Retrieval of Personal Data

[Minks]

Hi there, I'm new to this forum and hoping someone can help. I have an iphone 5s and only had it for around 2.5 months. The other day I did something that I wouldn't normally do and that was to have the phone in my back pocket and then visited the loo .... you can guess what happened ... I fished it out within seconds, less than 5. But I made a huge mistake of drying it with a hairdryer (I know now that it was wrong). I also tried to charge it (I know) ........

So, in the hope of recovery, I was told to put it into a bowl of rice which I did for a few days. Nothing. I then bought some reviveaphone solution (https://www.reviveaphone.com/) ... which brought the screen back on but I could still see loads of wet pools ... apparently, had I not used the hair dryer and tried to charge it, it would have been successful but I did more damage by doing what I did - I feel sick about this and so embarrassed having no knowledge about phones

I'm having to buy a new phone now but this is my problem .... I cannot cancel out the personal info on the phone. It wont slide now for me to get into the phone to do the factory settings (as I was advised). Tried to do it on the lappy but that wont work either and I'm in a dilemma

Anyone with any ideas? Or is this a lost cause? Thank you for your time and hope I've posted this in the correct board ....... and I don't mind anyone laughing at my actions ........ I deserve it

 

[Minks]

Also, is it worth sending back to Apple for them to look at it?

 

[deeddawg]

If you have it on iCloud / FindMyiPhone and the phone is connecting to the network, do a remote wipe of the phone from a computer by logging into your account on iCloud.com, selecting Find My iPhone and using the "Erase Phone" function.

As for worth having Apple look at -- There are exceptions of course, but generally I wouldn't expect a low cost repair for a water damaged phone.

However (and I'm guessing you're not in the US, so the options may be different) in the US Apple has an "out of warranty replacement" exchange option that swaps your phone for a refurbished unit for substantially less cost than buying a new phone outright.

 

[Minks]

If you have it on iCloud / FindMyiPhone and the phone is connecting to the network, do a remote wipe of the phone from a computer by logging into your account on iCloud.com, selecting Find My iPhone and using the "Erase Phone" function.

As for worth having Apple look at -- There are exceptions of course, but generally I wouldn't expect a low cost repair for a water damaged phone.

However (and I'm guessing you're not in the US, so the options may be different) in the US Apple has an "out of warranty replacement" exchange option that swaps your phone for a refurbished unit for substantially less cost than buying a new phone outright.

Thank you so much for your reply I do appreciate this and apologise for the delayed reply back to you.

I am in the UK. Since posting my thread, my phone appears to work 'in a fashion'. It wont ring tone but will buzz instead. I can still see pools of 'water/damp'. It will let me text and receive texts. If I make a call, the recipient can hear me and I can hear he/she but if someone calls me, it's not so good?? Ive lost the fingerprint pass so not sure if I can re-do this but at least it will let me 'slide' to get into it now. Maybe this is temporary and either will work properly soon or it will defunk anyway.

I need to check on the UK version of the 'out of warranty replacement' ... I keep seeing icloud but haven't a clue what it is ... sorry, Im not a techno person at all and never know what is safe and what is not