How to Recover Data from Broken Phones

Recovering data from a broken phone can be  stressful , especially when the screen is dead, the device is water-damaged, or it simply won't turn on. Fortunately, many methods can help you safely retrieve your photos, contacts, files, and app data. This guide explains all practical ways to recover data from damaged Android and iPhones.

1. Recover Data When the Screen Is Broken but the Phone Is On

A. Use OTG + Mouse (Android)

If the display is broken but the phone is still working internally:

• Connect a  USB OTG adapter to your phone

• Plug in a  USB mouse

• Control the phone using the cursor

• Unlock the phone

• Transfer data using cable or upload it to cloud storage

B. Screen Mirroring Tools

Use tools that mirror the screen to a PC:

• Scrcpy (free)

• Vysor

• Samsung DeX (for Samsung phones)

These allow you to access your phone even without a working screen.

2. Recover Data When Touch Is Not Working

Enable USB Debugging Automatically (if previously ON)

If USB Debugging was enabled earlier, connect your phone to a PC and use:

• Scrcpy

• ADB commands

• OEM software like Samsung Smart Switch or Xiaomi Cloud

Use OTG Keyboard or Mouse

If touch is dead:

• Connect an OTG mouse

• Unlock the phone and retrieve your data

3. Recover Data From a Phone That Won't Turn On

A. Check for Minor Issues

Try the basics first:

• Charge for at least  30 minutes

• Use a different cable/adapter

• Try force restart

• Clean charging port

If the phone still won't turn on, try the next methods.

B. Recover Using OEM Cloud Backup

If backup was turned on before the phone broke:

• Google Photos ,  Google Drive

• Samsung Cloud

• iCloud (for iPhone)

Log in on another device and download your data.

C. Use Manufacturer PC Tools

Almost every brand has recovery or sync software:

• Samsung Smart Switch

• Xiaomi/Redmi Mi Mover

• Oppo/Realme Clone Phone

• Motorola Device Manager

• HiSuite for Huawei

These tools can sometimes detect a dead or partially working phone and extract data.

4. Recover Data From Water-Damaged Phones

Do NOT charge the phone

Charging can cause short-circuit damage.

Dry the phone first.

• Wipe it

• Leave in open air for 24–48 hours

• Use silica gel packets (better than rice)

After drying:

• Try turning it on

• If the display is blank, use OTG/mirroring

• If it doesn't turn on, use cloud backup recovery

5. Recover Data From iPhones

A. If Screen Broken

• Connect to PC → Use  iTunes/Finder backup

• Use  Lightning-to-USB OTG mouse (works on many iPhones with iOS 13+)

• Restore from  iCloud backup on another device

B. If iPhone Won't Turn On

Data recovery is possible only if:

• You had  iCloud backup ON , or

• You previously synced with a computer

Otherwise, iPhone hardware-level data extraction requires professional service.

6. Professional Data Recovery Services

If your phone has:

• Severe motherboard damage

• Broken storage chip

• Corrupted internal memory

• No backup and doesn't power on

Then DIY methods won't work.

Professional recovery labs use chip-level tools to extract data directly from the storage IC. This is expensive but can recover:

• Photos

• Contacts

• WhatsApp

• Documents

• Videos

7. Prevent Data Loss in the Future

• Turn on  Google Backup / iCloud Backup

• Enable  Google Photos Auto Backup

• Make a  monthly PC backup

• Use a  cloud drive (Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox)

• Keep important files saved on SD card (Android only)

Final Thoughts

Recovering data from broken phones is possible in most cases if the internal storage isn't physically damaged. Start with the simplest methods—OTG, cloud backups, or a PC tool. If nothing works, professional recovery may be the only option.