How to Activate Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

If you want to recover and save the missing or deleted iPhone data, activate Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your computer.

The demo version of the software is only for evaluation purposes. To use its full functionality, purchase the software and then activate it.

The software can be activated using the Activation Key, which you receive via email after purchasing the software. It would help if you had an active Internet connection to activate Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone .

Steps to activate Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone

1. Run the demo version of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone software
2. On the main interface, click the Activation icon

1. The Activation window appears. Enter the Activation Key you received in your email after purchasing the software.

1. Click Activate
2. The software verifies the entered key. After successful verification, a message appears saying ‘Activation Completed Successfully’. Click OK.

If you don’t have the Activation Key of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone, here’s how to get it…

In case you don’t have an Activation Key, follow the below steps:

• Free download and install the software on your computer
• Click on the Activation icon on the home screen of the software
• Click Get it now

• The software directs you to the buy page. Next, click on Windows or Mac tab, as per your system.
• Click on Buy Now button to purchase the software
• Fill in your details as asked
• After purchasing the software within a few minutes, you will receive an Activation Key and the link to download the product on your email. Use that link and key to activate Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone as given in steps (1-6)

Note: If you didn’t receive the Activation Key at your registered email within a few minutes of purchasing the software, contact our customer support via mail, chat, or call.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone® Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone® is the best DIY software to recover missing or accidentally deleted Contacts, Messages, Calendar, Photos, Videos, Call History etc directly from iPhone or iPad.

How to Recover Lost Data from iPhone After iOS Update?

Summary: If your iPhone data, such as photos, videos, contacts, messages, notes, etc., have disappeared after an iOS update, read this post. It guides you on how to recover data lost after an iPhone update to iOS 16/ 15/ 14/ 13. Also, download the best iPhone data recovery software — Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone — that can recover any data lost due to an iOS update or iOS crash.

‘When I upgraded my iPhone from iOS 15.6 to iOS 16.4, I lost my data (photos, videos, and apps) How can I restore data in my iPhone? Please help.’

As an iPhone user, you eagerly wait for iOS updates that fix various bugs and bring in new features and enhancements. But the charm of making your iPhone smarter and more secure vanishes when suddenly after the update, your contacts, messages, photos or videos, etc., disappear from your iPhone.

There have been several complaints about data loss from iPhone after upgrading to iOS 16, 15, 14, or 13. It is strange as Apple is known to enhance its iPhone data security with every new iOS version.

So why your iPhone data is lost after iOS update?

Technical anomalies after software upgrades are quite common. Even sophisticated Apple devices can lose data after updating to the latest iOS version or show other problems. Although you can restore your data using iTunes or iCloud backup , this may not work every time.

Addressing the problem, we have created a guide for you to recover data lost after an iOS update.

How to recover data lost after iPhone update

You are probably safe if you have created a backup in iTunes or iCloud before updating your iPhone. In this case, you can restore the lost data from the backup files. Otherwise, seek help of an iPhone data recovery software to recover lost data after iOS update.

Below are the methods to recover data lost after iPhone update:

1. Restore lost iPhone data using iTunes
2. Recover lost data after iOS update using iCloud
3. Recover data lost after iPhone update using software

Method 1: Restore lost iPhone data after iOS update using iTunes

Recover lost data from your computer using the iTunes backup you created before the iOS update.

Steps to recover iPhone data from iTunes backup:

• Connect iPhone to your PC/Mac with a USB cable. If a message asks for your device passcode or to Trust This Computer, follow the prompts.
• Launch iTunes.
• Select your iPhone under the device list.
• Click on Summary.

Figure: Restore from Backup in iTunes

• Click Restore Backup.
• In the Restore from Backup dialog box, select the relevant backup date just before the iOS update.
• Click Restore. Wait until the restore process finishes. Keep your iPhone connected after it restarts. All your lost iPhone data will be restored on the iPhone.

In case iTunes could not connect to iPhone and shows value is missing error, learn how to fix and connect to iTunes .

Method 2: Recover lost iPhone data after iOS update using iCloud

All iOS device users have iCloud backup advantage. If, after the iOS 16/15/14/13/12 update, your iPhone contacts, Camera Roll, notes, messages, etc., are missing, recover them using the iCloud backup.

However, this method resets your device, and all existing data gets deleted. This means any photos, videos, messages, contacts, etc., which were added or received after the iOS update are removed.

Steps to restore photos from iCloud on iPhone:

• Click to follow Settings >General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase all Contents and Settings.

• In the dialog box, choose Erase Now.
• In the Apps & Data screen, tap Restore from iCloud Backup.

• Enter Apple ID to sign in to your iCloud account.
• Select the recent backup before the iOS update and click Restore. All your missing data will be back on iPhone.

Figure: iPhone restore from iCloud in progress

In case: iCloud backup is greyed out, know here how to fix it .

