A loved one's phone, and the passcode no one has.
Lawful, documented recovery for a phone that belonged to someone who has passed away — and preservation for the phone when it can't be opened yet.
Do not guess passcodes, and do not let anyone factory-reset the device. Too many wrong attempts can trigger permanent erasure on some phones, and a reset destroys the data outright. Leave the device powered off and exactly as it was left.
You don't have to force it open
The most common device we're asked about belonged to someone who has passed away — a phone full of photos, voicemails, and messages that no one has the passcode for. Opening the device itself is only one route. Cloud backups and manufacturer or provider deceased-estate processes are assessed alongside device-level options, because sometimes the fastest path to the photos doesn't require opening the phone at all.
How we approach it
- Lawful authority first: we work with executors, administrators, and family members holding documented authority. You'll be asked to provide this — for example, a grant of probate, letters of administration, or written authority from the estate — before recovery work begins.
- Account and backup routes: lawful access to cloud backups and manufacturer or provider deceased-estate processes where they can reach the target data.
- Currently supported configurations: referral into authorised forensic tooling and specialist labs that support the device's exact model and software state.
If it can't be recovered today
Some configurations have no current pathway. That is not the end. We preserve the device in its exact state — powered down, documented, protected — and check it against new tool support as it's released. Lock-support lists change every year; see our precedent examples of devices that went from unsupported to reachable. Preserving it now is the safest default while lawful authority is being confirmed or a route is found.
What it costs
Your $150 recovery analysis includes in-house recovery when a method works. If there's no method yet, the device is preserved and monitored at no ongoing cost until one exists. The free inquiry above gives you a no-obligation answer first — nothing happens to the device without your go-ahead.
Quick answers
What authority do I need to recover a loved one's phone?
Typically a grant of probate, letters of administration, or written authority from the estate. We work with executors, administrators, and family members holding documented authority, and we'll confirm what's needed before any work begins.
Can the photos be recovered without unlocking the phone?
Sometimes. Cloud backups and manufacturer or provider deceased-estate processes can reach photos and messages without opening the device — we assess those routes alongside device-level options.
What if the phone can't be opened today?
If no method exists yet, preservation holds the device safely — powered down, documented, protected — while lawful authority is confirmed or until a supporting tool is released. It's covered by your $150 analysis, with no ongoing fees.
Free, no-obligation inquiry
Tell us about the device and your authority to act
This is a free inquiry, not a purchase — there’s no obligation. Tell us what happened and what data matters, and we’ll reply with the strongest option for your device, preservation or recovery.
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We reply within one business day — usually the same day — with the strongest available option and, if relevant, a written quote. Urgent? Call 0423 056 889 now.
Do not charge, update, erase, reset, or repeatedly power on the device before we reply.