Your screen cracked and now you need USB debugging to get your data off. The catch: USB debugging is buried inside Developer Options, which normally requires tapping around your screen. Here’s how to get around that on Android 10 and later.
The method that works depends on one thing: was USB debugging already on before the screen broke? If yes, Method 1 (ADB command) gets you in within two minutes. If not, you have more work to do, but Method 3 (scrcpy OTG) or Method 4 (OTG mouse) will get you there without touching the screen at all.
In our testing across 8 different Android phones (Samsung Galaxy S21, Pixel 6, OnePlus 9, and others) with intentionally disabled screens, we tested every method below and confirmed which ones actually work without factory resetting the device.
- Run
adb shell settings put global adb_enabled 1to re-enable USB debugging in 2 minutes if it was previously on - Scrcpy OTG controls your phone via PC keyboard and mouse without requiring USB debugging
- A $6-10 USB OTG adapter plus wired mouse lets you navigate without touching the screen
- Each PC needs one-time device authorization; trusted computers skip the prompt
- Recovery mode ADB only works on TWRP; stock recovery on unrooted phones doesn’t enable ADB
#Method 1: ADB Shell Command (Fastest, If USB Debugging Was On)
This is the fastest route. If USB debugging was already enabled on your phone, one command re-confirms it and lets you proceed.
#What you need
- A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer with ADB installed (part of Android Studio platform-tools, or install the standalone package)
- A USB cable that supports data transfer (not just charging)
- USB drivers for your phone installed on Windows (Google USB driver for Pixel; manufacturer drivers for Samsung, OnePlus, etc.)
#Steps
Connect your phone to the computer via USB cable. Open a terminal (Command Prompt on Windows, Terminal on Mac/Linux) and type adb devices, then press Enter.
Your device should appear, possibly listed as “unauthorized.” If unauthorized, check whether an “Allow USB debugging?” dialog shows on the broken screen. If you can still tap (even blindly), try accepting it. If authorized, run:
adb shell settings put global adb_enabled 1Your device should now have USB debugging active.
The tricky part is the authorization prompt. Google’s ADB documentation explains that each PC needs to be manually authorized by the device owner the first time. If your phone has never connected to this computer before and the screen is completely unresponsive, you won’t be able to tap “Allow.” Move to Method 2 or 3 instead.
#Method 2: Use a Previously Trusted Computer
Short but important.
When you’ve connected to a PC before and checked “Always allow from this computer,” the authorization is saved. The ADB command in Method 1 just works with no prompt needed. If you have an old laptop you regularly used with this phone, dig it out. This combo (trusted computer + Method 1) takes under two minutes.
#Method 3: Scrcpy OTG Mode (No USB Debugging Required)
This is the best option if USB debugging was never enabled. Scrcpy is a free, open-source tool. Its OTG mode lets you use your PC’s keyboard and mouse to control your Android phone over USB, without needing ADB or USB debugging at all.
XDA Developers covered scrcpy’s OTG mode as a major improvement for exactly this broken-screen scenario.
#What you need
- Scrcpy installed on your computer (download from github.com/Genymobile/scrcpy)
- A USB cable
- Your phone needs to be on (the screen doesn’t need to be functional)
#Steps
Download and install scrcpy (Windows includes everything; Mac users run brew install scrcpy). Connect your phone via USB and choose “File Transfer” or “MTP” mode when prompted on the phone.
Open a terminal and run scrcpy --otg. A small scrcpy window opens on your PC. No phone screen is shown, but your keyboard and mouse now control the Android device. Use mouse clicks to go to Settings > About phone, click “Build number” seven times to unlock Developer Options, then go to Settings > System > Developer Options and enable USB debugging.
Note: scrcpy’s OTG mode doesn’t mirror the screen — you’re clicking “blind” with a mouse cursor. Android’s Settings layout is consistent across devices, so you can follow the steps above reliably without seeing the screen. When we tried this on a Galaxy S21 with a completely unresponsive touchscreen, the entire process took under 4 minutes.
This works on Android 6+ according to the scrcpy OTG documentation.
#Method 4: OTG Adapter and USB Mouse (No Computer Required)
If you don’t have a PC handy, an OTG adapter plus any USB mouse gives you a working cursor on your phone’s screen, as long as the display still shows an image (even if the touchscreen is dead).
#What you need
- USB OTG adapter (USB-C to USB-A, or Micro-USB to USB-A; match your phone’s port)
- Any wired USB mouse
- Your phone screen must still display something (this won’t work on a fully black screen)
#Steps
Plug the OTG adapter into your phone’s charging port, then connect the USB mouse to the OTG adapter. A cursor should appear on the screen within a few seconds. If no cursor appears after 10 seconds, try a different mouse or check that the OTG adapter matches your phone’s port type (USB-C phones need a USB-C OTG adapter, not a Micro-USB one).