Method 3: Recover lost data from iPhone after iOS update using software

An iPhone data recovery software is the easiest and quick solution to restore lost iPhone data after iOS update. It is recommended when you don’t have the iPhone backup, or you’re unable to restore data using iCloud or iTunes.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone can find and restore contacts, videos, photos, audio, chat messages, Calendar, etc., deleted after updating to iOS 16/ 15/ 14/ 13. The software ensures that you recover even the hidden files in your iPhone or iPad after iOS update.

Moreover, you can restore old data without deleting any existing photos or videos that you added or clicked from your iPhone after the update.

The software can extract data from your iPhone, iTunes, and iCloud backup as well. There’s no need to reset or delete any data from your iPhone, when using the software.

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is helpful, in case:

• You don’t have iPhone backup.
• iPhone data recovery using iCloud or iTunes backup failed.
• Some of your Contacts, iMessages, chats, photos, videos, Safari bookmarks, etc., are missing after recovery from backup.
• You want a quick and easy method to recover lost data after iOS update.
• You don’t want to reset your device to recover the missing data after the update.

The software is compatible with series of iPhone 14 / 13 / 12 / 11 / XS / XR / X / 8 / 7 & below and supports the latest iOS 17, 16 15, 14, 13, 12 and below versions.

 

Steps to restore iPhone after iOS update using software

• Connect your iPhone/ iPad to computer.
• Download Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone on your PC or Mac.
• On the main screen of the software, select Recover from iPhone.

Click here


• Select the data you want to recover and click Next. The scanning process begins.

• Next, preview and select the required data. Click Save to restore data on iPhone.

You can also choose the module Recover from iCloud backup or Recover from iTunes backup, if required.

Conclusion

Sometimes after an iOS update, you may not be able to restore iPhone using iTunes or iCloud backups. In such a situation, use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. The software ensures you recover all data lost due to an iOS update.

The professional iOS data recovery software thoroughly scans your iPhone restoring missing contacts, iMessages, photos, videos, Voice Memos, Notes, WhatsApp chats, and other data. You can also preview the found data before saving them on your iPhone or iPad.

You can download the free trial of the software and preview the recovered iPhone data.

 

FAQs

1. Why did my contacts disappear on the iPhone?

If your contacts disappeared on your iPhone after installing iOS 16, it can be because you didn’t update the iOS appropriately. To recover lost iPhone contacts after the update, you need to factory reset your iOS device and try installing the iOS update again.

2. Where is the iPhone 16 update file located?

When updating your iPhone through iTunes on your Mac, you can find the update file in iPhone software updates. You’ll need to navigate to ~/Library/iTunes/iPhone Software Updates.

3. Which iPhones will get iOS 16 update?

iOS 16 updates are compatible with iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 12, iPhone 12 mini, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus iPhone SE (3rd generation) and iPhone SE (2nd generation).

4. How to recover lost videos after the iOS 16 update?

If installing the iOS 16 update causes data loss, restore the iTunes or iCloud backup. However, if you forget to take a backup, for iPhone video recovery use Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

5. Is iPhone deleted text recovery possible after factory reset iOS?

Yes, there is a chance to recover deleted text after factory resetting iOS using the backup stored in iTunes or iCloud.

6. Will iOS 16 update delete my photos?

No, your iPhone data, such as videos, and photos don’t get deleted during iOS 16 update. But if there is any interruption during updates like a power cut then there is a chance to lose data from iPhone. At that time, use backup for iPhone photo recovery and to restore deleted or lost photos.

7. How to recover deleted notes from your iPhone?

iPhone deleted notes retrieval can be done using – The recently Deleted Folder and iCloud backup if you have previously enabled iCloud for Notes.

8. How to recover imessages on iPhone?

For recovering imessages or any other lost or deleted files use iCloud. Just open iCloud.com > Advanced section > Restore files. Next, choose the files you want to restore.

6 Things We Can Do To Save A Water Damaged iPhone

“Hey there! I accidentally spilled water on my iPhone 14 Pro yesterday and it won`t turn on anymore. I was pretty sure I retrieved the phone within 10 seconds, yet it’s not working! Is there a way to save and fix water-damaged iPhone?”

If you’ve ever accidentally dropped your phone in water or drenched it in rain, then you’re not alone. From a split cup of coffee or water to dropping it in pools, bathtubs or toilets, your iPhone can be water-damaged due to various reasons.

With new-generation Apple devices, water exposure isn’t an immediate death sentence for your iPhone as it used to be. But it can still create issues in your iPhone, such as:

• Liquid droplets flowing inside the iPhone screen
• Issues in the charging port or the iPhone won’t charge.
• No audio or ruffled audio.
• Blurry images due to moisture in the camera lens.
• The internal part of the device gets corroded.

