How often have you dropped your phone, hoping it would have a cracked screen when you picked it up? Fortunately for us, the majority of phone displays are sturdy and rarely break. When they do, however, you’re left in a bind as you try to find out how to use your Android phone with a cracked screen. The information stored on your phone is no longer accessible when it breaks, and the screen stops functioning, making it impossible for you to use it. The good news is that, with a bit of tinkering, you can restore all the data on your broken phone.
If your phone screen cracks, it’s not the end of the world, and it shouldn’t stop you from accessing your vital information in an emergency. Additionally, there are instances when you cannot rush to the repair facility to get the screen mended during those hours. With a PC, accessing your files should be helpful.
How to access your broken phone from a PC
Try these methods to access your cracked phone screen from a PC.
Use USB File Transfer mode
The well-known USB File Transfer mode is the simplest way to use your broken phone with a PC. By doing this, you can use a USB cord to connect your phone to the PC. And after that, you may use File Explorer on your computer to access every file on your phone’s storage.
The File Transfer technique should be simple if your touchscreen is still functional and the display can be partially seen. The USB configuration would need to be changed to “File transfer or MTP,” which is the cause. You cannot change the USB configuration if your touchscreen has stopped working or your display is invisible. There is a solution, but let’s take care of this first. Here’s how to use the USB File Transfer Mode on a PC to access your cracked phone’s screen:
Prepare your computer and USB cable.
Connect your phone and PC with the USB cord (or vice versa)
A notification that reads something like “USB charging this device” should appear on your screen. Just tap the message. Instead, change the USB configuration to File Transfer or MTP.
Launching File Explorer on your PC, your phone’s storage(s) should be visible. To view or copy the data you need, you can finally navigate the folders on your device. If the display and touch-screen are still functional, you can use so to access your broken phone from a PC. Try the following way to force your phone to connect with the PC in File Transfer mode if the show is displayed, but the touch-screen is not functional. Enable the Developer settings for USB File Transfer mode.
While the touch-screen occasionally still functions, the screen is just partially viewable. Developer choices might show up. While you couldn’t force your phone into File Transfer mode to view your files from the PC, an Android developer option allows you to do just that.
If you haven’t already, you should activate developer settings if that’s what you desire. A USB mouse and OTG would be beneficial to operate the screen on your phone. Below is how:
Get an OTG adapter and a wired mouse to use your phone
Once it is attached to the mouse, plug the OTG into the USB port on your phone.
- After unlocking your phone, use the mouse to navigate to Settings > System > Developer Options.
- While in developer options, find “Default USB setup” and click it.
- Set File Transfer as the default option right now.
- Now you may unplug your OTG and mouse.
- Finally, use a USB cord to connect your phone to the computer so you can access and copy your contents.
Use the Windows app for Your Phone
You might need to use the “Your Phone” app on Windows if you want to access other items in addition to your broken phone’s data recovery. You can use the app to manage your Android notifications, make and receive calls, browse recent images, and keep up with discussions while working on a PC.
To configure this feature on your computer, not many things are required. The rest is easy once you have a Windows 10 computer and can still access your phone.
Start by ensuring the “Your Phone” software is installed on your computer or download it from the Windows Store.
Additionally, you’ll need to download the Play Store version of the “Your Phone” app to your phone. Start the apps on your phone and computer when they are both ready, then follow the on-screen instructions to link your device for the first time.
You can reach the screen via a wired mouse and OTG if your touch-screen isn’t functioning. When your computer and phone are linked, you can make and receive calls, follow conversations, check the most recent notifications, examine recently viewed photos, and perform other operations.
Utilize OTG to Access
On-the-Go, or OTG, adapters have two ends. The other is a standard USB-A adapter into which you may plug your mouse, and one end plugs into the USB port on your phone. You can use your phone without touching the screen once you’ve connected the two. Consult your manufacturer to see if your Android phone supports OTG, as not all of them do. An OTG adapter can be used for several other things, such as connecting a keyboard, in addition to allowing you to use your Android phone with a broken screen.
As a side note, if your phone is incompatible but the screen is still visible, cover the cracked screen with a small piece of tempered glass. This method might give you enough time to back up your data while you can still use the phone.
Is there a more effective way to use a PC to access my broken phone than that?
Another way to access your broken phone from a computer is by casting the phone’s display onto the computer. Screen-casting is another dependable method for using a computer to view a broken phone screen. You have probably heard of mirroring your phone’s screen to a larger device, which is how it operates in this situation. And suppose you have a Windows 10 laptop and a compatible Android device. The “Connect” feature on your Windows 10 PC and the built-in “Screen Cast” feature on your phone are all you’ll need in that situation; no additional software or labor is required.
- To begin, join the same Wi-Fi network with your phone and computer. Don’t freak out if they aren’t on the same Wi-Fi network. Just turn on Wi-Fi on your computer and phone, then move on to the following action.
- On your PC, launch the Connect app, and it ought to say that your PC is prepared for wireless connectivity.
- Navigate to Settings > Connections > Cast on your Android device.
- Select “Enable wireless display” by tapping the 3-dot button in the top right corner.
- On the screen, your PC should be visible.
- You can now use your PC to access your damaged screen safely.
- To quickly and safely control your phone with a cracked screen speedily and safely, we recommend you use USB OTG to connect a wired mouse to it.
Conclusion
You may use any of the techniques above only under specific conditions and with the necessary tools, tips, or hacks to access your broken screen. Once you fail the screen of a smartphone, you might not be able to use it to its full potential.
But changing the damaged screen takes care of everything and gives your phone its full functionality again. Replace the screen instead of wasting time trying to access your broken phone from a PC.
Visit the official service center for your brand to get a genuine screen replacement part installed when your phone’s screen is broken or cracked.
