Transferring data from a phone with broken screen

[KwlAznKid]

Hi Everyone,

I dropped my s9+ and cracked the screen the other day, I will be using a pixel2 as a temp phone until the new galaxy comes out next year but I was wondering if there is a way to transfer my data over to the pixel2, the usbc port still works and parts of the screen still work.. any suggestions? I'd also like to find a way to wipe the phone after transferring the data so i can sell it as a parts phone.

Thanks,

 

[Hadron]

How broken is the screen? Does part of it work? Does the touch function work?

I ask because to transfer over USB you will need to be able to unlock the screen. If you can do that with a fingerprint, great, but if not then you'll need to enter a PIN, and that will be easier if either touch or display works: if display works and touch doesn't you can connect a keyboard or mouse to the USB port, if touch works and display doesn't you may be able to mirror via an HDMI adapter to an external display (I'm assuming the S9 would support this here). If neither works then unlocking is fun: I've done it blind before now, using a keyboard (cursor keys to navigate, enter key to select), but I practiced using a working phone before trying it with the broken display.

Then it's a question of what you want to transfer: different types of data may require different methods. Images you can just copy over USB to a computer, stuff like SMS you'll need to run a backup app and then copy the backup off the phone. Basically data that are "internal" to an app live in databases in areas you can't see from a computer with a USB connection. And of course some stuff will probably have a cloud backup. So it really depends on what you are trying to recover.

As for erasing it, it would be easy if the bootloader were unlocked, but that sounds like a long shot. If you can get mirroring and controlling going at the same time (e.g. HDMI mirroring plus a bluetooth mouse or keyboard to control it) then it would be easy, but the pairing a bluetooth device with the screen broken takes a lot of patience (I've done it once, and these days I have a multi-device BT mouse which is already paired to my phone, just in case I ever need to do something like that again...).

 

[KwlAznKid]

Thanks so much for the reply, do you have any suggestions for apps that can copy over texts? I would basically like the new phone to have as much information as the old phone had (texts being the priority and then apps/contacts). The display does work and I can unlock it. Just to clarify you're saying I can plug in a usbC to USB into the phone and then use that to connect a keyboard and mouse? so then I can use the keyboard and mouse to move around the phone? I had no idea that was possible! wow

How broken is the screen? Does part of it work? Does the touch function work?

I ask because to transfer over USB you will need to be able to unlock the screen. If you can do that with a fingerprint, great, but if not then you'll need to enter a PIN, and that will be easier if either touch or display works: if display works and touch doesn't you can connect a keyboard or mouse to the USB port, if touch works and display doesn't you may be able to mirror via an HDMI adapter to an external display (I'm assuming the S9 would support this here). If neither works then unlocking is fun: I've done it blind before now, using a keyboard (cursor keys to navigate, enter key to select), but I practiced using a working phone before trying it with the broken display.

Then it's a question of what you want to transfer: different types of data may require different methods. Images you can just copy over USB to a computer, stuff like SMS you'll need to run a backup app and then copy the backup off the phone. Basically data that are "internal" to an app live in databases in areas you can't see from a computer with a USB connection. And of course some stuff will probably have a cloud backup. So it really depends on what you are trying to recover.

As for erasing it, it would be easy if the bootloader were unlocked, but that sounds like a long shot. If you can get mirroring and controlling going at the same time (e.g. HDMI mirroring plus a bluetooth mouse or keyboard to control it) then it would be easy, but the pairing a bluetooth device with the screen broken takes a lot of patience (I've done it once, and these days I have a multi-device BT mouse which is already paired to my phone, just in case I ever need to do something like that again...).

s so much

How broken is the screen? Does part of it work? Does the touch function work?

I ask because to transfer over USB you will need to be able to unlock the screen. If you can do that with a fingerprint, great, but if not then you'll need to enter a PIN, and that will be easier if either touch or display works: if display works and touch doesn't you can connect a keyboard or mouse to the USB port, if touch works and display doesn't you may be able to mirror via an HDMI adapter to an external display (I'm assuming the S9 would support this here). If neither works then unlocking is fun: I've done it blind before now, using a keyboard (cursor keys to navigate, enter key to select), but I practiced using a working phone before trying it with the broken display.

Then it's a question of what you want to transfer: different types of data may require different methods. Images you can just copy over USB to a computer, stuff like SMS you'll need to run a backup app and then copy the backup off the phone. Basically data that are "internal" to an app live in databases in areas you can't see from a computer with a USB connection. And of course some stuff will probably have a cloud backup. So it really depends on what you are trying to recover.

As for erasing it, it would be easy if the bootloader were unlocked, but that sounds like a long shot. If you can get mirroring and controlling going at the same time (e.g. HDMI mirroring plus a bluetooth mouse or keyboard to control it) then it would be easy, but the pairing a bluetooth device with the screen broken takes a lot of patience (I've done it once, and these days I have a multi-device BT mouse which is already paired to my phone, just in case I ever need to do something like that again...).

 

[ocnbrze]

if you have gotten another samsung phone the process would have been much easier with samsung smart switch. not sure if it will work going from a samsung device to a different phone. i know you can go from a pixel phone to a samsung phone using smart switch.....just not sure if it will work vice versa.

maybe this????
https://www.syncios.com/android/transfer-data-from-samsung-to-google-pixel-4.html

 

[KwlAznKid]

if you have gotten another samsung phone the process would have been much easier with samsung smart switch. not sure if it will work going from a samsung device to a different phone. i know you can go from a pixel phone to a samsung phone using smart switch.....just not sure if it will work vice versa.

maybe this????
https://www.syncios.com/android/transfer-data-from-samsung-to-google-pixel-4.html

this looks promising! thanks!

 

[bcrichster]

If you have USB Debugging active (Developers Options), you can just plug in a wired PC mouse to the phone and use it that way..

 

[Hadron]

You don't need USB debugging for a wired mouse, just USB OTG support. I've done this with a phone that did not have the developer options menu enabled, never mind USB debugging.