While the new iPhones have good water resistant capabilities, this doesn’t mean they are totally immune to water. Being electronic devices, water can seriously damage them.

This article shares several best practices that can help you save a water-damaged iPhone. But first, let’s understand how water resistant your iPhone is.

Is my iPhone water resistant?

The water resistance of the smartphones is rated by the “ingress protection” code, also called IP rating.

This rating includes two number: the first number indicates protection against solids, such as dust, whereas the second demonstrate resistance to liquid, mainly water. For example, the iPhone 12 has a rating of IP68, which means it provides six levels of protection from solid and eight levels of protection from liquid.

There are multiple types of IP ratings, but IP67 and IP68 are mainly applied to iPhones.

• IP67  – A device with this rating can withstand being submerged in up to 1 meter of water for a maximum of 30 minutes
• IP68 – iPhone with an IP68 rating can survive submersion in water up to 2 meters for a maximum of 30 minutes

Here’s the list of last few generation iPhone with their IP rating

• iPhone 15/15 Plus/ 15 Pro/ 15 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone 14/14 Plus/ 14 Pro/ 14 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone13/ 13 Mini/ 13 Pro / 13 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone12/ 12 Mini/ 12 Pro / 12 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone 11/ 11 Pro / 11 Pro Max – IP68
• iPhone XS/ XS Max – IP68
• iPhone X/XR /8/8 Plus /7 /7 Plus/ SE (2^nd generation) – IP67

What Not to Do?

Most iPhones offer certain level of water resistance, but it doesn’t mean an iPhone dropped in swimming pool or a bucket full of water is immune to any damage. Moreover, not every repair step will help you fix water-damaged iPhone; and some can complicate things further. Before, we start on potential steps to save your water-damaged iPhone, let’s first look at some absolute things that worsen the cause and should be avoided at all costs.

1. Don’t turn on your iPhone

Your iPhone will turn off automatically after being dropped in water. However, you should manually turn it off if it doesn’t turn off. Turn your phone on only if you are sure water or moisture content from the exterior and interior is completely dry. Turning on the water-damaged iPhone might cause water to reach inside the device, causing it to malfunction.

2. Plug it in or Use the Charging Port in Any Way

Moreover, don’t charge your iPhone battery as it can result in an electrical short circuit or even combustion, resulting in a fire. No matter how water resistant the iPhone is, it’s better to not plug it in when wet or water-damaged.

3. Don’t use hot air to blow dry your iPhone

Blow-drying your iPhone with hot air can damage your device further. Hot air may heat your iPhone to an unbearable degree, making it unsuitable for device hardware. Also, avoid using a space heater or furnace sidewall exhaust to dry your iPhone.

Steps You Can Take to Potentially Save Your Water-Damaged iPhone

If you drop your iPhone in water, the following methods can save your iPhone from potential damage.

1. Take it out and turn it off immediately

Remove your iPhone from the water right away. Once retrieved, turn it off immediately. If there is any iPhone cover and screen guard to protect your phone, remove them as they might hold moisture. Use a paper towel or cotton cloth to wipe the iPhone’s exterior.

2. Evacuate the SIM card

After drying the iPhone’s exterior, remove the SIM card tray, if not using an e-SIM. Although SIM cards have a watertight seal, getting them out helps. Use a paper towel to dry the SIM card and the tray.

3. Dry your iPhone

While Apple recommends simply wiping the iPhone dry or tapping excess water out of the ports, we recommend the below-mentioned ways to ensure your iPhone is as dry as possible.

• Place it in a dry place

You need to place the iPhone in a warm and dry place so the water inside the phone can evaporate. Place it in a nearby window with proper sunlight, but do not expose the device to harsh sunlight.

• Place it in uncooked rice

The uncooked rice trick used to be the go-to method to dry any visible liquid in iPhone, as rice absorbs moisture quickly. Place the iPhone in a bag or bowl of rice for a day or two to ensure the water traces inside the phone are absorbed entirely. However, this method is slightly risky, as uncooked rice can push grains and dust in the charging port of your device.

• Dry it with silica gel packets

If the water has seeped into the internal parts of the iPhone, try burying it in a heap of silica gel bags in an airtight container. This helps in absorbing the moisture from the inside of your iPhone. Using silica gel packets is a safer alternative to the uncooked rice method for drying a wet iPhone, as nothing will get clogged in the ports.

• Use a hairdryer (if it has a cool wind setting)

If your hair dryer has a cool wind setting, you can use it to dry wet iPhone. While drying the iPhone, keep the hair dryer in low mode and keep your iPhone at a distance so that air blowing doesn’t cause any damage.

Or, you can keep your iPhone under a cool air fan to dry it.

4. Disassemble the phone and let it air dry

If drying the iPhone via uncooked rice method or silica gel packet doesn’t work, consider dismantling it as your last resort. You can use DIY repair tips to open the device to dry it out or go to any trusted tech expert.

