What to Do When Smartphone Data Loss Occurs

It’s every smartphone users worst fear. Data loss. Whether it’s from a watery plunge or treacherous bug, losing data is a big deal for a lot of smartphone users.

More and more people use smartphones for business and pleasure. The trend has coincided with the growth of telecommuting. The latest estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that 24% of people did some or all of their work from home in 2015. Data is still being collected for 2106, but that number isn’t expected to decline in the coming years.

Imagine using your smartphone as your primary communication tool. Now imagine your phone crashing and losing all of your contacts. It would be disastrous personally and professionally.

Fortunately, a decade into smartphone adoption, solutions have been developed for various types of data loss. It’s not a fun experience by any means, but at least now there’s hope you’ll recover what you lost. Here’s how.

Potential Solutions to Recovering Information on Mobile Devices

The first step in recovering lost data is figuring out how or why it went missing. You might have to do some digging around, or you could get professional help. Technicians can use mobile phone forensics to discover what exactly caused the data to go missing. Knowing the cause helps in the recovery process because you can potentially reverse engineer the problem. At the very least you’ll have a better idea of how difficult it will be to recover the data.

Data loss comes in many forms these days. There are solutions that can result in the recovery of:

• ·  Old Communications
• ·  Pictures
• ·  Videos
• ·  Documents
• ·  Metadata

You may lose a select type of data or everything could be inaccessible. In either case, try the solutions below first.

Restore From a Backup

The simplest solution is to restore your phone with a backup. However, many people don’t backup their phone on a daily basis. If recent data got wiped since the last backup another solution will be needed.

Debug Androids

Android mobile devices can sometimes be debugged via a USB device to recover deleted or lost files. You’ll need to adjust the settings and plug the device into a computer using a USB cord. Specialized software program is also needed to bring up the lost files on your computer.

iTunes Recovery on iPhones

There is also specialized software that can help iPhone and iPad users recover data from iTunes.

There are many reasons for data loss, and the solutions above sometimes aren’t enough. You’re also out of luck if you don’t have recovery software. When that’s the case you have to purchase a program not knowing if it’s actually going to solve the problem.

Companies That Specialize in Recovery Can be a Lifesaver

Sometimes there are simple solutions you can do on your own, but for a major crash or damage special expertise is needed. Companies that specialize in recovery can be a lifesaver for a remote worker that doesn’t have an IT department at their disposal.

It can be difficult to isolate the problem on your own if you don’t know what you’re looking for. An experienced recovery company has handled most problems a time or two before. They also have the tools needed to delve into the hardware if needed.

Good companies will provide advice on how to protect your smartphone in the future. If you’re phone or data was tampered with they can also provide suggestions on securing your device.

Protect Yourself From Future Data Loss

Smartphones don’t always have the most secure networks, which puts you at risk. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure even in the weightless digital world. There’s a lot you can also do to prevent data loss from occurring or at least minimize the risk.

• ·  Create very strong passwords and pin codes to access your phone and accounts.
• ·  If you have the ability to set up a fingerprint for authentication, use it.
• ·  Use anti-malware software.
• ·  Use virtual private networking (VPN) that’s connected your to corporate network for business purposes.
• ·  Follow cloud storage best practices.
• ·  Take special precautions anytime you’re using public Wi-Fi.

It’s also important to regularly backup your data. That way you at least have a copy and can restore your smartphone if data loss occurs.