Okay, you’ve gotten over the scare, you’ve managed to access the phone using one of the methods I told you about, and the first thing you think is “never again.” Well then, the time to act is now. Making a backup of your data isn’t just for paranoid people, it’s the life insurance for your data.

The most convenient option, one that doesn’t require you to remember anything, is automatic cloud backup. Google already offers you 15 GB for free with your account, and that’s where your contacts, calendar events, and photos are saved if you have Google Photos enabled. The trick is to check what’s being uploaded and what isn’t, because full system backups, which include settings and passwords from some apps, sometimes need to be enabled manually in the Google One settings.

If you’re more of a control person or don’t fully trust the cloud, you can always make a local backup. You connect the phone to the computer, copy the entire photos, downloads, and documents folder to a hard drive, and you’ve got a physical backup. Of course, this only saves the files, not the system settings or WhatsApp conversations (for that you have to do it from the app itself).

And then there’s the full backup via ADB, which is the one that can save you in case of disaster. With the command adb backup -apk -shared -all -system -f backup.ab you can create a file with absolutely everything. The problem is that you need to have USB debugging enabled and, if you don’t, you already know what you have to do.

Software to recover Android data

When you’ve done what you could and the phone still won’t cooperate, it’s time to bring out the heavy artillery. The market is full of data recovery software, and not all of them are the same. Tools like Dr.Fone, Tenorshare UltData, or EaseUS MobiSaver are the best known, but you need to know how to use them wisely.

Here it’s like with everything: if the phone doesn’t communicate with the computer because you don’t have USB debugging enabled or because the port is damaged, no paid program is going to work magic. Most of these tools connect via ADB or MTP, so if you can’t enable those options, you’re paying for a program that won’t work. There are studies that compare forensic tools like Magnet AXIOM, Cellebrite UFED, or MSAB XRY and show that the number of artifacts they recover varies enormously between them, and that more data doesn’t always mean better evidence .

However, if you have USB debugging enabled, there are free options like Scrcpy that let you control the phone and do whatever you need without paying a cent. Why would you spend 50 euros on recovery software if you can access the phone directly and copy whatever you want? The key is knowing what you need: if you just want to recover a few deleted photos, a free tool that scans the memory might be enough. But if the phone won’t boot and you need to extract data at a low level, then a specialized program might be worth it.

How to use adb with a broken screen

If you’ve made it this far, you know that ADB is your best friend in 90% of cases. But how exactly do you use it when the screen doesn’t respond? The first thing is to be clear that ADB is a command-line tool, so you’re going to have to type commands as if we were in the 80s.

For it to work, you need to have USB debugging enabled on the phone. If you do, you connect the phone to the computer and type adb devices to make sure it recognizes it. If you see the serial number, you’re in. From there, you can use commands to do basically everything. adb shell input tap X Y lets you tap on specific coordinates on the screen, which is ideal if you know exactly where you need to press. adb shell input keyevent KEYCODE_POWER simulates pressing the power button. And if what you want is to see what’s happening, adb shell screencap -p /sdcard/screenshot.png generates a screenshot that you can then download with adb pull /sdcard/screenshot.png.

But without a doubt, the most useful command of all is adb tcpip 5555. This lets you enable ADB over WiFi, so you can unplug the cable and keep controlling the phone wirelessly. If you have a broken screen but the touchscreen responds in some areas, you can even enable USB debugging from the phone itself if you can see what you’re doing with an OTG mouse or an HDMI cable.

Mobile screen repair

Okay, all this software stuff is fine, but what if the screen is so smashed that there’s nothing you can do? In that case, you have to consider physical repair. The million-dollar question is: is it worth repairing the screen or better to buy a new phone?

To start with, price is a determining factor. On high-end phones like Samsung Galaxy S or iPhones, an original screen can cost you between 200 and 400 euros, almost what a new mid-range phone is worth. On Xiaomi or Chinese brands, the price drops considerably, but you have to be careful with imitation screens, which don’t have the same color quality or the same durability.

The second factor is difficulty. Changing a phone screen isn’t like changing a light bulb. Modern phones are full of adhesives, tiny cables, and fragile components. One wrong move and you can damage the battery, the motherboard, or the camera. If you don’t have experience, better not to try it at home. Take it to an official technical service or a trusted repair shop; even if it costs you a little more, you’ll save yourself some grief.

