Since 2008 | No Data, No Fee | Nationwide Mail-In | $300 - $900

iPad Data Recovery

We recover data from iPads that won't turn on, have liquid damage, or are stuck in boot loops. Our Austin lab performs board-level microsoldering to get the tablet working long enough to copy your photos, documents, and app data. No data = no charge.

Get Free Evaluation Mail-In Service

Board-level iPad logic board repair for data recovery at Rossmann Group Austin lab

No Data, No Fee

Guarantee

2.49M+

Subscribers

4.9

1,837+ Google Reviews

Since 2008

Established

Repairs on Video

Full Transparency

As Featured In

Written by

Founder & Chief Technician

Updated March 2026

8 min read

How Much Does iPad Data Recovery Cost?

iPad data recovery at Rossmann Group costs $300 to $450 for older models (iPad Air, iPad mini 2-4) and $450 to $900 for newer iPads with A-series or M-series processors. All recovery work is performed at our Austin, TX lab using microsoldering equipment. Apple does not offer data recovery; their model is device replacement. We repair the logic board, boot the device, enter your passcode, and copy data directly from the encrypted storage. The evaluation is free; if we cannot recover your data, you pay nothing. Walk in to our Austin lab or mail your iPad in from anywhere in the U.S.

What iPad Recovery Customers Say

4.9 across 1,837+ verified Google reviews

August 1, 2021

“Five weeks ago, my 10 year old daughter's 5th gen iPad stopped charging. My husband and I suspected a loose connection, but when we took it to Apple, they ran some test and concluded the logic board died. Since the iPad was set up under me when she got it (at the age of 6), I had disconnected her from *my* iCloud. Apple basically couldn't sell me a new iPad because we had no data backup. Based on Apple's recommendation, we sent it to their data recovery partner, DriveSavers, who quoted me $2800 for data recovery due to "widespread corruption" on her logic board. We declined.”

Christina MullinsiPad

View on Google

November 12, 2020

“Great service! Walked in last minute after calling in for an estimated price on an ipad and macbookair. Ofcourse i understand things can change once my devices are actually looked at but i liked the fact i could get a quote. This made me actually want to come in. Once at the shop i was greeted and attended to quickly.”

Mauricio MinoMacBook

View on Google

August 13, 2019

“HIGHLIGHT & CONCLUSION ******Overall I'm having a good experience with this store because they have great customer services, best third party replacement parts, justify price for those replacement parts, short estimate waiting time to fix the device, 1 year warranty, and good prediction of pricing and the device life conditions whether it can fix it or not.”

Yuong Huao Ng LiangiPhone

View on Google

February 18, 2024

“It took me a while to write this. I visited this shop with high skepticism trying to have my iPhone fixed while traveling. I was expecting to hear oh you might as well buy a new phone or it will cost $500+ to fix this. I was shocked when I heard that it will cost me $120.88 to fix my phone in short time. well done.”

kiwaliiPhone

View on Google

Read all 1,837+ reviews

Why NAND Chip-Off Recovery Does Not Work on iPads

Every iPad manufactured since late 2013 (iPad Air and later) uses hardware-level encryption tied to the Secure Enclave coprocessor inside the A-series or M-series CPU. The NAND flash storage is AES-256 encrypted, and the encryption keys are generated and stored exclusively within the Secure Enclave. These keys never leave the processor die.

Desoldering the NAND chips and reading them in an external programmer (the technique called "chip-off") produces encrypted data that cannot be decrypted without the original CPU. This is not a limitation of current tools; it is a cryptographic guarantee enforced by the hardware. No lab, regardless of equipment or claims, can read raw iPad NAND externally and produce usable files.

The only viable recovery path is repairing the original logic board so the CPU, Secure Enclave, and NAND can work together to decrypt the data. This requires microsoldering to diagnose and replace failed power management components, shorted capacitors, or corroded traces.

