How to Unlock Android Phone with Broken Screen

Mobile phone screens are the main way we enter a passcode, tap apps, confirm prompts, and access files. But what if your Android phone screen is cracked, black, or completely unresponsive? If you cannot enter the PIN, pattern, or password because the screen is broken, you still have several options to try.

The best method depends on what still works on your phone. If the display is visible but the touch does not respond, a USB mouse and OTG adapter may help. If you cannot enter the passcode manually, a screen unlocker may be useful on supported devices. If the phone is online and backed up, Google Find My Device can erase the device and remove the lock. Samsung users may also try Samsung Find My Mobile if Remote Unlock was enabled before.

Situation	Best Method	Data Loss Risk	Needs Computer?
Display works but touch is broken	USB mouse + OTG adapter	Low	No
Cannot enter passcode manually	DroidKit Screen Unlocker	Possible	Yes
Phone is online and backed up	Google Find My Device	High; erases device	No
USB debugging was enabled before	ADB commands	Varies	Yes
Samsung with Remote Unlock enabled	Samsung Find My Mobile / SmartThings Find	Low if Unlock is available	No

Unlock Android Phone with Broken Screen via Screen Unlocker

If the touch screen is badly damaged and you cannot enter the passcode, a guided screen unlocker can be a practical option. DroidKit helps remove common screen locks on supported Android devices, including PIN, password, pattern, fingerprint, and face lock.

DroidKit is also an Android phone unlocking software option for users who cannot use the broken screen to unlock the phone manually. Please note that screen lock removal may erase data depending on the device model and lock type. If your main goal is to save photos, messages, or files from the broken phone, try OTG control, backup, or data extraction options before erasing the device.

• Remove common screen locks – Remove PIN, password, pattern, fingerprint, or face lock on supported Android devices.
• Guided desktop process – Follow on-screen instructions from a Windows or Mac computer.
• Useful for broken-screen situations – Try it when you cannot enter the passcode directly on the phone screen.
• Data options available – If you need files from a broken device, you can also check how to extract data from a broken Android phone.

Follow the steps below to unlock a supported Android phone with a broken screen using DroidKit:

How to Unlock a Phone with Broken Screen Using DroidKit

Step 1. Launch DroidKit on your Windows or Mac computer and choose Screen Unlocker from the main interface.

Step 2. Connect your Android phone to the computer with a USB cable. Click Start and wait while DroidKit prepares the configuration file. Then click Remove Now.

Step 3. Follow the on-screen instructions to put your Android phone into the required mode. The exact steps may vary by device brand and model.

Step 4. Wait while DroidKit removes the screen lock. When the process is complete, you will see the lock screen removal completed page.

Unlock Broken Android Phone with Mouse and OTG Adapter

If the display still shows the lock screen but the touch panel does not respond, a USB mouse with an OTG adapter is often the safest first method to try. It lets you move a cursor on the Android screen and enter the existing PIN, password, or pattern without erasing data.

To use this method, you need a USB mouse and a USB OTG adapter that matches your phone port, such as USB-C or Micro-USB.

Step 1. Plug the USB mouse into the USB OTG adapter.

Step 2. Insert the USB OTG adapter into the charging port of your Android phone.

Step 3. If the phone supports OTG, a mouse cursor should appear on the screen.

Step 4. Use the mouse to tap the number keys, pattern dots, or password field on the lock screen.

Step 5. After the phone is unlocked, immediately back up your photos, messages, contacts, and other important files.

This is a good free method when the screen is visible and the touch layer is the only part that is damaged. If the display is black or you cannot see where to click, try the next methods.

Use Google Find My Device If You Have a Backup

Google Find My Device can help locate, lock, or erase an Android phone connected to your Google account. For a broken-screen phone, the useful option is usually Erase Device. This removes the lock by factory resetting the phone, but it also deletes local data.

Step 1. Go to Google Find My Device on another phone or computer.

Step 2. Sign in with the Google account used on the broken Android phone.

Step 3. Select the broken-screen phone from the device list.

Step 4. Choose Erase Device.

Step 5. Confirm the erase action. After the reset is complete, set up the phone again and restore data from your backup if available.

