⚠ Do now
Broken screen
data recovery
Brisbane.
Phone smashed, black or not responding to touch?
Broken screen data recovery is rarely about the screen. Your photos, messages and app data sit on the storage chip underneath, encrypted, with the key tied to that phone’s own processor, and none of it is lost when the glass breaks. The job is getting you back to the lock screen so the passcode can be entered: we connect a tested screen, or repair the connector, touch or board on the original phone, then copy the data. iPhone, Samsung and every other Android, assessed free in our Brisbane lab.
- Free assessment, nothing to pay if there is no route
- Your phone’s own chips, kept together, never a replacement
- iPhone, Samsung and every other Android
- Our copies wiped 14 days after delivery
- 01Screen and glass: no data stored here
- 02Processor, with the key unique to this phone
- 03Storage chip, your photos and messages
- 04Display connector, often what a drop loosens
Inside the screen
Part 1 of 4
The glass is only the cover.
The cover glass takes the hit. Under it, the display panel makes the picture and a thin touch layer reads your finger. None of them holds a single photo.
Who reviews your broken screen case
Viktor Burcevski
Executive Data Engineer / Executive Forensic Consultant
Viktor reviews every broken-screen phone before anything is quoted. He works out which layer has failed, whether a tested screen will get you back to the lock screen or the board needs work first, and tells you plainly when a repair shop, or you yourself, can do it for less.
- Fault diagnosis
- Temporary screens
- Board-level repair
- Data checks
What Viktor works on
Phones that are black but still running, touch screens that have stopped or press by themselves, and phones a repair left worse than before, all worked on the original board so the key that opens the data stays with it.
0Photos stored in the screen itself
1Original board the key is tied to
10Wrong tries before an optional iPhone erase
FreeAssessment, nothing to pay if there is no route
4.8★Google rating, 96 reviews
Start here
Broken screen? The 20-second answer.
Yes, you can usually recover data from a broken phone. The screen holds none of it: your photos are on the storage chip underneath, locked to that phone’s board. If the phone still shows a sign of life and you know the passcode, a tested screen or a repair on the original board gets you back in, and the data is copied.
What should I do right now?
- Tapping by itself? Switch it off now: it can type wrong passcodes.
- Still works? Back it up today, before anything else goes.
- Check for copies from a computer: iCloud, Google Photos, Samsung Cloud.
- Before any repair, tell them the data matters: no reset, no new board.
Can you recover data from a broken phone?
Almost always, when the phone itself still runs and the passcode is known. The lab connects a tested screen, or repairs the connector, touch or board, so you can unlock it.
Can I do it myself?
Sometimes: cloud copies, Smart Switch with a USB mouse on a Samsung, a monitor, or a backup while the screen still works. A cable alone can’t get past an iPhone’s lock screen.
What does it cost?
The assessment is free, and if there is no route you pay nothing. Any repair or copy is quoted in writing before it starts.
01 Symptoms · start here
What is wrong with your screen?
Start with the fault finder, or pick the situation closest to yours below. Each choice shows what to do now and what to avoid, and carries straight into the enquiry form.
Screen fault finder
Glass, display, touch or board?
Four quick answers tell you which layer has failed, how your data is likely to be, and what to do first.
Your result appears here once all four are answered.
Most likely
A guide, not a diagnosis: the free assessment confirms the fault. Nothing you choose here is stored or sent.
Only need a new screen? A repair shop can fit one. Back the phone up first if you can, and tell them the data matters: no reset, no update, and no swapping the board or the phone. Make a hand-over note →
Do-it-yourself checker
Can I get the data off myself?
Pick your phone, what still works and what was set up before it broke. The checker lists the routes Apple, Samsung and others document, which ones fit your phone, and when to stop.
Your routes appear here once the first two are answered.
If none of these works
We connect a tested screen, or repair the connector, touch or board on the original phone, so you can unlock it and the data can be copied. The assessment is free.
Or choose the closest situation below.
I don’t know which phone I have
Look at the back of the phone. The make is enough for now.
The make is enough. The exact model can be confirmed at assessment.
Choose a situation to see your next step.
Keypad reach test
Can your passcode still be typed?
Look at your phone’s passcode keypad. Tap each key below that doesn’t respond on your phone, or that you can’t see. Don’t type your passcode here, and don’t test keys by entering it on the phone.
No dead keys marked
Every key responds
Enter the passcode once, slowly, and back the phone up straight away. If a tap lands on the wrong key, stop.
