smartphone data recovery in san jose & the bay area
iPhone, Android, tablet, photo, message, contact & mobile data recovery
Photos, videos, messages, contacts, documents, app data, and personal files may still be recoverable from damaged, water-damaged, corrupted, boot-looping, unresponsive, or inaccessible smartphones and tablets.
With 26+ years of experience, Kotar Data Recovery provides professional smartphone data recovery for clients in San Jose and across the Bay Area. We evaluate iPhone, Android, iPad, tablets, internal flash storage, removable microSD cards, damaged logic boards, failed updates, boot problems, and other mobile data-loss situations.
Free secure courier pickup is available across the Bay Area. You can also request a free shipping label or visit our San Jose lab by appointment.
Your device is examined within 2 hours after it arrives at our San Jose lab, and we provide the recovery options and a fixed quote before any work begins.
why smartphone data can still be recoverable
Modern smartphones store data on encrypted flash memory, but physical damage, charging problems, failed updates, boot loops, logic-board faults, display failure, or liquid exposure do not always mean the underlying data is lost.
Depending on the device and failure, recovery may involve restoring enough hardware functionality to access the encrypted storage, stabilizing board-level components, accessing removable storage, or recovering from available backups.
Our San Jose lab evaluates the original device first and uses the safest available method based on the phone model, storage architecture, encryption, credentials, board condition, and failure type.
supported smartphones and mobile storage
iPhone devices affected by physical damage, liquid exposure, boot loops, failed updates, logic-board problems, charging failure, or inaccessible data
Android phones and tablets including Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony, and other supported Android devices
iPad and tablet devices containing photos, documents, messages, application data, and other important files
Internal flash storage including NAND, eMMC, UFS, and other mobile storage architectures when the device and encryption state allow recovery
microSD and removable memory cards used in Android phones, tablets, cameras, and other mobile devices
Mobile backups including supported local and cloud-connected backup sources when available
Encrypted mobile storage when the original device can be accessed and the required passcode, account information, or credentials are available
common smartphone data loss situations we recover from
Phone will not turn on after a drop, component failure, battery problem, charging issue, or logic-board fault
Boot loop or frozen startup screen where the device repeatedly restarts or never reaches the normal operating system
Water or liquid damage affecting the logic board, charging circuitry, connectors, power management, or storage access
Cracked or physically damaged phone where the display, frame, ports, or board are damaged but important data is still needed
Failed system update causing startup problems, inaccessible files, missing data, or repeated restart behavior
Storage or flash-memory failure involving NAND, eMMC, UFS, controller, or board-level problems
Missing photos, videos, messages, or contacts after a device failure, update, migration, backup problem, or account issue
Corrupted files that no longer open correctly after transfer, synchronization, application failure, or storage problems
Charging or power failure where the phone will not remain powered long enough for normal access or backup
Damaged ports or connectors preventing normal charging, data transfer, or computer communication
Encrypted or locked device where recovery depends on the device condition and valid authentication credentials
microSD card failure causing photos, videos, documents, or other files to disappear or become inaccessible
iPhone data recovery
We recover data from iPhone devices affected by physical damage, liquid exposure, logic-board problems, charging failure, boot loops, failed updates, inaccessible photos, missing messages, backup problems, and devices that will not start normally.
Modern iPhones use strong hardware-backed encryption. In many cases, successful recovery requires the original device to function well enough to authenticate and access its encrypted storage.
The correct device passcode, Apple Account credentials, or backup credentials may be required depending on the recovery path.
Our San Jose lab evaluates the iPhone first and explains the available recovery options before any work begins.
Android data recovery
We recover data from Android phones and tablets affected by physical damage, water damage, failed updates, boot loops, damaged screens, inaccessible internal storage, corrupted microSD cards, missing photos, and other device failures.
Our lab works with supported Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, Motorola, Sony, and other Android devices, along with removable memory cards and available backups.
Because modern Android devices also use encryption, recovery depends on the model, operating state, storage architecture, hardware condition, and availability of the correct PIN, password, pattern, or account credentials when required.
water-damaged phone data recovery
Water or liquid exposure can affect the logic board, power-management components, charging circuits, connectors, and storage access, but important data may still remain recoverable.
If a phone becomes wet, power it off and do not charge it. Continued power can accelerate corrosion, cause short circuits, and increase board-level damage.
Our San Jose lab evaluates liquid-damaged phones and can perform board-level diagnostics and microsoldering when appropriate to restore temporary access to the original encrypted storage.
boot-loop and non-booting phone recovery
A phone that repeatedly restarts, freezes on a logo, or will not fully boot may still contain recoverable data.
Boot problems can result from failed updates, damaged system files, storage faults, logic-board problems, power issues, or other hardware and software failures.
