.

Step 2. Tap the Scan Now button to let it scan your iPhone data.

Step 3. Tap each types of data to preview and click the data you’d like to recover, finally, click Recover to get data back to your iPhone.

Bonus: Regular backup iPhone to avoid data lose

Even if you've taken the precaution of backing up your iPhone using iTunes before attempting any troubleshooting, there is still a possibility of some degree of data loss. To minimize the risk of data loss, we recommend using a more advanced backup tool called FoneTool.

In comparison to iTunes, FoneTool offers the advantage of backing up your iPhone fully or selectively, depending on your specific requirements, without any storage space limitations.

Click the icon below to get the tool to regular backup your iPhone to PC in three simple steps.

Step 1. Launch FoneTool > Connect your iPhone SE to computer > Click Phone Backup on the left of homepage. And click Get Start under Full Backup.

Step 2. You can choose to enable Backup encryption to make your data private.

Step 3. You can click Backup Storage Path to select a destination to save your backup file > Click Start Backup and wait for it to finish.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while a locked or disabled iPhone can be a distressing situation, it's not the end of the road for your data. By following the steps outlined above, you can recover data from lock iPhone, more importantly, prevent such incidents in the future by maintaining a robust backup routine.

Always remember that data recovery is possible, but it's best to be proactive in safeguarding your data. Your iPhone is more than a device; it's a treasure chest of memories and vital information that deserves protection.