- On an iPhone, wrong tries start to add waits, and the fifth brings the Unavailable screen.
- If Erase Data is turned on, ten wrong tries in a row erase an iPhone.
Wait times: Apple Platform Security ↗ and Apple: the Unavailable screen ↗. Mouse unlocking: Samsung ↗. Accessories on a locked iPhone: Apple ↗.
Asked first
The questions people ask about a broken screen
Is my data gone if the screen is black?
Almost never. A black screen on a phone that still rings or buzzes means the display panel or its connector has failed, and the storage chip behind it is untouched. The data stays encrypted until the phone is unlocked, which is why the fix is a working screen on the original phone, not a different phone.
Why won’t my computer see my iPhone?
Because it is locked. By default an iPhone connects to a computer or accessory only after it has been unlocked, and the computer then needs you to tap Trust on the phone. With a screen you can’t use, neither can happen, so the cable route is closed until a working screen is connected.
Can I use a mouse on a Samsung with a broken screen?
Often, yes. Samsung says a USB mouse or keyboard, through a USB-C or micro USB adapter, lets you unlock a PIN, password or pattern, so Smart Switch can back the phone up to a PC or Mac. It only helps if the phone still turns on and you can see enough of the screen, or connect it to a TV.
How do I recover data from a broken phone that won’t unlock?
If you know the passcode, the lab connects a tested screen or repairs the original phone so you can unlock it, then copies the data. If nobody knows the passcode, a screen repair alone won’t open it: see the locked phone guide.
Is a cheap screen repair a risk to my data?
The new screen itself isn’t. The risk is a repairer who resets or updates the phone to test it, or swaps the board or the phone when the repair doesn’t work. Apple’s own service steps say to back up first, because a device may come back erased.
Before you try anything else
Safe to do. Not safe. Call first.
Five of each, written for screens that are cracked, black, dead to touch or pressing by themselves.
Safe to do
- Back it up now if the screen still works.
- Cover sharp glass with clear tape.
- Check iCloud, Google Photos or Samsung Cloud from a computer.
- Switch it off if it taps by itself, gets hot or was wet.
- On a Samsung, try a USB mouse through an adapter.
Do not do this
- Typing the passcode on a screen you can’t see, or one that taps by itself.
- Letting anyone swap the board, or the whole phone, before the data is off.
- A factory reset to make the repair easier.
- Charging a bent, swollen or wet phone.
- Unlock or recovery apps from the internet.
Stop and call first
- It taps by itself and won’t switch off.
- It was wet or dropped hard as well.
- A repairer says it must be erased or replaced.
- Nobody knows the passcode.
- It belonged to someone who has died, or it is needed as evidence.
02 Costs · Quoted after assessment
What broken screen data recovery costs.
No fixed prices: the cost follows the work your phone needs to reach the lock screen again, not the model.
How much does it cost to get data off a broken phone?
It costs least when only the screen has failed, because a tested screen can often be connected without a full repair. A loose or torn connector, a failed touch layer or board damage from the same drop takes more work. Whatever it needs, you get a written quote after the free assessment, and you pay nothing if there is no route.
A tested screen is enough
The quickest job: the phone runs, and only the picture or touch is missing.
The connector or touch needs repair
A drop that tore the display connector or its socket means work on the board first.
The board was hurt too
Bent frames, a swollen battery or water through the cracks add board repair.
A deadline
Urgent jobs can be prioritised by arrangement, quoted with the work.
We look first, then quote.
The assessment is free. If nothing can get you back to the lock screen, we tell you and there is no charge; otherwise you get the price in writing and decide. Request my free assessment →
Your choice of speed
How fast do you need it back?
Diagnosis is free on every phone, whichever speed you choose. The priority fee pays for the faster service; the recovery fee follows what the phone needs.
Free diagnosis
Standard queue. The phone is diagnosed in about 3 to 5 business days, then you get a fixed quote in writing, with no obligation.
$650 + GST upfront
Front of the queue with an engineer assigned the same day, usually 24 to 48 hours. For work deadlines, legal matters and data that can’t wait.
$1,400 upfront
We start immediately and keep going through nights, weekends and public holidays until it is done.
The recovery fee follows complexity.
Most phone recoveries cost $220 to $1,200 + GST. Level 5 jobs, such as moving the chips to a donor board after a crush or a heavy impact, are quoted individually. Every quote is fixed in writing after the free diagnosis, and if nothing can be recovered there is no recovery fee.
