Issues with Passcode Post Water Damage

Question

Level 1

8 points

Issues with Passcode Post Water Damage

First off, let's get the part of how I am an idiot out of the way.....I took my phone on the river, without making a backup to ITunes or icloud and left all my very important pictures on there.. did not even think to take those off first. The bag I put it in was water resistant. The bag got wet and so did my iphone. It was completely off when I looked at it. When I got home, I tried to charge it up, but it made no sound. So, I unplugged it. The next day, I took it to a repair shop, where they did the water damage treatment on my phone. They called me and told me that did not work, phone still not on. I asked if they tried a new battery, incase I fried mine. They said they did not have any batteries right now. I took it to batteries Plus and got a rayovac battery put in it. The guy there told me he hooked up new battery without taking out old did not work... I was insistent on a new battery. He put one in. When I got in car and hit home button it made a noise. I put it on the charger and it made the charging noise, but still nothing else. The next day, I took it to another repair place to find out if it was screen related. He said that my backlight display bulb was blown. He shined a LED flashlight on my phone and I could see the screen. He said it was possible the battery guy, in his assurance that I had a dead phone, did not disconnect the screen before putting my battery in. He thought the other repair place would have caught the blown display thing, if it was already there... I got the phone home and bought a lighting to HDMI cable, so I could see my screen on my monitor. Since others (and myself) did not know the phone was working, after imputing my passcode correctly, the iphone was disabled for 15 minutes. Which means, without meaning to, some tries where made. That is all the backstory..sorry, so long.

My issue is that even though I can input my unlock code on the iphone. After I enter the code I know to be correct, it is disabled. Here is the part that is odd.. when I input a code...the top does not shake or buzz like it should. the passcode circles do not shake nor does the locked icon at the top.

My questions are....

1. Even if the passcode does not shake or phone buzz nor locked icon at top shake... is it still taking a passcode and should unlock. Does that sound like a hardware issue or software issue.

2. I have never backed my phone up... I know.. stupid... but, moving on... if I do an update instead of a restore in recovery mode, (if it is a software issue) will my iphone reset, so I can try again. (I have one more try before phone locks for good)

3. Should I do recovery mode now to update, while I still have a try left, before iphone is disabled, or will now or later not make a difference... if I put it into recovery vs. getting into recovery because I locked out the phone.

4. When I connect to ITunes, and hit authorize this computer to access this iphone, will it then ask me to respond on my iphone? I have never synced or backed up to iTunes before.

5. I don't think there is, but is there anyway to turn on wi-fi on my iphone without access to control center. When you restart your iphone, you don't have access to the control center until you unlock it the first time.

I know this is long, and I apologize, and am grateful to anyone that reads all of this, and gives me any help.

Thanks Apple Community.

iPhone 6

Posted on Aug 11, 2017 4:15 PM

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Answer 1

Softdawg

Level 4

1,041 points

Aug 11, 2017 4:58 PM in response to ReneeAID17

Okay then, I can suggest: If you forgot the passcode for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, or your device is disabled - Apple Support and still having trouble then Contact Apple Support: Contact Apple Support .Good Day!

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Answer 2

Aug 11, 2017 4:54 PM in response to ReneeAID17

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. You are out of luck on all fronts. If you had just let the phone dry out for several days, it might have been possible to save it. But now that it has been opened by a non-approved-by-Apple servicer, has had parts replaced, and is now disabled you might as well throw it away and buy a new phone. Even if you can restore it, all of the content will be gone. If you had just taken it to Apple first they would have offered you a replacement for $299. But that deal is off the table because of unauthorized repair attempts.

Next phone (if it's an iPhone) if you enable iCloud backups the phone will back up automatically every night if you leave it plugged in and connected to WiFi. And if you turn on iCloud Photos your images will be uploaded to iCloud automatically immediately after they are taken, where they can be viewed on your computer or in a web browser. Or use an alternative photo service, such as upthere.com, Google Photos, Shutterfly, Dropbox, Box.com, etc. All of them will upload photos to secure storage as soon as they are taken.

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Answer 3

ReneeAID17 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 11, 2017 5:28 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I have two more password tries before my phone is completely disabled. Since the phone doesn't buzz or shake the circles, when I enter the password, but shows another timed out disabled screen. I don't know if that is hardware or software issue. I had icloud backup set up on my phone, just had not connected to wi-fi with it plugged in on the charger and locked screen yet..