Avoid repeated resets, firmware flashing, factory resets, or restore procedures when the data is important because these actions can permanently remove access to the original encrypted data.
microSD and removable memory recovery
We recover photos, videos, documents, and other files from microSD cards used in Android phones, tablets, and mobile devices when the card is corrupted, formatted, unreadable, damaged, or no longer recognized.
If the removable card is asking to be formatted, avoid formatting it or saving new files to it before recovery.
For dedicated SD card and flash-memory cases, our Photo and Flash Memory Recovery service covers additional camera and removable-media formats.
signs of a failing smartphone
Phone repeatedly restarts or becomes stuck in a boot loop
Device freezes on the Apple, Android, or manufacturer logo
Phone will not power on or remain powered
Touchscreen or display becomes unusable after physical damage
Phone will not charge or communicate with a computer
Photos, messages, contacts, or files disappear
Files appear corrupted or no longer open
Device overheats unexpectedly
Phone becomes extremely slow or unstable
Storage-related warnings or errors appear
Device cannot complete a backup or migration
Water or liquid exposure has occurred
what you should do and not do
Stop using the phone if important data becomes inaccessible or the device becomes unstable
Do not factory reset the device if you need to recover photos, messages, contacts, documents, or app data
Do not reinstall or flash the operating system when important data has not been backed up
Do not repeatedly attempt forced restores or resets on a boot-looping or non-booting device
Keep a liquid-damaged phone powered off and do not charge it before evaluation
Avoid repeated charging attempts if the phone is overheating, physically damaged, or affected by liquid
Preserve the device passcode and account credentials because encrypted recovery may require authentication
Remove and protect the microSD card if removable storage contains important data and the phone itself is failing
our 3-step smartphone recovery process
Free evaluation and fixed quote - the smartphone or tablet is examined within 2 hours after it arrives at our San Jose lab, and the recovery options and a fixed quote are provided before work begins
Safe device stabilization and recovery - the safest available method is used based on the device model, logic-board condition, flash storage, encryption, credentials, power system, and failure type
Data extraction and verification - accessible photos, videos, messages, contacts, documents, and other recoverable files are extracted and checked before delivery
how fast do you need your data back?
standard service - recovery during regular business hours
express service - completed in up to 72 hours
24/7 emergency service - round-the-clock recovery on request
why choose kotar for smartphone recovery
26+ years of data recovery experience with smartphones, tablets, internal flash storage, removable memory, damaged devices, boot problems, and complex electronic failures
Professional San Jose data recovery lab serving individuals, businesses, professionals, students, families, and organizations across the Bay Area
All recovery work performed in-house at our San Jose lab without outsourcing your phone or data to third-party companies
Specialized mobile recovery tools for damaged, inaccessible, water-damaged, boot-looping, and non-booting devices
Microsoldering and board-level capability when hardware stabilization is required to access the original storage
Experience with iPhone, Android, iPad, tablets, NAND, eMMC, UFS, and removable microSD storage
Free secure courier pickup available across the Bay Area
Free shipping label available when shipping is more convenient
Free evaluation within 2 hours after the device arrives at our lab
No data, no fee guarantee
Fixed quote before recovery begins so you know the cost before approving the work
Secure handling for personal photos, messages, contacts, documents, business information, account data, creative files, and confidential mobile data
24/7 emergency service available on request for urgent recovery cases
smartphone data recovery FAQs
Can data be recovered from a phone that will not turn on?
Often, yes. A non-booting phone may still contain accessible data if the original storage and encryption system remain intact. The recovery method depends on the phone model, logic-board condition, storage architecture, encryption, and available credentials.
Can you recover data from a water-damaged phone?
Yes, depending on the extent of the damage. Liquid exposure can affect power circuits, the logic board, connectors, and storage access, while the encrypted data may remain intact. Keep the phone powered off and avoid charging it before evaluation.
Can you recover photos and messages from an iPhone?
Often, yes. Photos, videos, messages, contacts, and other data may be recoverable when the original iPhone can be stabilized and authenticated. The device passcode or other valid credentials may be required because modern iPhones use strong hardware-backed encryption.
Can data be recovered from an Android phone stuck in a boot loop?
Yes, depending on the device and cause of the boot failure. We evaluate Android phones affected by failed updates, storage problems, logic-board faults, power issues, and corrupted system data to determine the safest path to the original files.
related data recovery services
For SD cards, microSD cards, USB flash drives, camera media, and deleted photos, visit our photo and flash memory recovery page.
For deleted, formatted, corrupted, or missing files, visit our lost file recovery page.
For MacBook, iMac, APFS, FileVault, and Apple storage failures, visit our Mac data recovery page.
For failed NVMe, SATA, M.2, and other solid-state storage, visit our SSD data recovery page.
For clicking, dropped, damaged, or not-detected hard drives, visit our hard drive data recovery page.
ready to get your phone data back?
or
call (408) 455‑4310 to speak with a data recovery expert
or
send us email at restore@kotar.us