Worth it?
Is it worth paying for?
Often you don’t need us at all. Here is how to tell.
When the screen still works
Probably not: back it up yourself today, then get the screen repaired. The checker above shows the routes for your phone.
When the photos are already in the cloud
Check from a computer first. If everything is there, a repair shop is all you need.
When you can’t get past the lock screen
Yes: that is the work the lab does. Send it in before anyone resets it or swaps the board.
03 Process · Inside the lab
How we get the data off a broken phone.
Six stages from the moment the phone arrives. Nothing is tried on the lock screen until a working screen is connected, and nothing chargeable starts without your written yes.
- 01Your phone, your dataWe confirm the phone is yours, or that you have the owner’s authority, before any work.
- 02Checked without guessingThe phone is inspected as it is. No passcode is tried, and a screen that presses by itself is disconnected first.
- 03Your options in writingWhich layer failed, what it takes to reach the lock screen, and the price, or plainly, that there is no route.
- 04A working screen againA tested screen is connected, or the connector, touch or board is repaired on the original phone.
- 05Unlocked and copiedYou enter the passcode, or give it to us securely; the data is copied and checked against what matters most to you.
- 06Back to you, then deleted hereYou receive the copied data and the phone; our working copy is deleted 14 days after delivery.
04 Laboratory
Who works on your phone.
The same three people handle your phone from the first call to its return, in our own Brisbane laboratory. No part of the job goes to another workshop.
David Williams
Co-founder · Mobile & Encryption
A Wildfire co-founder since 2018, David decides how each broken-screen phone is opened up: which screen to connect, and how to keep the phone from typing anything on its own.
- Phones & tablets
- Encryption
- Temporary screens
What David works on
Black, cracked and unresponsive screens on iPhone, Samsung and other Android phones, the backups people thought they had, and the computers that often hold a copy.
Viktor Burcevski
Executive Data Engineer / Executive Forensic Consultant
Leads the laboratory, reviews each case before it is quoted, and checks the copied data against what the owner asked for.
- Case review
- Data checks
- Forensic reports
What Viktor works on
Phones that have been through a failed repair or a reset, and phones needed as evidence, kept under a chain of custody recorded from the day they arrive.
Martin Daniels
Electrical Engineer
Repairs torn display connectors, damaged sockets and the board faults a drop can leave behind, so the original phone powers on and shows a screen again.
- Connector repair
- Micro-soldering
- Board repair
- Liquid damage
What Martin works on
Sockets lifted off the board, cracked flex cables, and boards that took the same hit as the glass, fixed under the microscope on the phone’s own board, because that board holds the key to the data.
“Wildfire Data Recovery were fantastic to deal with from start to finish. Extremely responsive to any customer requests and we able to perform data recovery and phone repair where Samsung official repairer advised they would not likely be able to preserve the data.”
“Excellent Data Recovery and re set up. Viktor goes above and beyond to explain everything regardless of how long it takes. After disasters through the years gone by with other so-called experts, it was stessfree and a relief to discover Wildfire.”
Going to a repair shop?
Before a repair shop opens it.
Four questions to ask first, and a note to put in the bag.
Will you reset or update it to test the repair?
The answer you want is no. A test that needs a reset can be done after your data is safe.
Will the original board stay in the phone?
The key to your data is in that board’s processor. A replacement phone, or a different board with its own chips, starts empty.
What if the new screen doesn’t work?
Ask them to stop and call you, rather than try something that could erase it.
Can I back it up before you start?
If the old screen still works, back up first. Apple’s own service steps say the same.
Repair hand-over note
Make a note for whoever repairs it
Taking it to a repair shop first? Tick what matters, print the note and put it in the bag with the phone. Nothing here is stored or sent, and there is nowhere to type a passcode.
Please read before you start
Phone: not given
Owner: not given
The passcode is not written on this note. I will give it in person if it is needed.
05 Start
Start with a free assessment.
A few details about the phone and what matters on it. The fault finder, checker and path cards above have already filled in what they could.
No route, no charge.
The assessment costs nothing, and sending this enquiry doesn’t commit you to anything.
Need confidentiality? We sign an NDA on request, and on every forensic case as standard.
Screen tapping by itself and it won’t switch off?
1300 806 55706 Delivery
Sending a phone with a broken screen.
Once an engineer has confirmed the intake route and checked shipping eligibility, ask for a free Express post-in label where eligible, or book a lab drop-off by appointment.
