My iPhone 12 mini (4 years old) is currently stuck in a bootloop. There was no drop, water damage, or physical trauma involved. I was simply reading the news outdoors when the app froze, the screen went blank, and the device entered a bootloop.
I took it to the Apple Store, where they attempted a software update via iTunes, which failed. I also tried the same at home using an original Apple cable and a fully updated Mac, but received error code 9. I then tried several third-party tools that claim to fix bootloops without data loss, but none were successful.
Unfortunately, I do not have a backup, and the device contains important and irreplaceable photos and videos. As such, I have avoided performing a factory reset via iTunes, since data loss is not an option for me.
I understand the importance of backups now, but I’m urgently looking for a solution to recover my data. Could this be a hardware issue (e.g., a faulty earpiece or connector) that’s causing the bootloop? If so, is there a way to temporarily stabilize the phone just long enough to create a backup?
Any guidance would be deeply appreciated.