How to Access and Wipe Your Samsung Galaxy S20+ with a Broken Screen Before Trading It In
If you’re preparing to trade in your Samsung Galaxy S20+ and facing a broken or unresponsive screen, you might wonder how to securely wipe your device to protect your data. This situation becomes more complex if you’ve installed a custom ROM, such as One UI 6.1, which may introduce additional challenges. Fortunately, there are methods to access and wipe your device without incurring extra costs.
Understanding Your Situation
- Your Galaxy S20+ has a non-functional or black screen.
- The device is otherwise operational in the background.
- You have installed a custom ROM, upgrading from the stock Android 5.1 to One UI 6.1.
- You want to thoroughly erase personal data before trading in your phone.
Challenges
- Inaccessibility of the device’s display.
- Potential complications introduced by custom ROMs.
- No physical access to the screen for input.
Solutions
Below are cost-free, effective methods for accessing and wiping your device:
1. Use ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
Prerequisites:
- USB debugging enabled on your device before the screen broke.
- A computer with ADB installed.
Steps:
- Connect Your Device to the Computer:
Use a compatible USB cable to connect your Samsung Galaxy S20+ to your PC.
- Verify ADB Connection:
Open a command prompt or terminal and type:
bash
adb devices
If your device appears in the list, you’re connected.
- Perform a Factory Reset:
To wipe the device remotely, execute:
bash
adb -s <device_serial_number> shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MASTER_CLEAR
Replace <device_serial_number> with your device’s actual serial number if multiple devices are connected. You can find it via:
bash
adb devices
Note: This method requires that USB debugging was enabled before the screen broke. If it wasn’t, proceed to the next solution.
2. Use a Rooted PC and Android Unlock Tools
If you had previously rooted your device and installed custom recovery, you can leverage tools like Odin (for Samsung devices) or other PC-based utilities to perform a data wipe.
Important: Requires prior modifications and may involve data security risks
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