Free Express label · where eligibleAustralia-wide mail-inLab drop-off by appointment
Prepare it for the journey01 / 04
Contain the glass. Keep it off.
Once intake is confirmed and the phone is safe to handle, clear tape helps contain loose glass. Keep the phone switched off and do not charge it.
- Switch it off and contain loose glass. Once intake is confirmed and the phone is safe to handle, cover the broken glass with clear tape. Do not charge it. If it taps by itself or will not switch off, call before packing.
- Use a cushioned, rigid box. Bag only glass and small non-battery parts already detached. Do not remove parts yourself. Cushion the phone on every side, screen side down.
- Include a contact and incident note. Add your name, number and what happened. Keep all passcodes and account passwords out of the parcel, note and form.
- Seal, label and track. Attach the label we send you and keep your tracking number.
Your packing checklist.
0 of 4 ready
Tick the checks as you prepare the parcel.
Prepare the parcel after the lab confirms intake and shipping eligibility. Keep your tracking number until the phone arrives.
07 Answers
Broken screen questions.
Tap a question for the short answer. What works depends on the phone, what still runs and what was set up before it broke.
Will a screen replacement delete my data?
Fitting a new screen doesn’t touch the storage chip, so the screen swap itself doesn’t delete anything. The risk is what happens around it: a repairer may reset or update the phone to test it, or swap the board or the whole phone. Apple’s own service steps say to back up first, because a device may come back erased. Back up if you can, and tell the repairer the data matters. Make a repair hand-over note →
Can I plug it into my computer and copy the photos?
Only once the phone is unlocked. By default an iPhone won’t connect to a computer or accessory until it is unlocked, and the computer then needs you to tap Trust on the phone. Android keeps your photos in storage that only opens after the screen lock is entered. A cable alone can’t get past a lock screen you can’t use.
Can I back up an iPhone with a broken screen?
If you can still see and tap enough of the screen to unlock it, yes: iCloud Backup, or a computer backup where you tap Trust. If you can’t, check whether iCloud Backup or iCloud Photos was already on. Otherwise we connect a tested screen so you can unlock it, and make the backup for you. More on smashed iPhone screens →
Do Smart Switch and a mouse work on a Samsung with a broken screen?
Often, if the phone still turns on. Samsung says a USB mouse or keyboard, connected through a USB-C or micro USB adapter, lets you unlock a PIN, password or pattern, and Smart Switch can then back the phone up to a PC or Mac. If you can’t see the screen, some Galaxy phones can show it on a TV or monitor through HDMI, though Samsung says not all of them support it. Check your phone’s routes →
What is scrcpy, and will it work?
scrcpy is a free, open-source program that mirrors an Android phone on a computer and lets you control it with a keyboard and mouse. It only works if USB debugging was switched on before the screen broke and the computer was already allowed, because turning those on needs a working screen. Download it only from its official GitHub page.
My screen taps by itself. Is that dangerous?
For your data, yes. A screen that presses by itself can type wrong passcodes, and each wrong try on an iPhone adds a longer wait; if Erase Data is turned on, ten wrong tries erase it. Switch it off now, leave it off, and call us. Try the keypad reach test →
Can a lab just read the memory chip?
Not on a modern phone. The data on the chip is encrypted, and the key is built into the phone’s own processor and only opens with your passcode on that phone. A chip read on its own gives scrambled data, which is why we repair or reconnect the original phone instead, or, when the board is beyond repair, move the processor and storage together to a donor board. Be wary of anyone who offers a chip read on a recent iPhone or Android phone.
Do you need my passcode, and how do I give it safely?
The phone has to be unlocked with it, but never send it in a form, an email or a text. When the phone is ready we tell you a secure way to give it, or you can enter it yourself on the tested screen.
My phone has a memory card. Is that enough?
It can be a quick win. Photos saved to the card can be read in a card reader on a computer. Only what was saved to the card is on it, and many phones save photos to their own storage unless they are set to use the card.
The repair shop reset my phone. Is the data gone?
From the phone itself, yes. A factory reset or an erase removes the data for good. What is left are the copies: iCloud, Google, Samsung Cloud, a computer backup or another device on the same account. We can help you look, and recover a failed computer that holds the backups. Where copies may already be →
How long does it take?
It depends on what the phone needs. A phone that only needs a tested screen connected is the quickest job; a connector, touch or board repair takes longer. You get a time with the written quote, and urgent jobs can be prioritised by arrangement.
