How to save data from a broken screen Xiaomi

When the screen of a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone is broken, but the device continues to work, causes panic in any owner. Often the toucheskenger stops responding to touch, or black spots completely overlap the image, making navigation impossible. However, if the phone turns on and gives signs of life, the chances of returning photos, documents and contacts remain high.

Recovery depends on the nature of the damage to the display and model of your gadget. In this article, we will look at proven methods of connecting to the file system via USB OTG, using cloud services Mi Cloud, working with debugging over USB and specialized software.

Before you start to make complex manipulations, you need to assess the extent of the damage to the matrix, if the image is even partially visible, the task is simplified, but if the screen is black, but the phone vibrates when you call, you need an external periphery to control the system.

Using a USB OTG adapter to control your mouse

The most affordable and often the most effective way to restore access to data is using USB OTG (On-The-Go) technology. Most modern Xiaomi smartphones support this standard by allowing you to connect a normal computer mouse to a USB-C or Micro-USB connector. Once you connect the mouse through the adapter, on the screen (if it lights up a little) or visually on the cursor you can control the interface.

With a mouse cursor, you can unlock the device, enter a pattern lock or pin code, and then transfer important files. This method is ideal when the toucheskenger is completely dead, but the matrix is working. You don't have to see every pixel change, you just need to understand the logic of the icons on the MIUI desktop.

• 🖱️ Connect the adapter. OTG to the smartphone and insert a wired USB-mouse.
• 🔓 Use the left mouse button to unlock the screen and enter the password.
• ☁️ Open the Files or Gallery app and copy the data to a connected flash drive (if the adapter has two ports) or to the cloud.
• 📤 Alternatively, use the mouse to enable synchronization with Google Photos or Yandex.Disk.

It should be borne in mind that on some models with a MIUI shell, the mouse cursor may not be visible on the black screen, but functionally work, in which case you need to act “to the touch”, roughly remembering the location of the confirmation buttons in the dialog boxes.

💡

If you don’t have an OTG adapter on hand, check the kit of older TVs or laptops – often such adapters come in a basic set and you might just not notice them.

Data extraction via computer and Mi PC Suite

If the screen is not responding, but the system is booting, connect the phone to the computer. The official Mi PC Suite tool (or its modern counterparts, since support for the old version is discontinued) allows you to create full backups. However, successful connection often requires permission to access data, which must be confirmed on the smartphone screen.

The newer versions of the Android and MIUI shell activate Charge Only when connecting by default. To make the computer see the files, you need to switch to File Transfer (MTP) without a working touch-scanner, but it is difficult to do this if you use a keyboard combination or voice control, if it was configured earlier.

When you try to connect to a PC, pay attention to the system notification sound, and if you hear the characteristic sound of the device's connection, you have physical contact, and in this case, you can try using screen emulators for a PC, although they require pre-tuning.

⚠️ Warning: Do not try to disassemble the phone yourself to close the contacts of the touch-scanner if you do not have experience.This can lead to short circuit and damage to the motherboard, after which the data will not be recovered.

Working with debugging over USB (ADB)

The most powerful tool for advanced users is ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which allows you to control the file system of a smartphone directly from a computer via the command line, the main condition is that the phone settings must be pre-enabled “Debugging over USB” and given permission to connect to this computer.

If these conditions are met, you can copy all files from the device, even if the screen is completely black and unresponsive.To work requires installing the Platform-tools package on a PC. This is standard procedure for developers, but it saves data in critical situations.

To get started, connect your phone to your PC and open the command line in the ADB tool folder. Enter a command to check the connection:

adb devices

If you have a serial number on the list, you've got the connection, and then you can use the command to copy all the internal memory to the computer.

adb pull /sdcard/ C:/Xiaomi_Backup/

This process can take a long time depending on the amount of data. It is important not to interrupt the cable connection during transmission, as the file system can get damaged. ADB also allows you to take screencaps (adb shell screencap), which is useful if there is an image, but the touch-skegger does not work.

Recovery through Mi Cloud and Google Cloud Services

Often users forget that their data is already stored in the cloud. Xiaomi ecosystem is tightly integrated with Mi Cloud, as well as with Google services. If the broken phone was synced, your contacts, notes, calendar and even photos can already be accessed online.

Check your Mi Account through your web browser on your computer by going to i.mi.com. Here you can find backups of SMS, voice recordings and galleries. Similarly, check photos.google.com for images and contacts.google.com for a phone book.

• 🌐 Go to i.mi.com or google.com/android/find from any device.
• 🔐 Sign in under the same acca-unt used on the broken phone.
• 📂 Go to the Gallery, Contacts or Disk sections to check for data availability.
• 💾 Download the necessary files to your computer or new smartphone.

This doesn't require a physical connection to a damaged device. It's ideal if the phone is shattered, but before that, it has connected to Wi-Fi and synchronized. Xiaomi owners should check the sync status in their settings regularly to avoid losing data at a critical moment.

💡

Regular automatic synchronization with the cloud is the only 100% guarantee of data security in the event of physical destruction of the device.

Use the “Find Device” function for remote access

Google’s Find Device service, or MIUI, not only allows you to track your location, but also manage some of your smartphone’s features remotely. Although direct access to the file system through this service is limited, it can help in certain scenarios, such as blocking or deleting data if it’s impossible to restore it, but this is a last resort.

However, a more useful feature may be the ability to remotely turn on the sound or see the last location, which indirectly confirms the integrity of the communication module. In some cases, through the web interface of the device management, you can initiate backup, if such a function is provided by the manufacturer for a particular model.

Remember that remote management is limited by Android’s security policies, and full file access without prior configuration is usually not available to protect user data from malicious users.

⚠️ Note: The Remote Reset (Wipe) feature via Find Device will destroy all data on your phone, only use it if you are sure that data is not needed but want to protect personal information from outsiders.

Professional Recovery and Replacement of the Display

If software methods don't work, there's a temporary replacement option, which is the most reliable way if the data is critical. You don't have to buy a new original screen; you often just need any work unit (even with defective images, as long as the touch is running) that the technicians plug into the board to extract the data.

In service centers, there's a "plug-in" practice, and the wizard plugs in a test screen, you copy it to a flash drive or to the cloud, and then the screen shuts down, which is cheaper than a full replacement, because you only pay for the work without buying a high-end display.

You can only change your screen if you have the skills and tools. AMOLED-Replacing the phone with screens and frames requires care so it doesn't damage the plumes. If the phone is warranted, self-opening will cause it to lose its value.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)