Your iPhone fell in the canal, your MacBook went dark in the middle of a deadline, or the device simply stopped responding one morning and never came back. The repair is not what worries you. The photos are: years of your children growing up, the thesis you never backed up, the business files, the WhatsApp chats, the notes. When a phone or laptop will not turn on, most people assume everything on it is gone.
Very often it is not. A device that shows no sign of life still has its storage chip, and that chip usually still holds your data. At Blue Apple in Amsterdam we recover data from iPhones and MacBooks that are dead, will not turn on, will not boot, or are stuck on the Apple logo, including devices that other shops have already given up on.
Why "it won't turn on" rarely means "the data is gone"
When an iPhone or MacBook stops working, the cause is almost always somewhere other than the memory itself. A short circuit in a capacitor, a failed charging chip, a power management IC that has burnt out, a corroded connector after water damage, or a cracked solder joint after a drop: any one of these stops the device from starting, while the storage that holds your data sits there untouched.
That is the key to data recovery on modern Apple devices. The data is still there. The task is to get the device working again for long enough to get it out safely.
Why modern iPhones and MacBooks need a specialist
On an old laptop with a removable hard drive you could take the drive out, put it in another computer and copy your files. On a modern iPhone or MacBook that no longer works, for two reasons.
The storage is soldered to the logic board
Every iPhone, and every MacBook from around 2016 onwards, has its storage soldered directly onto the logic board. There is no drive to take out and no cable to plug in.
The data is encrypted to that one board
Apple encrypts the storage with keys that live inside the processor's security hardware: the Secure Enclave in the iPhone, the T2 chip in Intel MacBooks, and the M-series chip itself in Apple Silicon MacBooks. Those keys never leave the chip. Even if you desoldered the memory and read it out, all you would get is unreadable, encrypted data.
So the only way to your files is through the original logic board, with its own processor, working again. That is why data recovery from a dead iPhone or MacBook is really a board-level repair: finding the fault under the microscope, replacing the failed components, and bringing the board back to life so the data can be copied off.
What we recover data from
- iPhones that will not turn on: no screen, no vibration, no reaction to the charger or to a forced restart.
- iPhones stuck on the Apple logo or in a boot loop that keeps restarting.
- iPhones with water damage, including devices that have been in the sea, a pool, the toilet or the canal.
- Dropped or crushed iPhones with a bent frame or a damaged board.
- MacBooks that are completely dead: no chime, no light, no fan, no response to the power button.
- MacBooks that will not boot, show a folder with a question mark or a prohibition sign, or stall on the progress bar.
- MacBooks with liquid damage: coffee, tea, wine or water over the keyboard.
- Older MacBooks with a removable SSD or hard drive that has failed itself.
We work on every iPhone and every MacBook model, from older models up to the latest MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max.
How data recovery works at Blue Apple
1. Intake and an honest first look
You bring the device to our workshop at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, or send it to us by post. We listen to what happened, because the story matters: a drop, liquid, a failed update or a slow decline all point to different faults. We record the device's condition with you.
2. Diagnosis at board level
We open the device and measure the logic board: power rails, current draw, short circuits, signs of corrosion. Under the microscope we look for burnt components, lifted chips and broken connections. This tells us what stopped the device from starting.
3. Repair to get the board running
We replace the failed parts: capacitors, coils, charging and power chips, connectors, and in some cases we move the processor and memory to a donor board. Liquid-damaged boards are cleaned in an ultrasonic bath first, to stop corrosion spreading further.
4. Secure data transfer
As soon as the device starts, we secure your data before anything else. On an iPhone that means a full backup; on a MacBook we copy your files to an external drive. You unlock the device with your own passcode or password, because without it nobody can decrypt the data: not us, and not Apple.
5. You get your files back
You receive your data on a new device, an external drive or a USB stick. If the device can be repaired permanently as well, we tell you what that costs, and you decide.
Your privacy
A phone or laptop contains your whole life. We treat it that way. Your device is only handled by the technician doing the recovery, your data is used for one thing only, getting it back to you, and we do not look at, keep or share your photos, messages or files. Once you have your data back, we remove any working copy on our side.
What you should not do with a dead device
The first hours after damage often decide whether recovery is possible. Avoid these mistakes:
- Do not keep putting it on the charger after water damage. Current through a wet board speeds up corrosion and can turn a repairable fault into a fatal one.
- Do not put it in rice. Rice does not dry the inside of a phone, and the starch and dust make things worse. Switch the device off and bring it in as quickly as possible.
- Do not restore or update the iPhone through Finder or iTunes, and do not reinstall macOS. A restore erases the device and your data with it.
- Do not let anyone without board-level experience open it. A torn flex cable or a slip with a screwdriver on a damaged board can end the chance of recovery.
- Do not use a hairdryer or oven to dry or "reflow" the device. Heat damages the battery and the chips.
What does data recovery cost?
Data recovery for an iPhone or MacBook costs €1,000 including VAT, for every model. That covers the board-level diagnosis, the repair needed to get the device running, and transferring your data. You know the price before we begin, so there are no surprises halfway through.
Data recovery is specialist work that takes time: tracing a fault on a dead board, replacing microscopic parts and moving chips can take several days. If the device can be fully repaired afterwards so you can keep using it, we will give you a separate price for that.
Frequently asked questions
Can you really recover data from an iPhone that won't turn on at all?
In many cases, yes. Most iPhones that show no sign of life have a fault in the power circuit or charging circuit, not in the memory. Once that is fixed, the iPhone starts and we can make a backup.
Do I need my passcode?
Yes. Your data is encrypted, and only your passcode (iPhone) or login password (MacBook) unlocks it. We cannot bypass that, and nobody legitimate can. You enter the code yourself, or give it to us only for the duration of the transfer.
Is my data in iCloud anyway?
Possibly, but often only partly. Check iCloud.com or another Apple device first: if your photos and files are there, you may not need recovery at all. Many people turn out to have iCloud Photos off, a full iCloud storage, or a last backup from months ago.
Is recovery always possible?
No, and we will be honest with you about that. If the processor or the storage chip itself is physically destroyed, for example by a severe impact or a fire, the encrypted data cannot be read. In most cases of liquid damage, drops and electronic failure, however, the chances are good.
How long does it take?
That depends on the fault. Plan on a few working days; with severe corrosion or a board that needs chips moved, it can take longer. We keep you informed while we work.
Can I send my device by post?
Yes. Customers from all over the Netherlands send their iPhones and MacBooks to us. Pack the device well, switch it off if you can, and include a note with your name, phone number and what happened.
Get your data back
Has your iPhone or MacBook stopped working, and are your photos, documents or messages still on it? Do not give up on them. Come by our workshop at Rijnstraat 76-H in Amsterdam, call us on 020 239 11 93 or send a WhatsApp message, and choose your model on our iPhone repair page or MacBook repair page to book data recovery straight away.