What happens to my data after the job?
The copied data comes back to you, and our working copies are wiped 14 days after delivery. The phone itself goes back by free tracked post, or by courier for a fee.
08 Learn
What a broken screen really breaks.
What sits under the glass, why a cable can’t get past a locked phone, and what happens on our bench.
Under the glass
What’s under the glass.
A phone screen is three layers stacked on top of the board. Each one fails in its own way, and none of them holds your data.
Cover glass
Takes the hit and cracks. On its own, a cosmetic problem.
Display panel
Makes the picture. Fails as black, lines, flicker or a green tint.
Touch layer
Reads your finger. Fails by ignoring you, or pressing by itself.
The board
Processor with the key, and the storage chip with your photos.
Your data is hereThe lock screen
Why a cable can’t get past a locked phone.
Plugging a broken phone into a computer seems like the obvious fix. Two things stop it, and both need a working screen.
Computer and cable
Charges the phone straight away, but reaches nothing else yet.
The lock screen
An iPhone connects only once it is unlocked. Android’s photo storage opens only after the screen lock.
Tap Trust or Allow
A prompt on the phone itself, from iOS 16 at every backup.
Screen can’t be used
Neither step can happen, so the cable route stays closed.
Cable alone won’t workA tested screen connected
You unlock the phone and allow the copy, then the data comes off.
Lab workOn the bench
What we do on the bench.
The goal is to stabilise your original phone, restore a usable display where possible, and extract the data you need.
01 Safety first
Make it safe
We assess the phone’s condition first. Unwanted touch input and battery or liquid damage are addressed before controlled testing.
View stage details
The laboratory assesses the risk of unintended inputs and whether the phone is ready for testing. A wet board or swollen battery needs attention before power is applied.
02 Diagnose the fault
Find the failed layer
Glass, display, touch or connection: we test the likely failure points without guessing the passcode.
View stage details
The checks distinguish display output, touch behaviour and connector or socket damage. This helps establish whether a display connection alone can restore usable access.
03 Restore usable access
Connect a tested screen
A compatible display may restore passcode entry and supported data transfer. Your original board and its security components must operate.
View stage details
Connector, socket or board faults may need attention first. A tested screen does not bypass the phone’s credentials; the available approach depends on the model and damage.
04 Recover and verify
Unlock, copy, check
You unlock the phone, or provide credentials securely. Recovered files are checked against your agreed priority list.
View stage details
We agree which data matters most, use supported transfer options, and check recovered files before return. What can be copied depends on the data and access available.
Conceptual laboratory illustrations. Phone layouts, compatible parts and available recovery methods vary by model and damage.
Sources
Where the statements on this page come from.
Where these facts come from (15 sources)
- Apple: prepare your iPhone or iPad for a service appointment
- Apple: allow USB and other accessories to connect to your iPhone or iPad
- Apple: about the Trust This Computer alert
- Apple Platform Security: passcodes and passwords
- Apple: the Unavailable screen and your previous passcode
- Apple: reset your device if you’ve forgotten the passcode (erases it)
- Apple: if you see a liquid-detection alert (don’t use rice or heat)
- Android Open Source Project: file-based encryption
- Google: reset your Android device to factory settings
- Samsung Ireland: broken phone and touchscreen, how to access your data
- Samsung UK: I smashed my screen and can’t use the touchscreen
- Samsung US: access your Galaxy phone’s data if the screen does not respond
- scrcpy (Genymobile) on GitHub
- Ontrack: broken screen on a phone or tablet, how to get to the data
- Wildfire: locked phone data recovery (forensic unlocking for supported models)
Sources checked 8 November 2026. Samsung Australia has no copy of its broken-screen guide, so the Irish, UK and US versions are cited. Each record in the library below links to the page that documents it.
09 Library
Screen faults, routes and sources.
Search a fault, a do-it-yourself route or a term. Each record links to the Apple, Google, Samsung or other page that documents it, and a fault record can carry the situation into your enquiry.
