{"id":12494,"date":"2018-03-01T10:28:10","date_gmt":"2018-03-01T07:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unlockunit.com\/blog\/?p=12494"},"modified":"2018-03-01T12:36:21","modified_gmt":"2018-03-01T09:36:21","slug":"enable-usb-debugging-broken-screen","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unlockunit.com\/blog\/enable-usb-debugging-broken-screen\/","title":{"rendered":"How to enable USB debugging with a broken screen"},"content":{"rendered":"

No matter how careful you are when using your phone, it can still happen. Yes, we\u2019re talking about that horrible moment when you drop your phone and you end up with a shattered screen. If you\u2019re lucky enough, the touchscreen still works, as just the glass covering it is broken, but there are users who can\u2019t use the phone at all. <\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say that you are among those whose phone is not worth repairing and you decide it\u2019s time for a new one, so you need to recover all your files. But how on Earth can you enable USB debugging with a broken screen, in order to transfer them?<\/span><\/p>\n

On most phones, this feature is disabled, but you must enable it somehow, otherwise, there\u2019s no chance of recovering your data with that broken screen. <\/span><\/p>\n

Fortunately, there are a few methods, all of them very efficient and easy to go through. <\/span><\/p>\n

How to enable USB debugging using an OTG adapter and a mouse<\/span><\/h2>\n

By far the easiest method is to use a mouse and access the USB debugging feature in the phone\u2019s settings menu.<\/span><\/p>\n

For this, you need a mouse and an OTG adapter, so you can connect it to your phone. Also, make sure that the phone\u2019s battery is fully charged because the mouse drains it pretty fast. <\/span><\/p>\n

In order to use this method, your phone needs to be OTG compatible. To find out if yours is, go to GSMArena, look for your phone model and, in the COMMS section, look for the USB Host option. If it\u2019s mentioned there, you\u2019re all good to go. If not, give it a try anyway, as it should work on pretty much any phone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Presuming that you know your way through the phone\u2019s menu, these are the paths you need to follow, depending on your Android version, in order to enable USB debugging with a broken screen: <\/span><\/p>\n

Android 2.0 to 2.3.x<\/b>: Settings > Applications > Development > USB Debugging<\/span><\/p>\n

Android 3.0 to 4.1.x<\/b>: Settings > Developer Options > USB Debugging<\/span><\/p>\n

Android 4.2.x and higher<\/b>: Starting with this version, the USB Debugging menu is hidden, so you need to enable it first. Follow these steps: Settings > About phone\/tablet > Build Number. When you reach the Build Number, click on it seven times, in order to enable the Developer Options sub-menu. Go back to the Settings menu and you should find Developer Options, just above About Phone. Enter Developer Options and check the USB Debugging option<\/span><\/p>\n

Android 5.0<\/b>: Same procedure as for the previous version<\/span><\/p>\n

Android 6.0 and higher<\/b>: Same procedure as for the previous version<\/span><\/p>\n

Note<\/b>: Always disable USB debugging after using it, as enabling it grants high-level access to the phone. In this case, if you\u2019re not planning to use the phone with the broken screen again or sell it, you can leave it enabled though, since it doesn\u2019t matter that much. <\/span><\/p>\n

How to enable USB debugging using ADB Commands<\/span><\/h2>\n

Google thought about such issues when developing Android, so they included a tool known as SDK. Within this tool, there is a feature called ADB, which you can use to connect to your handset, via USB, and perform a couple of commands without actually touching the display. <\/span><\/p>\n

If you don\u2019t have it on your phone, you can get all Android development tools from here<\/a>. Then install ADB. Also, it\u2019s worth mentioning that ADB doesn\u2019t communicate with a phone unless USB debugging is enabled. <\/span><\/p>\n

Therefore, these are the steps you need to follow: <\/span><\/p>\n