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Fourth generation iPhone. Repair is straightforward, but the front glass and LCD must be replaced as a unit. GSM / 8, 16, or 32 GB capacity / Model A1332 / Black and White. This page aims to help users troubleshoot, fix, and seek help for the iPhone 4.

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How to retrieve pictures from iPhone that won't turn on

I have an iPhone 4 that is very much broken. I finally got my computer to recognize it, but it is locked with a passcode. The screen will not come on at all for me to enter the code, so I can't find a way to get the pictures off of it. I'm sure if I replaced the glass/LCD I could get it to work—but I've already bought an iPhone 5, so I'd really hate to have to do that. Is there any way to get these pictures off without putting more money into the phone? Is there a way to enter the passcode from the computer?

Thanks!

Answered! View the answer I have this problem too

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Leo Martin, was your iPhone passcode protected??? I am trying the Jihosoft program on the trusted computer and when I click scan, it says that the device is passcode protected -_-

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@oldturkey03 Please see comment above? Need desperate help to retrieve my photos! Phone is still recognised on the trusted pc but the device screen is bust and I can't enter the passcode!

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Calvin123 as time changes software changes and passcode protections get far more cryptic. In your case, you'll have to try to replace the display to enter the passcode. No software will allow you you access your files without doing so.

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If you have a mac try connecting the iPhone and going to iPhoto if your computer already recognizes it the pictures should show up in one of the files. Can't remember which one. Unless you restarted the computer which is what happened to me. So now I have to get it fixed because those pictures are too valuable

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There is no need to connect iPhone to computer to get your photos backup. You can just recover them from Free iTunes Backup Extractor. I have tried it and finally get them back from iTunes

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mwm417, here is my answer to a similar question:

There is a way to erase the password without erasing your files. Plug in your iPhone. Open My Computer (or Computer for Vista). Click on Folder options and enable to view hidden files. Next, go to iPod_control and click on the folder named Device. If your iPhone is locked, there will be a file _locked . Rename the file to _unlocked. Remove your iPhone and it should be cleared. This is the only way that I am aware of, other then a total restore where you will, of course, lose your data. Good Luck, and let us know if it works. If you have trouble getting your iPhone into disk mode, check here. Hope this helps, good luck.

UPDATE

Okay, I just thought I add this. You can also do it this way:

Both PCs and Macs will recognize your iPhone or iPod touch as a camera when you connect it. This means that you can offload your pictures to your computer without having to use iTunes. Here’s how you do it:

PCs (Windows XP)

Connect your iPhone/iPod touch via the USB cable, open Control Panel, and go to Scanners and Camera >Apple iPhone (or iPod).

Right-click on it and choose Properties from the menu.

Go to the Events tab and choose “Camera connected” from the “Select an event” drop-down menu.


Pick one of three Actions:

Start this program – The default program is Microsoft Scanner and Camera Wizard, which will take you through the process of downloading your pictures. You can also choose a different program from the drop-down menu.

Take no action – Choose this option if you want to manage your photos with iTunes. Windows won’t do anything automatically when you connect your device.

Save all pictures to this folder – Choosing this option will automatically download your photos to a folder that you choose whenever your device is connected.

Macs

Connect your iPhone/iPod touch and launch Applications >Image Capture.

Go to Preferences >General.

Under Camera, select Image Capture in the “When a camera is connected, open:” option, and then click OK. Now when you connect your 
iPhone/iPod touch, Image Capture will be launched and you can choose where you want to download your images.

I found the above solution here. Hope this helps.

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Thanks for the great response! However, the iPhone doesn't show up in iTunes unless it is in DFU mode so I can't find a way to enable disk mode for it to make it show up in Windows Explorer. Is there any other way to get it into disk use mode besides iTunes?

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mwm417, I just tried something with my phone. Disable itunes from popping up when you plug your phone in. If in doubt, you could even delete itr. When I plug my phone in, after I set iTunes to prevent automatic syncing and prevent it from starting up, my iPhone is being recognized as a digital camera and shows up as such under the My Computer/computer. I can then access the picture on my phone. give that a try. the other thing that worked for my phone is a shareware program called "Sharepod" at it is available right here". It allowed me to download my pictures and songs to my computer.

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You are a very kind person to take the time time to help with all of your knowledge. Very traumatizing to lose so much data. I am trying your methods as we speak to try to retrieve pic from iPhone with dead screen as well. Will let you know! Just wanted to say thank you first!

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So far looks like it's working! Hope my laptop can handle all the transfers! But your instructions did work. Thank you again mwm417

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Amazing info. This has helped me as well. Thank you.

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If the phone won't turn on past the apple logo to the main screen then there is no hope of getting any information out of the phone NO programe will work to remove anything ..

Don't download these programmes it's only wasting ur time

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wrong it is still possible :D.

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agree that it's not possible if the only problem you have is a broken screen. if there's something more serious that's f'd up, like the motherboard, it's no use. I asked apple why the motherboard on my phone only lasted 1 year. the agent told me apple products weren't really designed to last long since everyone buys the latest model as soon as it comes out.

Thanks, apple freaks.

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If you have back up your photos, you can restore from the backup.

To restore information from a backup, use one of the following methods after connecting your phone to the computer with which you normally sync:

1. Right-click (or Control-click) the device and choose Restore from Backup

2. If you have a new phone, you can connect to iTunes and it will prompt to restore from your backup

Solution from Apple.com: http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1766

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Is most people on here brain dead if the phone won't turn on then there is no way you can get anything off it no matter what programe you use!!!!!!!!

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yup. that's been my experience. the programs that supposedly allow you to retrieve pics off a broken iphone don't work. it just says "phone not in normal mode. restart the device." that message just keeps displaying no matter what i do. i have heard of companies that will actually take your phone apart and can somehow connect to the memory directly to retrieve pics. i'm guessing it's costly, but i need those pics. anyone know anything about that method?

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gaberry32 did you ever find a way to get your photos and videos off of your broken iPhone I'm in the same boat I'm devastated and I have to get them off

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buy display with broken glass but working touch for like 2-3 Dollar (iphone 4) or ask someone to lend you his iphone 4 :-))

enter the passcode after turning the device on and recover your data.

I know you do not want to put more money into that that old phone but still.

Most tips wont work because the iphone wont allow incoming connections as long the phone is beeing locked by a passcode.

There are special (not freeware) forensic tools that might help to bypass that but it might be far to complicated.

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Try to fix your iPhone firstly. If it won't help, you may need to extract photos from iTunes backup.

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mwm417 will be eternally grateful.
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