Getting data off old Galaxy S5 and S7 (black broken screen)

Forums › Android › Getting data off old Galaxy S5 and S7 (black broken screen)

danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#303076 15-Jan-2023 09:18

How do I get the data off, especially if there are any photos?
I’ve tried to connect to my laptop and tried with both KIES and SmartSync, but being told that I need to allow for access from my phone…which I obviously can’t do.
The phones turn on, but black screens.

stick

357 posts

Ultimate Geek

#3021455 15-Jan-2023 09:46

Does the touch still work? I had a broken S8 which I somehow managed to unlock and connect to my TV so I could properly see the screen to reset the phone...

1024kb

1167 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3021460 15-Jan-2023 10:06

If the phones have a microSD card, you may be able to find some photos there. Although the S6 didn't have the option for storage expansion via microSD, all other Galaxy S phones up til S21 did. Pop the SIM tray, remove the microSD card & read it via a USB adapter of some sort.

Other than microSD removable storage, you need to replace the screens, simple as that. When the phone locks, the stored data is encrypted. The encryption key (simplified explanation) is the screen passcode - to decrypt the data the passcode must be applied. There is no way around this - yet. (Quantum computers will eventually solve this problem.)

If you know the Google ID / Samsung ID used on the phones, you can log in to the respective accounts online & check the uploaded / backed up data there. Android defaults did automatically send all photos to online storage although many users turned this feature off.

You can also retrieve the data by setting up a new Samsung phone, signing in with the relevant ID & restoring from online back up.

Megabyte - so geek it megahertz

danepak

1112 posts

Uber Geek

#3021482 15-Jan-2023 10:39

Thanks.

No Micro SD cards in them. Main thing for me is that no one can access any data left on the phone.
I want to sell them on TM (spare parts).

1024kb

1167 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

Lifetime subscriber

#3021489 15-Jan-2023 11:00

It doesn't matter that you aren't able to do a factory reset because even if a replacement screen is applied, without the passcode the data is inaccessible. The only option is to put the handset into recovery mode (boot with power & vol + held down) & do a factory reset from there.

Megabyte - so geek it megahertz