Unlock Broken Screen Android Phone via ADB

ADB, short for Android Debug Bridge, lets advanced users send commands to an Android phone from a computer. It may help in some broken-screen cases, but only when USB debugging was enabled before the screen broke and the computer was already trusted by the phone.

You can learn more about USB debugging on a locked Android phone before trying ADB commands.

Step 1. Download Android SDK Platform Tools on your computer and extract the ZIP file.

Step 2. Install the correct Android USB driver for your phone brand if needed.

Step 3. Connect the broken-screen Android phone to the computer with a USB cable. Then open Command Prompt or Terminal.

Step 4. Change the command location to the platform-tools folder. For example:

cd C:/android/platform-tools

Step 5. Type the following command and press Enter to check whether the device is detected:

adb devices

Step 6. If your phone is detected and ADB access is authorized, advanced users may try input commands to enter the known passcode:

adb shell input text “your code”

adb shell input keyevent 66

If the phone is pattern locked and runs an old Android version, some users may try the old gesture file command:

adb shell rm /data/system/gesture.key

Step 7. Restart the phone and check whether you can access it.

Unlock Samsung Broken Screen with Samsung Find My Mobile

If your broken-screen phone is a Samsung device, Samsung Find My Mobile, now connected with SmartThings Find, may help you remotely unlock it. This is one of the best options if you had already enabled Remote Unlock before the screen broke.

This method is Samsung-only. It also requires the phone to be signed in to a Samsung account, connected to the internet, and set up with Remote Unlock before you got locked out.

Step 1. On another phone or computer, visit the Samsung SmartThings Find website.

Step 2. Log in with the Samsung account used on your broken-screen phone.

Step 3. Select your Samsung phone from the device list.

Step 4. Choose the Unlock option if it is available.

Step 5. Confirm the action and wait for Samsung to unlock the device remotely.

FAQs about Unlocking a Phone with Broken Screen

Q1. Can I unlock a phone with a broken screen without a computer?

Yes, if the display still works and only the touch screen is broken, you can try a USB mouse with an OTG adapter. Samsung users may also try Samsung Find My Mobile if Remote Unlock was enabled before. Google Find My Device can be used without a computer, but it erases the phone.

Q2. How do I unlock Android with a broken screen for free?

The free options include OTG mouse control, ADB if USB debugging was already enabled, Samsung Find My Mobile for eligible Samsung devices, and Google Find My Device if you accept data loss. Not every free method works for every phone.

Q3. Can I unlock a phone with a black screen?

If the phone is on but the display is black, OTG may not help because you cannot see where to tap. Try connecting to an external display if your phone supports it, use Samsung Find My Mobile if available, or use a supported unlock or data extraction tool.

Q4. How can I view a broken phone screen on a computer without USB debugging?

If USB debugging was not enabled before, normal screen mirroring from a computer is usually difficult. You can try an HDMI, MHL, or USB-C display adapter if your phone supports video output. Some Samsung models may also work with DeX or SmartThings Find features, depending on prior setup.

Q5. Does Google Find My Device unlock a broken-screen phone?

Google Find My Device does not directly unlock the screen while keeping data. Its Erase Device option removes the lock by factory resetting the phone, so use it only if your data is backed up.

Q6. Can ADB unlock Android if the screen is broken?

ADB may help only if USB debugging was enabled before the screen broke and the computer was already trusted. If not, ADB usually cannot access the locked phone.

Q7. What is the safest first method if my touch screen is not working?

If the screen is visible, start with a USB mouse and OTG adapter because it lets you enter the existing PIN, pattern, or password without erasing data.

Final Words

Unlocking an Android phone with a broken screen depends on what still works. If the display is visible but the touch is broken, try a USB mouse and OTG adapter first. If you use a Samsung phone and Remote Unlock was already enabled, Samsung Find My Mobile is also worth trying. ADB is useful only when USB debugging was previously enabled and trusted.

If you cannot enter the passcode manually because the screen is badly damaged, DroidKit can be used as a guided unlock option for supported Android devices. Before choosing any method that may erase the phone, check whether your photos, contacts, messages, and files are already backed up.