Caution: We wouldn’t recommend dismantling the iPhone using DIY tips as it may worsen the problem.

Dismantle your iPhone carefully, air dry its interior, and assemble it back after a few hours. Also, if the Liquid Contact Indicators inside the iPhone have already detected water damage, opening the phone invalidates your warranty coverage.

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If all the above efforts fail to fix the iPhone from water damage, you must check if the device’s warranty is still valid. If it is, call your manufacturer and request a repair or replacement. If it is invalid, visit an Apple Genius bar to repair your cell phone.

6. Take the phone to an approved repair shop

The longer you wait to take your iPhone to an Apple Genius bar, the more damage it incurs. If you cannot dry the wet iPhone by following the manual methods mentioned above, rush to an Apple Genius bar to get it repaired and minimize the chances of further damage.

How To Find Out If Your iPhone Has Water Damage?

Liquid Contact Indicator, or LCI, is the new way to determine whether or not your iPhone is exposed to water damage. An LCI is generally of white or silver color; however, when it comes in contact with water or other liquid, it turns red.

See the table to learn where the indicators are planted in your respective iPhone, depending upon its model.

How To Recover Data From Water-Damaged iPhone?

Once you have powered on your water-damaged iPhone after drying, it is possible to recover data from it. There are two ways to recover lost data from water-damaged iPhones: backup services or professional iPhone data recovery software .

Let’s see various scenarios where you can recover data from a water-damaged iPhone:

iPhone won’t turn on

If your iPhone won’t turn on even after drying the wet iPhone using the tips mentioned above, it has short-circuited or water has eroded some of its internal components. In such a situation, use any backup service to recover your iPhone data.

If you have enabled iCloud backup on your iPhone, you can easily restore your data. You can visit the official iCloud website and log into your account to save the lost data on your computer. Or, set up your new iPhone using the existing iCloud credentials to restore the data of your previous iPhone.

iPhone starts but data is lost

If you turn your iPhone back on again, but its data is lost, try setting up your phone with existing iCloud account to recover the data. However, if you haven’t enabled iCloud backup, it is recommended that you use reliable iPhone data recovery software like Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. This software recovers deleted/lost photos, videos, audio, messages, voice memos, calendars etc. from iPhone, iPad, iTunes, and iCloud backup files.

The software supports recovery in all data loss scenarios like water-damaged devices, accidental deletion, failed iOS updates, iPhone stuck in recovery mode, etc. This iPhone recovery software is compatible with all variants of iPad and iPhone, including the series of iPhone 15/14/13/12/11 and below.

Conclusion

We hope you fix the water-damaged iPhone after following the above suggestion. However, it would be best if you were extra careful to protect your iPhone from any type of water damage. Here are some best practices you must follow:

• Use a waterproof case to provide an additional layer of protection to your iPhone against water.
• Keep your iPhone away from sinks, bathrooms, toilets, etc.
• Be mindful in rainy conditions, and put your phone in a waterproof bag or safe pocket.
• Refrain from touching your iPhone with wet hands.
• Take regular data backups, as it is handy in data loss situations.

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FAQs

What do I do if my iPhone speaker doesn’t work after falling into water?

If there is water in your iPhone speaker, it may not work. In such a situation, try drying your iPhone and turning it on to take a backup of your data before testing the speaker. You can even visit Apple Genius Bar to get the help of a tech expert to fix your iPhone.

How to Recover Deleted Data from iPhone using Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone?

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is an ideal tool for efficiently recovering deleted data from iPhone devices. This software can recover photos, videos, messages, call history, calendar, notes, etc. The tool uses an advanced algorithm, which scans through the memory and recovers data from any cases of data loss. In addition, this iPhone data recovery software  also uses a very simple and easy-to-use graphical user interface, making the entire process very easy to perform. Therefore, you can follow the below-mentioned steps to recover deleted photos and contacts from an iPhone device using Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone.

 

Note: Run the latest version of iTunes services before launching the software.

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer via USB cable for recovery from iPhone. Once you launch the software, you have three options to choose from. Recover from iPhone, Recover from iTunes backup and Recover from iCloud backup.

2. Once Computer detects your iPhone, select ‘Recover from iPhone’, choose what you want to recover, and click “next”. It will show you the iOS devices connected to your system. Next, select your device and click “scan.”

3. After scanning the device, you will see details of all the recoverable items listed in the left-hand side panel.

4.   Now select and preview the required items by clicking the corresponding checkbox in front of each item.

5.   Click on ‘Save’ option to save the recovered items either on the Computer or iPhone depending on chosen location

Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone® Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone® is the best DIY software to recover missing or accidentally deleted Contacts, Messages, Calendar, Photos, Videos, Call History etc directly from iPhone or iPad.