Common iPad Failures We Recover Data From

Dead iPad (No Power): The tablet shows no signs of life when pressing the power button or connecting to a charger. This is typically caused by a failed PMIC (power management IC), shorted ceramic capacitor on the VDD_MAIN rail, or a fractured solder joint under the CPU. We inject voltage to identify the thermal signature of the short, then replace the failed component to restore the boot sequence.
Liquid Damage: Water or coffee exposure causes corrosion on the logic board, particularly around the charging port connector and power rail components. We remove EMI shielding, clean the board ultrasonically, then diagnose and repair corroded traces and failed components. Time is critical: corrosion spreads every hour the board sits wet. Do not attempt to charge or power on a wet iPad.
Boot Loop / Error 1110 (Storage Full): The iPad repeatedly restarts or shows the Apple logo and then shuts off. Error 1110 occurs when the APFS system volume is completely full, leaving no cache space for iPadOS to complete the boot sequence. A standard iTunes/Finder restore will erase all user data. We use specialized tools to clear the system cache without touching the user data partition, allowing the device to boot and the data to be copied off safely.
Cracked Screen with No Display: A cracked iPad screen does not destroy data, but it can prevent passcode entry. If the digitizer still registers touch, we connect an external display adapter (where supported) or replace the display assembly temporarily to enter the passcode and copy data. If the logic board is also damaged from the impact, we repair it first.

Deleted Files Cannot Be Recovered from iPads

iPadOS uses APFS with TRIM and file-based encryption. When you delete a file, the per-file encryption key is discarded and the underlying flash blocks are queued for TRIM. Once TRIM executes, the data is cryptographically and physically gone. No software tool or hardware lab can reverse this. Recovery is only possible when the data still exists on the device but the device itself is physically broken.

How We Diagnose and Recover iPad Data

Visual inspection and board isolation. Remove the display assembly, disconnect the battery, and examine the logic board under magnification for visible damage, burnt components, or corrosion.
Power rail measurements in diode mode. Measure VDD_MAIN and PP3V0_NAND power rails to identify shorts. A reading well below the expected value indicates a shorted component pulling the rail down.
Thermal imaging to locate the short. Inject a controlled voltage into the shorted rail and use a FLIR thermal camera to identify which component is heating up. The hot spot reveals the failed part.
Component-level repair. Replace the failed capacitor, PMIC, or other component using a JBC microsoldering station and hot air rework. Reflow or rebuild damaged solder connections.
Boot, authenticate, and copy. Reconnect the display and battery. Boot the iPad, enter the passcode, and copy all user data (photos, documents, app data, messages) to an external drive.

iPad Models and Storage Architecture

Recovery approach varies by iPad generation because Apple changed the storage architecture and encryption model across product lines.

iPad Model	Processor	Secure Enclave	Recovery Path
iPad 1-4, iPad mini 1	A4-A6X	No	Board repair or NAND read (no hardware encryption on pre-Touch ID models without passcode set)
iPad Air, iPad mini 2-3	A7	Yes (first generation)	Board repair mandatory. NAND encrypted to Secure Enclave.
iPad Air 2, iPad mini 4, iPad Pro 9.7/12.9 (1st gen)	A8X-A9X	Yes	Board repair mandatory. Chip-off not viable.
iPad Pro (2018+), iPad Air (M1/M2)	A12X-M2	Yes (enhanced)	Board repair mandatory. Face ID models add complexity. M-series boards share MacBook architecture.
iPad Pro M4 (2024+)	M4	Yes (latest)	Board repair mandatory. Tandem OLED display adds reassembly complexity but does not affect data access.

Why Recovery Software Does Not Work on a Dead iPad

Consumer recovery tools like Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver, and UltData require a functioning USB connection and an iPad that powers on. They communicate with the iPad's operating system through the Lightning or USB-C port. If the iPad is dead, has a shorted power rail, or will not boot past the Apple logo, no software can reach the encrypted storage.

Repeatedly connecting a physically damaged iPad to a computer and running recovery scans pushes current through potentially shorted circuits. Each attempt risks further damage to the logic board and can convert a repairable board failure into a permanent one. If your iPad is physically damaged, do not run software tools. Send it to a board-level repair lab.

iPad Recovery Pricing

iPad recovery follows our SSD pricing structure because iPads use solid-state NAND storage. The evaluation is free. You receive a firm quote before any paid work begins. If we cannot recover your data, you pay nothing.

