The screen is broken; the data probably is not
A dropped phone with a black or shattered screen feels like a lost phone, but the storage inside is usually fine. Whether you can reach it depends on three things: whether the screen still shows anything, whether touch still works, and what was set up before the accident. Start with the easiest possibility, which is that the important things are already somewhere else.
First, work out what still works
| What still works | Your best route | Effort |
|---|---|---|
| Backups were already switched on | Check the backup from a computer | Easy |
| The display works but touch does not | A USB mouse through an OTG adapter | Easy |
| Touch works but the display is black | Video out to a monitor, if the phone supports it | Moderate |
| Neither, but the phone still powers on | Manufacturer PC software, if the phone can accept the connection | Varies |
| The phone will not power on at all | A repair shop replaces the screen, then you back up | Paid |
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Check what is already safe
Before any rescue, look from a computer at what has already left the phone. Photos and videos backed up to a cloud photo service are visible on its website. Contacts synced to a Google account appear in Google Contacts. Android device backup, if it was on, keeps app data, call history, settings and text messages with the Google account and restores them onto a new phone during setup. Many people find the rescue is only needed for a handful of recent photographs.
Routes into the phone, in order of effort
- Plug in a mouse If the display works but touch does not, a USB mouse through an OTG adapter, or a USB-C mouse, puts a cursor on screen. Unlock with it and start a backup or copy the files.
- Connect a monitor or TV Some recent phones output video over USB-C, and Samsung phones with DeX show a desktop layout. With a mouse and keyboard attached, the phone becomes fully usable again.
- Try the manufacturer's computer software Tools such as Samsung Smart Switch for PC back up a phone over USB, though the phone usually has to allow the connection, which may need a mouse to tap.
- Mirror the screen, if USB debugging was already on Mirroring tools that work over USB need debugging enabled beforehand. If it was, you can see and control the phone from a computer. If not, this route is closed.
- Pay for a screen replacement Usually cheaper than data recovery and always less risky. Back up everything the day it comes back.
What helps now, and what to set up on the next phone
Find Hub. If the phone is lost as well as broken, or about to be handed over for repair, it can ring, lock or erase it remotely.
If backup was on, the photos are already safe. Check the website from a computer to confirm the most recent ones made it.
Google One shows the device backup and when it last ran, and holds the storage those backups use.
Drive, for documents and files saved there, and where some apps keep their own backups.
Chats are backed up to Google Drive only if that was switched on in the app's settings. Check before assuming the history is safe.
Samsung Smart Switch moves everything from an old Galaxy to a new phone by cable, which works well once you can tap Allow with a mouse.
Shows and controls the phone screen from a computer over USB. Only possible if USB debugging was turned on before the accident.
Once set up, reaches files and the screen from a browser. Install it on the replacement phone as insurance.
File sending and a remote input pad from a computer on the same network. Another tool that must be paired in advance.
Backs up texts and call logs to a file or a cloud folder on a schedule, a useful second copy beside the Google backup.
Camera uploads to a second service, so the photos exist in two places whichever account you lose.
Check what is already backed up, try a mouse, then a monitor, then a new screen. And switch on backups on the next phone the day you get it.
Frequently asked questions
Why can I not see any files when I plug it into a computer?
Android only exposes its storage over USB after it has been unlocked and file transfer has been allowed on the phone. That is deliberate, and it is why a mouse or a monitor is usually the first step.
Can a repair shop get the data off?
A shop replacing the screen will normally leave the data in place. Specialist recovery for phones that will not power on exists, but modern phones encrypt their storage, which makes it expensive and uncertain.
Should I give the repair shop my PIN?
They may ask, to test the new screen. Back up first if you can, use a reputable shop and change the PIN afterwards if you are uneasy. Some phones have a repair or maintenance mode that hides your data during the repair.
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