Screen faultBlack screen, phone still onEvery phone
- How you can tell
- It still rings, buzzes, plays sounds or shows up on a computer, but the screen stays dark
- What usually failed
- The display panel, or the connector that joins it to the board
- Your data
- Untouched: it is on the storage chip, not in the screen
- Avoid
- Typing the passcode blind, and any repair that swaps the board or the phone
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Screen faultTouch not respondingEvery phone
- How you can tell
- The picture is fine, but taps and swipes do nothing, or only in some places
- What usually failed
- The touch layer bonded to the display, or its connector
- Your data
- Untouched
- Try first
- On a Samsung or another Android phone, a USB mouse through an adapter
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Screen faultGhost touchEvery phone
- How you can tell
- Apps open, keys press or the screen scrolls without you touching it
- Why it matters
- On the lock screen it can type wrong passcodes; each wrong try on an iPhone adds a longer wait, and with Erase Data on, ten erase it
- What to do
- Switch it off now and leave it off
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Screen faultLines, flicker or a green screenMostly OLED screens
- How you can tell
- Coloured lines, a green or pink tint, flicker or patches that come and go
- What usually failed
- The display panel, its connector or the display circuit on the board
- What to do
- Back it up while you still can, then switch it off until it is repaired
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Screen faultBlack screen, no sign of lifeEvery phone
- How you can tell
- No ring, no buzz, no sound, nothing on a computer, and no warmth when charging
- What usually failed
- More than the screen: the board, the battery or a connector
- What to do
- Leave it off, don’t charge a bent or swollen phone, and read the dead phone guide
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingTrust This ComputeriPhone and iPad
- What it is
- The prompt on the iPhone that lets a computer reach its photos and content
- When it appears
- On the first connection to a computer, and from iOS 16 whenever you back up
- With a broken screen
- If you can’t unlock the phone and tap Trust, a computer backup can’t run
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingAccessories need an unlocked iPhoneiPhone and iPad
- The default
- An iPhone or iPad connects to an accessory or computer only after it has been unlocked; it still charges
- What it means here
- A keyboard, mouse or adapter can’t be used to get past an iPhone’s lock screen
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingSmart Switch with a USB mouseSamsung Galaxy
- What it needs
- A phone that still turns on, a USB-C or micro USB adapter, a mouse or keyboard, and Smart Switch on a PC or Mac
- How it works
- Samsung says the mouse or keyboard lets you unlock a PIN, password or pattern, then Smart Switch backs the phone up
- When it won’t
- If the phone doesn’t turn on, or no pointer appears
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingTV or monitor through HDMISamsung Galaxy and some Android phones
- What it needs
- A phone with video output, a USB-C to HDMI adapter, an HDMI cable and a mouse
- The catch
- Samsung says not all Samsung phones support HDMI display output
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingFind My Mobile remote backupSamsung Galaxy
- What it needs
- The phone online, signed in to a Samsung account, remote controls turned on, and your account details
- The catch
- Remote controls must have been turned on before the screen broke
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingscrcpy screen mirroringAndroid
- What it does
- Mirrors an Android phone on a computer and lets you use it with a keyboard and mouse; no root needed
- What it needs
- USB debugging switched on beforehand, and the computer allowed
- The catch
- Both need a working screen to switch on, so it only helps if they were already on
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
Route or settingBefore any repairEvery phone
- Apple’s advice
- Back up before service; a device may come back erased
- What to tell any repairer
- The data matters: no reset or update, and no swapping the board or the phone without asking you
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryDisplay panel (OLED or LCD)Glossary
The layer that makes the picture. Most recent phones use OLED, where each pixel makes its own light; older and cheaper phones use LCD with a backlight. Neither stores any of your data.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryTouch layer (digitiser)Glossary
The thin layer that reads your finger. On most modern phones it is bonded to the display, so a touch fault and a display fault are often fixed together.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryDisplay connectorGlossary
The small plug and ribbon that join the screen to the board. A hard drop can loosen or crack it, which can turn the screen black while the phone keeps running.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryLogic boardGlossary
The phone’s main circuit board. It carries the processor, with the key that is unique to that phone, and the storage chip that holds your data. That is why a new board can’t read your data; when the original board is beyond repair, its processor and storage have to move together.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryFile-based encryptionAndroid
Android’s storage encryption. Your photos and app data sit in storage that only opens after the screen lock is entered, and every phone that launched with Android 10 or later must use it.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
GlossaryUSB debuggingAndroid
A developer setting on Android that lets a computer control the phone over a cable. It has to be switched on from the phone’s own screen, and the computer allowed on the phone.
Source checked 8 November 2026 · Bookmark this record
No records match that search. Try a shorter phrase or a single word, or ask us directly.
One call or one form
Tell us what the screen does.
We’ll tell you honestly what it needs.
The assessment costs nothing, a dead end costs nothing, and every price is in writing first.