Question:

How can I recover data from a water-damaged ASUS Rog Phone that won’t turn on?

I have an ASUS Rog Phone that was submerged in seawater and stopped working. I want to retrieve some important data, such as videos and photos, from the phone’s memory. Is there any way to do that? Does the phone have a removable storage device that can be accessed by another device?

Answer:

Water damage is one of the most common causes of smartphone failure, and seawater is especially harmful due to its high salinity and corrosiveness. If your ASUS Rog Phone has been exposed to seawater and stopped working, you may be wondering if you can still recover your precious data, such as videos and photos, from the phone’s memory. The answer is: it depends.

The ASUS Rog Phone has two types of memory: internal and external. The internal memory is where the phone’s operating system, apps, and some data are stored. The external memory is an optional microSD card that you can insert into the phone to expand its storage capacity. The microSD card is where you can store your media files, such as videos and photos, as well as other data.

The good news is that the microSD card is removable and can be accessed by another device, such as a computer or another phone, using a card reader or an adapter. This means that if your microSD card is not damaged by the seawater, you can easily recover your data from it by plugging it into another device and copying the files.

The bad news is that the internal memory is not removable and can only be accessed by the phone itself. This means that if your phone won’t turn on, you can’t access your data from the internal memory. However, there may be some hope if you can repair your phone or at least make it power on.

The first thing you should do after your phone gets wet is to turn it off and remove the battery, SIM card, and microSD card (if any). Then, you should rinse the phone with fresh water to remove any salt residue and dry it thoroughly with a soft cloth. You can also use a hairdryer on low heat or place the phone in a bowl of uncooked rice or silica gel packets to absorb any moisture. You should avoid using any heat sources that are too hot, such as a microwave or an oven, as they can damage the phone’s components.

After drying the phone for at least 24 hours, you can try to reinsert the battery and turn on the phone. If the phone turns on, you can connect it to a computer using a USB cable and use a data recovery software, such as Dr.Fone or EaseUS, to scan and recover your data from the internal memory. You can also backup your data to a cloud service, such as Google Drive or Dropbox, or transfer it to another device via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi.

If the phone doesn’t turn on, you may need to take it to a professional repair service that specializes in water-damaged phones. They may be able to fix your phone or at least extract your data from the internal memory using specialized tools and techniques. However, this may be costly and time-consuming, and there is no guarantee that your data can be recovered.

Therefore, the best way to prevent data loss from a water-damaged phone is to backup your data regularly to a cloud service or an external device, such as a microSD card or a hard drive. You should also avoid exposing your phone to water or moisture, and use a waterproof case or a plastic bag to protect it if you have to. If your phone gets wet, act quickly and follow the steps above to increase your chances of saving your phone and your data.