I’ve broken my phone and can’t use the touchscreen. How can I access my data?

There are several ways to access and recover the data from your device. You might be able to use Find My Mobile or Smart Switch to back up your device, use a mouse or keyboard on your device, or connect to a TV or PC monitor.

If you have previously backed up your data and want to know how to restore it on another device you can find out more in our FAQ ‘How do I backup and restore data on my galaxy device’.

If your device's screen is smashed and won't turn on, you may need to book a repair.

Please note: The methods described below may not work in all cases, for example if your device will not switch on or if the touchscreen is no longer responsive.

Connect to a TV screen or PC monitor

If your screen is damaged so that you can no longer see it, but the touchscreen is still responsive, you can connect it to your TV, PC monitor, or any display with an HDMI connection.

To connect your device, you will need an HDMI adapter. Depending on your device you will either need a micro USB or a USB-C to HDMI cable adapter or a multiport adapter.

Please note:

If you are unsure about which connection your device uses you can consult our FAQ on ‘Which charger should I use for my galaxy phone or tablet’
Ensure your device is sufficiently charged before following the steps below.
Your device may look different to the images below, but the steps are the same.

1 Connect the adapter to the charging port on your device.

2 Connect an HDMI cable to the adapter.

3 Connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the HDMI port on your TV or monitor.

4 Turn on your TV or monitor and select the channel or source that the HDMI cable is plugged into.

To find the channel on a TV, use the remote to look for a button labelled "source", "video", or "input" depending on the make of the TV. Select "HDMI" (there may be more than one) and you will now be able to see your device's screen.

5 From here you can mimic movements on your device so that they appear on your TV. You can also navigate through apps, change settings and use apps such as the camera. However, there may be a short delay between motions on your device and your TV.

Access your files via USB cable

You can access your files by plugging your phone into a computer using a USB cable.

Please note: Your phone has to be unlocked for you to access your files this way.

1 Insert a USB cable into your smartphone

2 Insert the other end of the cable into your computer

3 Open the computer’s file explorer and click on the name of your phone

Please note: on Windows computers, you may find your phone in a folder called This PC or similar.

4 Select the files you want to copy to your computer. You can drag and drop them onto your computer or copy and paste them to a new location

Connect a USB keyboard or mouse

If your screen is smashed and you can no longer use the touchscreen on your device, you can still access data such as pictures or messages using a USB mouse. Connecting a USB mouse or keyboard will also let you unlock your device if you have set a PIN, password or pattern on your device so that you can back up your data.

To connect a USB keyboard or mouse to your device, you will need an adapter. Depending on your device you will either need a micro USB or a USB-C to female USB cable adapter or a multiport adapter.

1 Connect the keyboard or mouse's USB cable into the female end of the adapter.

2 Connect the adapter to the charging port on your device.

3 You will now be able to use a mouse on your phone.

Check the memory card

If you have an SD memory card inserted into your device, you can easily restore the data stored there:

1 Remove the memory card from your device

2 Insert the memory card to a card reader or directly to your computer.

3 Save any files you wish to keep

Back up data remotely

Your can recover the data on your device remotely with Find My Mobile.

Please note:

In order to back up your device remotely:

Your device must be connected to a Wi-Fi or mobile network
Your device must be signed in to your Samsung Account
Remote control settings must be enabled
You must know your Samsung Account username and password

1 On a computer, go to Find my mobile, click "Sign in", then enter your Samsung Account details to log in.

2 Click "Back up".

3 Select the data that you would like to back up to Samsung Cloud, then click "Back up".

Back up data with Smart Switch

You can use Smart Switch to back up your phone’s files on your PC or Mac. You can then transfer or sync your data to a new phone, as needed.

First you will need to install Smart Switch on your PC or Mac. Then create a backup of your phone by following the steps below:

1 Open Smart Switch on your PC or Mac.

2 Connect your smartphone to your PC with a USB cable. You will need to use a cable that can support data transfers.

Please note: if your device is not recognised, select “MORE” in the top right of the screen then select “Reinstall device driver”. You will be asked to disconnect your device while Smart Switch installs drivers for your device. Once the installation is complete, reconnect your device to your computer.

3 Select “Backup”.

Please note: if you'd like to select what is backed up, select “MORE” in the top right of the screen, then select “Preferences”. Select “Backup items” and choose the content you'd like to copy.

4 If prompted, tap “Allow” on your smartphone

5 Once the backup is complete, tap “OK” to finish

Please visit Samsung Support for further support

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