Service Tier	Price	Description
Simple CopyLow complexity	$200	Your drive works, you just need the data moved off it Functional drive; data transfer to new media Rush available: +$100
File System RecoveryLow complexity	From $250	Your drive isn't showing up, but it's not physically damaged File system corruption. Visible to recovery software but not to OS Starting price; final depends on complexity
Circuit Board RepairMedium complexity – PC-3000 required	$600–$900	Your drive won't power on or has shorted components PCB issues: failed voltage regulators, dead PMICs, shorted capacitors May require a donor drive (additional cost)
Firmware RecoveryMedium complexity – PC-3000 required	$900–$1,200	Your drive is detected but shows the wrong name, wrong size, or no data Firmware corruption: ROM, modules, or system files corrupted Price depends on extent of bad areas in NAND
Advanced Board RebuildHigh complexity – precision microsoldering and BGA rework	$1,200–$1,500	Your drive's circuit board is severely damaged and requires advanced micro-soldering Advanced component repair. Micro-soldering to revive native logic board or utilize specialized vendor protocols 50% deposit required upfront; donor drive cost additional

Hardware Repair vs. Software Locks

Our "no data, no fee" policy applies to hardware recovery. We do not bill for unsuccessful physical repairs. If we replace a hard drive read/write head assembly or repair a liquid-damaged logic board to a bootable state, the hardware repair is complete and standard rates apply. If data remains inaccessible due to user-configured software locks, a forgotten passcode, or a remote wipe command, the physical repair is still billable. We cannot bypass user encryption or activation locks.

All tiers: Free evaluation and firm quote before any paid work. No data, no fee on all tiers (advanced board rebuild requires a 50% deposit because donor parts are consumed in the attempt).

Target drive: The destination drive we copy recovered data onto. You can supply your own or we provide one at cost. All prices are plus applicable tax.

Board-Level Repair in Action

iPad data recovery uses the same microsoldering techniques demonstrated in our filmed logic board repairs. The board layout differs from iPhones, but the diagnostic methodology and tooling are identical.

iPad Data Recovery Questions

Can you recover data from a dead iPad?

Yes, if the NAND storage and CPU are physically intact. A dead iPad typically has a failed power circuit, shorted capacitor, or corroded trace on the logic board. We repair the board using microsoldering, boot the device, enter the passcode, and copy data directly. Cost: $300-$900 depending on model and damage severity.

Can you remove the storage chip and read it directly?

No. Every iPad since the iPad Air (A7, 2013) encrypts all user data using AES keys bound to the Secure Enclave coprocessor inside the CPU. The NAND is cryptographically paired to the original processor. Desoldering the NAND and reading it externally produces encrypted data that cannot be decrypted. Repairing the original logic board is the only viable recovery path.

Do I need my iPad passcode for data recovery?

Yes. iPad data is encrypted with keys derived from the Secure Enclave and your passcode. Without the correct passcode, the data cannot be decrypted even on a fully working device. No commercial tool can bypass this encryption.

Can you recover deleted photos or files from an iPad?

No. iPadOS uses APFS with TRIM and file-based encryption. When files are deleted, the per-file encryption keys are discarded and the flash blocks are marked for TRIM. No software or hardware tool can recover deleted data from a modern iPad. Recovery is only possible from a physically damaged device where the data was never deleted.

How much does iPad data recovery cost?

iPad data recovery at Rossmann Group costs $300-$450 for older models (iPad Air, iPad mini 2-4) and $450-$900 for newer models with M-series chips (iPad Pro, iPad Air M1/M2). The evaluation is free. If we cannot recover your data, you pay nothing.

My iPad is stuck in a boot loop. Can you recover data?

Yes. Boot loops on iPads are commonly caused by storage exhaustion (Error 1110), failed software updates, or NAND degradation. We diagnose the root cause and either repair the board or use specialized tools to extract data without a full OS boot. Software update attempts through iTunes or Finder risk data loss on a failing device.

Can Apple recover data from a broken iPad?

No. Apple does not offer data recovery services for iPads. Their service model is device replacement. When Apple says the data is gone, they mean they will not attempt recovery. Independent board-level repair labs routinely recover data from iPads that Apple has written off.

How long does iPad data recovery take?

Most iPad recoveries complete in 3-7 business days after evaluation. Complex cases involving severe liquid damage or M-series boards may take longer. We provide an estimate after examining the device.