this post was submitted on 18 Nov 2023
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So what do you do if you literally cant wipe the phone I.e broken screen? Just never have anything there to begin with?
Phones these days are encrypted. If you ever set up a pin/password to unlock your phone, that means it's encrypted. Just make sure your phone is powered off or restarted (or battery drained, if the off button isn't working), before you drop it off at the repair shop.
No one can access your files in this state - not even the manufacturer (unless there's backdoor, but that's a different topic - but even then, there are many "secure folder" type apps you could use to encrypt sensitive data).
If it's just a broken screen, Google your way in learning how to repair it yourself.
Or, find a shop that will repair it in front of you the whole time. