Losing your mobile phone, or breaking it, can be a real nightmare for some. If you can’t recover your precious data and you don’t have a backup, it’s obviously a problem.
Fortunately, solutions exist to recover your contacts, photos and other documents stored on a damaged phone. Find out how you can recover data from a broken mobile phone running Android.
DATA RECOVERY VIA YOUR GOOGLE ACCOUNT
If you linked your Android phone to your Google account before it broke, all is not lost. Some of your data will probably have been automatically backed up to the cloud. Access your Google account from a computer or another mobile device and go to the following services:
Google Contacts
Your contacts will normally have been automatically synced with your Google account. Once logged in, you’ll find all your contacts and be able to export them to a phone or a contact management app.
Google Photos
Automatic backup, if you had it enabled, automatically saved all your photos and videos to Google Photos. So you should find your precious memories again by logging into your account. Here too, you’ll be able to download them to your computer or your new mobile phone.
Google Drive
All the documents and files stored in your Google Drive will also be accessible as soon as you log into your account. All you need to do is browse your folders to find your files and import them to the device of your choice if needed.
USING DATA RECOVERY SOFTWARE
With a broken phone that still turns on, data recovery software is able to extract your information. Generally, these programs scan your device’s internal memory to find lost or deleted files. Here’s how to do it.
Step 1: Install data recovery software on your PC
Many data recovery software programs are available on the market. Free or paid, choose a program compatible with your operating system (Windows, macOS). It also needs to support the type of phone you want to work on (Android or iOS)
Step 2: Connect your broken phone to your computer
Connect your damaged mobile phone to your computer using a USB cable. If your phone doesn’t turn on or isn’t detected by the computer, you may need to try another data recovery method.
Step 3: Follow the recovery software’s instructions
Once the connection to your PC is established, launch the data recovery software. Follow the on-screen instructions so the software can scan your device’s internal memory. The duration of this operation varies depending on the volume of data stored on your phone.
Step 4: Select the data to recover
After the scan, you should see a list of recoverable files displayed. Select the items you want to save. Then choose a location on your computer or on external storage as the destination. From there, all you’ll need to do is copy these files to your new phone. Keep a copy of your data on your PC to avoid any future issues.
CALLING ON A PROFESSIONAL FOR DATA RECOVERY
If your phone is severely damaged and/or no longer turns on at all, you’ll probably need to call on a data recovery specialist. These professionals have advanced techniques and specific equipment. This allows them to access the internal memory of any type of electronic device, even when it’s completely out of order.
This option can involve a significant cost without necessarily guaranteeing full recovery of your data. Ask for several quotes and compare the rates charged by different providers. Also consider the actual value of the information you want to recover.
The recovery of data from a broken mobile phone is often possible. However, it depends on the condition of the device, the cloud services used and any backups set up before it broke.
Take preventive measures regularly to avoid losing your data. Sync your mobile phone with your Google account, or use a backup app. This will save you a lot of hassle in case of loss or damage to your precious phone.