That is why I also asked if there was any way to cut on the wi-fi or use an adapter. I suspect no, but thought I would ask.

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Answer 4

Aug 11, 2017 5:56 PM in response to ReneeAID17

Yes, you can tell Siri to turn on WiFi, however, this requires an Internet connection, either Cellular or WiFi. Of course, WiFi isn't an option in your case, but if you have a cellular data connection it's worth a try. And if you have Siri enabled on the Lock screen this might work.

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Answer 5

ReneeAID17 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 11, 2017 6:29 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I no longer have service, but my husband has the same exact phone... It will not work.. Siri is smart. If you can't access the control center on restart screen, where apple requires the password, Siri will not facetime. We tried it on his phone after restart and she says no music, then tried it after we unlocked it the first time and relocked it. Facetime, she calls someone... Not sure why apple did that. If my phone was locked and stolen, they would be able to access control center, so not sure what extra security they think it provides that you can't access control center on locked screen after restart.. thanks though

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Answer 6

Aug 12, 2017 8:05 AM in response to ReneeAID17

ReneeAID17 wrote:

Not sure why apple did that. If my phone was locked and stolen, they would be able to access control center, so not sure what extra security they think it provides that you can't access control center on locked screen after restart.. thanks though

Apple did it because it is a side effect of the way the phone maintains security. Everything personal, such as your fingerprints and your voiceprint that Siri uses to identify you are stored in a "secure enclave," an encrypted memory. When the phone is started or restarted this information is not available until you enter your passcode. At that time it is copied to working memory and is available to Siri. It's why you cannot use Touch ID after restarting until you have entered your passcode.

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Answer 7

ReneeAID17 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2017 10:13 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

ok. thank you for replying. You seem to know a little about Apple. My backlight blub is blown but using a adapter on monitor to see the screen. Would you know if I am able to swipe, press the home button and enter my password on the screen with the circles at the top being filled and the phone then disabling (right now at 60 mins first time, I believe I have two more tries, if the charts I found are correct) Is there any way I could be entering the right password and the digitizer is damaged or does that sound like a software issue or no way, I must be putting it in wrong. Last question. 🙂

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Answer 8

Aug 12, 2017 1:16 PM in response to ReneeAID17

It's beyond my experience. But let's think a bit. What version of iOS? If it is 10.x, you don't swipe anymore; you press the HOME button to wake it up. Of course, if you still have iOS 9 you swipe.

If it's only the backlight that is off you should be able to shine a light into the screen, which should make the display at least faintly visible. This might work better. If the digitizer is damaged, however, your chances of it recognizing your passcode are slim. But there's no other way to enter it. There was a hacker's hardware tool that let you enter a passcode through the Lightning port, but that doesn't work with the iPhone 6 or later. And it was $200.

If your passcode is all digits (either 4 or 6) it might work either with a light or with your monitor, as the buttons "light" up when you touch them. If you have a complex password it probably won't. But you have little to lose at this point.

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Answer 9

ReneeAID17 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 12, 2017 7:21 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

I have an IOS 9, not sure which update. I do have to hit the home button, which works. My password is all numbers. I can see the unlock screen on my phone and it shows the numbers lighting up when I hit them. I guess I just wanted to know is it possible for me to be entering the correct code, which lights up on the keypad, but something be wrong with the software or the digitizer is damaged? Can the digitizer show the buttons lighting up when I press them, but be damaged enough that something is not working properly and that is why it is not accepting my passcode or is that not possible? If I can enter numbers and they light up and the phone is continuing to be disabled, then the digitizer must work? And I am putting in the wrong passcode?

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Answer 10

Aug 11, 2017 5:02 PM in response to Softdawg

Except that Apple won't touch it, as it has been repaired by an unauthorized provider.

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Answer 11

ReneeAID17 Author

Level 1

8 points

Aug 11, 2017 5:31 PM in response to Lawrence Finch

Lawernce, I also saw where you said Siri can cut on wi-fi (about two years ago) is this still the case. I have siri on my phone that is messed up.

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Answer 12

Aug 11, 2017 5:53 PM in response to ReneeAID17

If WiFi was not on and you can't access the Control Center there is no way to turn on WiFi, unfortunately.

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Answer 13

Aug 13, 2017 4:27 PM in response to ReneeAID17

If the button lights up it normally means that it registered that press correctly. But you have a phone that is broken, so I don't know.

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