My Samsung Galaxy S22's display is completely unreadable, but the touchscreen still responds. I have a Dell laptop running Windows 11 and need to unlock the phone and transfer files. Is there a way to mirror the phone to the laptop or use Samsung DeX, and will I need to approve anything on the phone first?
3 Answers
If the display cannot be made usable with an external monitor, the practical option is a repair shop. They may be able to temporarily attach a replacement screen, unlock the phone, and copy the files to a USB drive. Even a basic temporary screen could be sufficient for the transfer.
Most Android phones require the device to be unlocked and for you to accept USB, file-transfer, or DeX permissions on the phone. If those permissions were not already authorized, there is no reliable software-only way to bypass them. Since your touch input still works, connecting the phone to an external display and using a mouse or keyboard may be enough to unlock it and approve the transfer.
A Galaxy S22 can output video through USB-C, so a USB-C-to-HDMI adapter or hub connected to a TV or regular monitor may let you use Samsung DeX. A hub with USB ports would also let you connect a mouse or keyboard. You may be able to enter the phone's PIN and navigate using the touchscreen, but the phone could still require you to approve the connection before DeX or file access works.
That setup needs a TV or standalone monitor. A normal laptop HDMI port is usually output-only, so you generally cannot plug the phone into the laptop and use its screen as a monitor.