Introduction: Why Standard Methods Don't Work
Xiaomi’s broken screen is one of the most frustrating breakdowns: the phone may be fully operational, but a lack of touchscreen response or black display makes it impossible to access data through standard settings. Conventional backup creation methods (via Settings → Additional → Backup) require a desktop screen, and Mi Cloud often refuses to sync files without confirmation on the device.
And in this situation, the key problem is that you don't have visual feedback, you can't see what's going on on the screen, you can't enter a password or confirm actions, but there are workarounds, from using physical buttons to using physical buttons. USB-You need to debug before you connect the external display, and you need to be careful not to aggravate the damage.
Important: If the screen reacts to touch, but the image is missing (for example, after a fall), try connecting the phone to the TV via HDMI via a USB-C → HDMI adapter. This will work on Xiaomi 11/12/13 series models, Redmi Note 10/11 Pro and later with support for DisplayPort Alt Mode.
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Method 1: Backup via Mi Account (if synchronization was enabled)
The easiest method is to recover data from the Mi Cloud, but it only works if the sync has been activated before.
- Go to i.mi.com and log in with the same account as you did on your broken phone.
- In the Devices section, find your Xiaomi model – if it shows up, the data is synced automatically.
- Check the tabs: 📱 Contacts - export in.vcf format. 📷 Photos – download archived (available only if Autoboot option was enabled in Mi Cloud). 💬 Notes and notes – only saved if the standard Mi Notes app is used.
Limitations of the method:
- ❌ Chat WhatsApp/Telegram They are not synced to Mi Cloud, but must be stored separately.
- ❌ Local files (downloads, documents) do not get to the cloud without a manual backup.
- ❌ If the phone didn’t connect to the Internet for more than 30 days, the data could be deleted from the cloud.
⚠️ Note: If the phone has a lock password and the Mi Account is not tied, you can't recover data through the cloud.
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Before buying a new Xiaomi phone, check if it supports the “Mi Mover” feature, which will allow you to transfer data from the broken device to the new one via Wi-Fi Direct, even if the screen does not work, but the phone turns on.
Method 2: Connect to a PC via USB (without root)
If the screen is not responding, but the phone is defined by the computer as a removable drive, you can copy files manually, which works on Xiaomi with the bootloader unlocked or USB debugging enabled.
Steps:
- Connect your phone to your PC through the original USB-cable (important: use the back port) USB 3.0 on your computer for stability).
- On a phone (even with a black screen), try pressing the volume button three times, which can unlock file access on some models.
- On a PC, open this computer and find a Xiaomi device. MTP-device, go to the folders: 📁 Internal Storage → DCIM — photo. 📁 Internal Storage → Download - downloads. 📁 Internal Storage → WhatsApp → Databases – backups of chats (files) msgstore.db.crypt14).
What to do if your PC can’t see your phone:
- 🔌 Check the connection mode: some Xiaomi defaults to Charge. To change to File Transfer, you need to blindly: USB-Swipe your finger from the bottom up (like opening the notification curtain) and press around the center of the screen (where the connection notification usually appears). Press the center again, which can change mode.
- 🔧 Install Mi drivers PC Suite (download from the official website).