Sending a phone or laptop away for repair means handing over a device that likely holds photos, messages, banking apps, and passwords. Before it leaves your hands, a few simple steps protect your data - whatever happens during the repair.
Back up first, always
- iPhone: connect to Wi-Fi and check Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup is switched on, then trigger a manual backup before sending the device off
- Android: check Settings > Google > Backup, and confirm the last backup date is recent
- Laptop: use built-in tools like Time Machine (Mac) or File History (Windows) to an external drive, or sync key folders to cloud storage
If the screen is too damaged to see or tap
- Many phones still complete backups automatically over Wi-Fi on a schedule, even with a cracked or unresponsive screen - check the date of the last automatic backup rather than assuming nothing has been saved
- For a laptop, connecting the drive to another computer can often recover files even when the built-in screen has failed completely
What to remove before sending it off
- Your SIM card, if the device is a phone
- Any memory cards or removable storage
- Cases, screen protectors, or accessories not part of the repair
What you don't need to do
For a straightforward repair - a screen, battery, or charging port - there's usually no need to sign out of accounts or fully wipe the device. A factory reset is really only necessary if you're trading the device in or handing it over permanently.
How Repatch handles your device
Repatch's technicians only access what's needed to diagnose and fix the specific fault you've reported. A courier collects your device from home or work, it's repaired by a professional technician, and it's returned to you - often within 2 hours - with your data exactly as you left it.