And the third factor is the value of the phone. If you have a phone that’s already four years old and the repair costs more than it’s worth, maybe it’s time to retire it and take the opportunity to buy a new one. Of course, if what matters to you is recovering the data, and you don’t want to deal with software, screen repair is the simplest route, even if it’s more expensive.

Remote access alternatives for Android

When the screen doesn’t work but the phone is still alive, remote access can be the solution. There are tools that let you control the phone from another device without needing to touch the broken screen, as long as you’ve done the setup beforehand.

Scrcpy is the undisputed queen in this area. It’s free, open-source, and works through ADB, so if you have USB debugging enabled, you can use it without problems . The latency is minimal and you can control the phone with the PC’s mouse and keyboard as if you had it in your hand.

But there are other alternatives if Scrcpy isn’t an option. AirDroid allows remote control over WiFi and has an interesting particularity: you can start sessions without confirming on the device after the initial setup, which is great if the screen doesn’t respond . TeamViewer also works on Android, although its free version is for personal use and sometimes asks you to confirm the connection on the phone . AnyDesk and Splashtop are other alternatives, but they require the phone to be in good condition to accept the connection, so they’re not the best option for broken screens .

And then there’s RustDesk, an open-source alternative to TeamViewer that lets you self-host the servers, giving you total control over your privacy . The catch is that to use it on a phone with a broken screen, you have to have installed and configured it before the disaster.

How to enable USB debugging without a screen

This is the big problem for everyone reading this article. “Dude, I didn’t enable it beforehand, what do I do now?” Well, it depends on your phone and your luck.

The first thing you can try is recovery mode. With the phone off, you press the button combination for your model (usually volume up + power, although every brand is a world of its own) and enter a menu where you can do things without needing the screen. Some recoveries, like the ones on Xiaomi or the more modern Pixels, let you enable ADB from there. If you’re lucky, you connect the phone to the computer and adb devices recognizes it. Then you can use Scrcpy and forget about the problem.

If you don’t have access to recovery or your phone doesn’t have that option, you have to resort to more rudimentary methods. With an OTG mouse, you can try to navigate blindly through the settings to enable developer options and USB debugging. This is a bit like playing Russian roulette. If you know exactly the position of the menus and have patience, you can pull it off. But if not, you’re going to have a bad time.

There’s another trick that works on some phones: using a USB-C to HDMI cable to view the screen on a monitor. If you can see what you’re doing, even if the touchscreen doesn’t work, you can connect an OTG mouse and navigate the settings as if nothing were wrong. Of course, you need a monitor or a TV nearby.

Recover photos from a damaged phone

Okay, let’s get to the point. What really matters to you are the photos. Those photos from your vacation, your birthday, or the dog being silly. How do you recover them if the phone is smashed to pieces?

If you followed the first part of the article and have Google Photos enabled, you’re in luck. You go to <a href="https://fotos.google.com/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>fotos.google.com from any computer and they’re all there. If not, that’s when the problems start.

With the phone connected to the computer via USB, try to see if it shows up as a storage drive. If it does, you copy the DCIM folder and you’re done. If it doesn’t show up because the screen isn’t responding to enable file transfer, you have to resort to the methods we’ve covered: OTG mouse, HDMI, or ADB. With ADB you can copy the photos directly using adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/.

Another option is to use recovery mode if your phone allows it. Some recoveries have the option to mount the internal memory as a storage drive, so the computer recognizes it and you can copy whatever you want without needing to touch the screen.

If none of this works, it’s time to turn to the data recovery programs I mentioned earlier. Tools like EaseUS MobiSaver or Dr.Fone have specific features for recovering photos and videos, but remember: they need the phone to communicate with the computer . If it doesn’t, the only option is physical repair of the screen or, in extreme cases, going to a data recovery lab that desolders the memory and reads it directly.

Comparison of data recovery methods

To give you an idea of which option suits you best depending on your situation, here’s a comparison table:

As you can see, the cheapest and simplest solution is the one you prepared in advance (USB debugging enabled). If you don’t have it, the options get more complicated and more expensive. Screen repair is the most expensive but also the most effective if you need full access to the phone. And the paid programs are a middle ground, but only if the phone communicates with the computer.