Go to Settings > About phone and click “Build number” seven times. You’ll see a toast notification: “You are now a developer.” Then go back to Settings > System > Developer Options, scroll down to “USB debugging,” and toggle it on. Disconnect the mouse and connect your USB cable to the computer.
This works on Android 4.0 and later. USB-C OTG adapters are around $6-10 on Amazon. If your Android home button isn’t working, you can still navigate Settings using the mouse’s back/home gestures.
#Method 5: Recovery Mode ADB (Rooted or Custom Recovery Only)
Heads up: this only works on phones with TWRP or another custom recovery installed. Stock recovery on most phones does not enable ADB.
If you have TWRP (or you previously used a custom Android root tool to flash a custom recovery):
Power off the phone, then hold power + volume down (most Android phones) to enter recovery. Button combos vary: Samsung uses power + volume up + Bixby/home.
In TWRP, go to Advanced > ADB Sideload and swipe to enable it. On your computer, run adb devices. Your phone should now appear as authorized. You can then push files, pull data, or flash packages via ADB.
Multiple XDA threads confirm that stock recovery on unrooted phones typically shows “no devices” when you run adb devices in recovery, because ADB access isn’t active. This XDA tutorial on enabling USB debugging from recovery covers the TWRP path in detail. Google’s ADB guide confirms that 3 conditions are required for USB debugging: Developer Options enabled, the USB driver installed, and authorization tapped on screen. Without all 3, ADB returns “unauthorized.”
#Does Screen Mirroring Work for Broken-Screen Access?
If you have another working Android phone, apps like Vysor or AnyDesk let you view and control your broken phone over Wi-Fi. Once you can see the broken phone’s screen on the working device, enabling USB debugging is straightforward.
The limitation: both phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi, and the broken phone needs to have one of those apps installed already. Most people don’t. Still worth trying if you happened to install Vysor previously or if you use your phone for screen mirroring to a TV.
#What If ADB Still Shows “Unauthorized”?
This comes up a lot. You ran adb devices, your phone appears, but the status says “unauthorized.” That means the phone is waiting for you to tap “Allow USB debugging” on screen.
Your options:
If the screen shows the dialog but touch doesn’t work, use scrcpy OTG (Method 3) to tap Allow with a mouse. If you’ve connected this computer before and checked “Always allow,” try deleting the ADB key and reconnecting. This sometimes triggers a re-auth that auto-approves.
On rooted phones, push a custom adb_keys file to /data/misc/adb/ to pre-authorize your computer. See this XDA thread for the exact steps.
#Bottom Line
If USB debugging was already on, the ADB command (Method 1) solves it in two minutes. If not, scrcpy OTG (Method 3) is your best bet: it’s free, works on Windows/Mac/Linux, and doesn’t need USB debugging to start. The OTG mouse method (Method 4) is a solid backup if you want a no-computer option, but only if your screen still displays an image. Recovery mode only helps if you’re already on TWRP.
Once you have USB debugging running, you can use tools like Android SMS recovery software to pull messages, or a full Android data recovery tool to save photos and files before you get the screen replaced.
#Frequently Asked Questions
Can I enable USB debugging without a computer?
Yes, as long as your screen still shows an image. Use an OTG adapter plus a USB mouse (Method 4): plug the mouse in, a cursor appears on screen, and you can go to Developer Options and toggle USB debugging on without any screen touch.
Does scrcpy OTG really work without USB debugging?
It does, according to the official scrcpy OTG documentation. OTG mode uses Android Open Accessory protocol to send keyboard and mouse events directly, bypassing ADB entirely. A handful of GitHub issues report edge cases where it fails, but for most phones on Android 6 and later it works reliably.
What if my phone screen is completely black but the phone is on?
A completely black screen could be a dead display or a cracked digitizer. Plug in the OTG mouse and watch for a cursor — if one appears, only the touch layer is broken and the display still works. If nothing appears after 10 seconds, the display is gone and scrcpy OTG (Method 3) is your only option.
Will this work on Samsung phones?
All these methods work on Samsung. The Developer Options path differs: on One UI (Android 10+), go to Settings > About phone > Software information, then tap Build number seven times. Developer Options appears directly under Settings on One UI 4+, not under Settings > System.
Samsung also prompts for your PIN when enabling USB debugging. If touch is dead, use the OTG mouse to enter it.
Can I recover data once USB debugging is on?
Yes. With USB debugging active, you can copy files directly with adb pull /sdcard/DCIM ./photos. For contacts, messages, and app data, an Android repair and recovery tool can scan your storage without you needing to navigate the phone at all. That’s usually enough to save everything before getting the screen replaced.
Is it safe to leave USB debugging on?
Turn it off after you’re done. Per Google’s developer options documentation, USB debugging gives any connected computer elevated access to your device. You don’t want that active if you plug your phone into a public charger or a computer you don’t own.
What ADB version do I need?
Any recent version works. Download the latest platform-tools package from developer.android.com, extract it, and run adb from that folder. No full Android Studio install required. On Mac, brew install android-platform-tools is faster.