Broken Samsung Galaxy S4 Screen - how to retrieve data?

[Jpellings83]

There's a way of doing this, because I just went through the entire process and found a few tricks....

First download Android SDK, because you will need ADB. Install the software to your C Drive

Then head over to Java and download Java JRE...Pretty simple stuff so far.

Then download Droid Screen....The website provides easy instructions on how to use the application...Basically what it's doing is providing a virtual screen on your computer of your cell screen. Through your USB connection....No special connector required.

Then make sure your USB drivers for your phone are installed...Windows usually does this when the phone gets plugged in.

Go through the setup options...And once you run the app it will prompt you to a path. Navigate it to adb.exe file (found in the platform tools of SDK), which is what will create the bridge between your phone and computer.

So magically your cell screen pops up and you can see your lock screen. Now of course you can't touch anything on the screen because its broke.

So next you will have to use a wireless mouse to input your pin or gesture. You can turn on bluetooth through adb....Here is a walkthrough: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18496458/start-bluetooth-from-adb-or-at-boot

If you have a Galaxy Note: The note 2 has an S-Pen...and unless the phone is really demolished, you can still use it to punch in your passcode or gesture.

Once you are in the phone, you can do whatever it is you like. Enable USB Debugging and use an app like Kies to get your files, or just use Windows Explorer.

 

[mfdavies]

Did you actually try this without having authorized ADB previously, or having USB debugging already on? I was unable to get it to work at all on my broken phone (the droid@screen program uses ADB), and on the new replacement (which I used for testing why my broken one wasn't working), I was only able to use this program if a) I had usb debugging installed and b) the computer had already been authorized for ADB - something impossible on the broken phone, since authorizing it requires the digitizer to work (it doesn't).

 

[sammijo2390]

I had exactly the same problem, so i went directly to the Samsung website and went onto the "find my phone' selection

On the side there is an option to 'unlock the phone' wirelessly
my phone unlocked straight away, and i was able to get into kies

http://findmymobile.samsung.com/dm/lockreleaseMyMobilePhone.do

 

[Shea Barber]

I get here

Go through the setup options...And once you run the app it will prompt you to a path. Navigate it to adb.exe file (found in the platform tools of SDK), which is what will create the bridge between your phone and computer.

And nothing happens, no screen pops up.

- - - Updated - - -

I get here

Go through the setup options...And once you run the app it will prompt you to a path. Navigate it to adb.exe file (found in the platform tools of SDK), which is what will create the bridge between your phone and computer.

And nothing happens, no screen pops up.

There's a way of doing this, because I just went through the entire process and found a few tricks....

First download Android SDK, because you will need ADB. Install the software to your C Drive

Then head over to Java and download Java JRE...Pretty simple stuff so far.

Then download Droid Screen....The website provides easy instructions on how to use the application...Basically what it's doing is providing a virtual screen on your computer of your cell screen. Through your USB connection....No special connector required.

Then make sure your USB drivers for your phone are installed...Windows usually does this when the phone gets plugged in.

Go through the setup options...And once you run the app it will prompt you to a path. Navigate it to adb.exe file (found in the platform tools of SDK), which is what will create the bridge between your phone and computer.

So magically your cell screen pops up and you can see your lock screen. Now of course you can't touch anything on the screen because its broke.

So next you will have to use a wireless mouse to input your pin or gesture. You can turn on bluetooth through adb....Here is a walkthrough: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/18496458/start-bluetooth-from-adb-or-at-boot

If you have a Galaxy Note: The note 2 has an S-Pen...and unless the phone is really demolished, you can still use it to punch in your passcode or gesture.

Once you are in the phone, you can do whatever it is you like. Enable USB Debugging and use an app like Kies to get your files, or just use Windows Explorer.

 

[alovelace45]

I went to Samsung website and could not find the locate my phone option or the unlock wirelessly option.... Please help

 

[adam_181]

I have no screen popping up plez help

 

[vanessa sherbourne]

tried this but didnt work, contacted support for help and apparently its not availabe for the usa anymore.

 

[msboss0926]

that doesn't work

 

[Stuart Gill]

Thanks. The perfect solution for me.

 

[Prashidha]

Everything worked perfectly fine till the point where the screen appears and show my lock screen.

Then I am not able to put in the pin in for my phone.

Is it compulsory to use a wireless mouse to put in the pin or is there any other ideas by which i should be able to put the pin in.

