Rescue Xiaomi Data with Broken Screen: A Step-by-Step Guide

When your Xiaomi display is broken or no longer responsive to touch, but the phone continues to work, it causes panic. Inside the device are important photos, documents and contacts, access to which is physically limited. Modern smartphones Redmi and Poco are protected by passwords, which makes a standard connection to the computer useless without prior permission on the screen.

But there are several proven ways to get around this problem and extract information, and the complexity of the procedure depends on the degree of damage to the touchscreen and the condition. USB-In this article, we will look at methods from simple connection through the USB-modem before using specialized tools such as ADB.

Don't despair if the image is completely missing, even with a black screen, you can successfully copy files if you're charging the device, and the main thing is to act consistently and not try to randomly press buttons so as not to damage the internal stuffing completely.

Use of the function USB-file-access modem

The easiest way to access the file system if the touchscreen is partially working or you can find the right areas is to turn the smartphone into a network adapter, a technique that allows the computer to see the phone as a network device, bypassing the standard USB mode selection menu.

This requires you to quickly perform a series of actions immediately after you connect the cable, you need to get into the settings menu, even if you can't see the image, try unlocking the phone and swiping your finger from top to bottom to open the notification curtain.

• 🔌 Connect your smartphone to your PC through quality USB-cable.
• 📶 In the notification curtain, find the item «USB-Connection or Charging through USB».
• 💻 Select a mode «USB-modem» (RNDIS), even if the screen goes out.

If the mode is activated, the computer will determine a new network connection, then a Xiaomi device may appear in the Windows Explorer. If automatic access does not open, try typing a Explorer in the address bar. IP-telephone address, if known, or use FTP-client.

⚠️ Warning: This method will only work if you have time to switch mode before the screen goes out, or if the touchscreen reacts in a certain area.

Users often forget that the system is USB-The modem sometimes remains active after previous use. Check the Device Manager on your computer: if there is an unknown network device when you connect the phone, you are in luck.

Connection USB-keyboards and mice through OTG

If the image on the display remained, but the touchscreen completely failed, the salvation will be the USB-OTG adapter. Connecting a conventional computer mouse, you will get a cursor on the smartphone screen, which will allow you to fully control the device.

To implement this plan, you’ll need a Type-C to USB-A or Micro-USB to USB-A adapter, depending on your Redmi Note or Mi model. Once you connect the periphery, the cursor will appear on the screen, allowing you to enter a pattern lock or pin code.

Using a mouse is preferable to a keyboard, because graphic keys are easier to draw with a cursor, and if you have a digital pin, you can use the keyboard by pressing numbers and Enter.

After unlocking, you can:

• 📂 Copy files to cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex.Disk).
• 📸 Send important photos to messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) in your favorites.
• ☁️ Enable synchronization with Mi Cloud in the settings.

In this case, the cursor will not appear, and you will need to use a hub with additional power.

Recovery via Mi Cloud and Google Services

Users often forget that their data is already stored in the cloud. Xiaomi ecosystem and Google services synchronize contacts, notes, calendar and often photos by default.

To check, go to i.mi.com from any computer or other smartphone. Sign in with your Mi Account. If sync is enabled, you will see your contacts, messages and notes.

Similarly, check photos.google.com to access media files. Users are often surprised to find photos taken months ago, which is the safest method, without physically interfering with the phone.

If you don't find the data, check if your phone has been connected to Wi-Fi recently. Without the Internet, you can't automatically upload to the Mi Cloud cloud.

Use of debugging by USB and ADB

For advanced users who have pre-installed USB debugging in the developer menu, maximum control over the device is given, a technique that allows you to control the phone from your computer even when the screen is not working.

You'll need to install Platform Tools (ADB) on your computer, connect your phone with a cable, and run the command line in the tool folder. The first command will check the connection:

adb devices

If a device with device status appears on the list, you're in luck. If the status is unauthorized and the screen doesn't work, you can't confirm access, and the method won't work without the keyboard/mouse (see OTG section).

To copy all photos and videos, use the command:

adb pull /sdcard/DCIM/ C:/Xiaomi_Rescue/

This command will copy the contents of the camera folder into the directory. C:/Xiaomi_Rescue/ It can take time, depending on the amount of data you have on your computer.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Be careful when using the command adb rm or delete, so as not to delete the data irretrievably.

ADB can also make a full backup if the Android version allows. the adb backup-all command will backup applications and data, which can then be restored to the new device.

Mi PC Suite and third-party programs

The official Mi PC Suite (the Chinese version often works better than the global one) allows you to back up, but the first connection usually requires resolution on the phone screen, which makes this method difficult when a broken display is in place.

There are alternative programs like Mi Assistant (Recovery mode) or Android universal managers. Try booting into Recovery mode by clamping the Volume Up + Power button combination.

• 🔄 In the Recovery menu, select the language (if the touch doesn't work, use volume buttons).
• 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC.
• 💻 Start a program to restore data.

In Recovery mode, access to the file system is often limited, but some tools allow partition backup, a riskier method that requires caution.

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Use the original cable to connect. Cheap charging-only cables don't transmit data, which will cause a connection error in any software.

If none of the software methods worked, the last option is a temporary replacement of the display, and the service center can connect the work screen on the nozzle (plate) without full assembly, so you can unlock the phone and save data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The most reliable way to avoid data loss is to automatically sync regularly with Mi Cloud and Google Photos while the phone is working.