How to Recover Files From a Broken Phone
Today’s cell phones are filled with photos, videos, contact information, personal information and a host of other data. We often mistakenly assume that this data is completely safe, until one day our phone becomes unusable and it appears to be lost forever.
If you have broken your phone or one of its critical components and are worried that you have lost all the content stored on your device, don’t panic too quickly.
There are actually different ways to recover data from a broken cell phone, whether it is an iPhone or an Android device. Check out the most popular ones in this article.
Useful tips for broken phone data recovery
Before taking any of the data recovery steps explained below, there are some things you should know.
First, if your mobile device’s hard drive or SD card was damaged by water or suffered physical damage, the data might not be accessible. However, with basic data recovery tools and techniques, chances are you can recover data from most devices, especially if the storage functions have not been affected.
Before trying anything else, it’s worth checking the iCloud or Google account associated with your cell phone. Automatic backups are always better than data recovery, and most devices automatically back up items like photos, videos and other personal files to a cloud. All you might need to do is go to Google Drive or iCloud using a computer, log in and search for the data you want to recover.
That said, if the data you need has not been backed up automatically, your best option is data recovery using a technique appropriate for the problem plaguing your phone.
Different methods of phone data recovery
Not all common phone problems will affect your device in the same way.
For instance, if you’re just having trouble with your screen or home button, finding another way to access the device will usually be enough to recover your data. On the other hand, if your phone is completely unresponsive, you will need to use a computer or a second phone to remotely recover the remaining data. In short, the recovery method you choose should be prioritized based on the problem.
Recover data from a broken phone
To recover data from a broken phone with a non-functional screen, you will need to use a second device to extract the data from the SD card or a third-party application.
Recover data from an SD card
Android devices such as Samsung, Motorola and Google Pixel cell phones can hold an SD card where music, videos and photos can be saved. However, depending on the version of your Android system and the settings you have chosen, you may even have applications and other data saved.
That may not be everything you want to recover, but it’s often a good start and it only takes four quick steps to recover the data:
- Remove the SD card – You can usually find your SD card with your SIM card, either in a tray on the side of your device or behind the battery.
- Insert SD card into another device – You can use a microSD adapter to put your SD card into a laptop or you can transfer it to a new Android device and connect it to a computer with a USB cable.
- Explore the contents of the SD card – Open Windows File Explorer and find the new drive that contains the data on your SD card.
- Find the files you need to recover – Search for the folders you need and copy them to your computer for easy access at any time.
Use a third-party application
There are many data recovery applications and software that can help you recover your data. Here are several options:
- Fone
- Enigma Recovery
- DroidKit
- And many more
However, before you start, keep in mind that the capabilities of these applications are limited and you may lock your phone if the operation is not done correctly. So be careful!
Recover data from a phone with a broken screen
A cracked screen that prevents touch controls from working can render a smartphone basically useless. However, there are ways to get around this and recover your data.
Using software
There are applications that allow you to control your phone through a computer. Once you have control of your damaged phone, you can copy the files to a new safe location.
We recommend the Droid@screen software or the Vysor extension for Chrome. Vysor is convenient because it works for both iPhone and Android devices.
Using a mouse in OTG
If your screen no longer works with touch but still lights up, you may not be able to unlock your phone unless you use an OTG (USB On-The-Go) computer mouse!
The procedure is simple and works for Android devices. You need to connect an OTG mouse to your smartphone, enter your password or recreate your unlock pattern.
Next, disconnect the mouse and connect your phone to your computer via a USB cable. Then simply open Windows File Explorer and copy and paste the files and folders you want to recover into a folder on your PC.
Recover data from an iPhone with a broken home button
Considering the importance of the home button on the iPhones that preceded the iPhone X (iPhone 8, iPhone SE, iPhone 7, etc.), it only makes sense that Apple has a built-in way to use their devices even when the button is broken.
This mode is called “assistive touch” and works by giving you a fixed menu with various options. You can add all sorts of custom settings, but a button to access the home screen will be present by default. Activate this mode and your broken home button will no longer be an issue.
Take steps to avoid emergency data recovery
In conclusion, there are several methods and techniques you can try if you ever need to recover important data from a broken or damaged phone.
However, why not do everything in your power to make sure you won’t have this dilemma? You can avoid these data recovery headaches by making backups on a regular basis.
And if you ever decide to replace your damaged phone, you can avoid paying an exorbitant price for a new device by choosing refurbished phones or used cell phones. At Recycell we offer models as recent as a used iPhone 12 so you can quickly replace your phone without breaking the bank or having to use an outdated device!