Can't I use my touch pad and mouse on my laptop. I did it but it did not work. Now I am stuck.

Please advise to solve this.

 

[Wayne Riesterer]

That's great for you, but doesn't offer anything toward the original post and those that have landed here to try and find solutions.

 

[Lukiluke]

Is that really possible? For me it is only possible to access droid screen if I have USB debugging enabled on my device. This means I cannot unlock my phone with a broken screen with this approach. Is there a way around it, or is there something I missed. It would really help me a lot. Thanks in advance.

 

[Troy James1]

Were they able to just transfer pictures or would it be possible for them to transfer recorded audio files?

Thanks!

 

[Karl Thomas]

Use cloud service too.It's much more convenient.

 

[Brian Zubie]

Ahhhhh the mystery I played with this for a good day or two and googled it down. The quickest and fastest way is to find a similar phone I had an S4 and used my New S4 before I sent the old one back. Simply take the back apart a by removing the speaker, dividing the phone in half and you will see the video wire (several youtube videos on this but keep in mind your not replacing the screen or diving that deep just need to access the video port). Now all you have to do is do the same to your new phone but hook your new screen to your old phone and now it's like your old phone has a brand new screen (home back button has to be off the old phone but touch is all in the new screen) enable debugging or take all the files off at that point, such an easy way!!

 

[Cindy E]

I just now successfully transferred everything from my husband's phone with a shattered screen and broken digitizer, and USB debugging had not been previously turned on. I was very lucky to already have the Samsung Smart Dock, but considering the other options (losing the data) it would have been worth it to buy/borrow one just for this. Also, both phones will need to be powered on, so if you got your phone replaced by insurance and they didn't give you a new battery, you will need to borrow one.
Here is what worked, pretty much step by step (after trying all other suggestions and programs on this and other forums):
1) Connect smart dock to TV and to USB mouse.
2) Turn on the old phone (assuming Power button still works, you can tell it's turning on because it will vibrate after you hold the power button about 5 seconds), and put it into the smart dock. Wait a minute or so for the screen to show up on the TV. If you can't turn on the phone at all, you may be out of luck.
3) Use the mouse to unlock the screen, as if you were using your finger. (This may take some practice.)
4) Navigate to the play store using the mouse, and download & install Samsung Smart Switch onto the old phone. Do the same with the new phone.
5) Put the phones within 4 inches of each other and open Smart Switch on both of them. Closer than 4 inches seems to be better, up to a point. When I set the new one directly in front of the old one on the smart dock, it was slower than when I moved it about an inch to the left.
6) From the old phone (using mouse, TV, and smart dock still), select the items you want to transfer, and click Transfer. On the new phone, you will need to accept the transfer at the very beginning.
7) Wait for the transfer to complete. It took ours about 20 minutes overall, with not too much content (the "old" phone was less than 3 months old when the screen got shattered).
8) Rejoice that you didn't really lose all your info!
Hope this helps.

 

[JRS215]

I'd like to try this but I have never taken apart a phone. Can you please elaborate on which screws to remove on the back of the Galaxy4. (I count 9) Any additional tutorial would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[passitforward]

these steps worked, I just completed on my S4. found this on Yahoo answers. good luck!

Yes you can. It is simple, but since your screen is not functional, it might be troubling. I'll give you a way to reset it with your hard keys. Follow, precisely. To ensure you that this works, I used my father's S4 to follow the steps. Follow these steps:
1. Turn off the device.
2. Press and hold the following key say the same time:
- volume UP key (it should be up)
- home key
- power key
3. When the phone vibrates release the POWER key, but keep on holding the other two.
4. Then just count till 5 and release all keys.
5. Press the volume down key 3 times ( do it slowly so you won't mess it up, only and only 3 times)
6. Press the power button once ( press not hold, careful)
7. Press the volume down key 7 times.
8. Press the power key once. (Now everything is wiped out, but based on the information on the phone, it'll take time. So if you've got more data to wipe out it'll take longer. Wait 20 seconds just in case)
9. Press the power key one last time for reboot.

 

[Bryan Costa]

With the Samsung Smart dock, how did you get the old, broken phone, to push the image to the TV? I plugged in the new phone and had to tell the phone to push the signal to the tv. But since the old phone screen is broken i cannot tell it push the signal to TV.

 

[denversdesk]

The easiest method (without need for all the USB Debugging Mode, etc) is to use Kies 3. Install it and Backup your phone then restore on the new one.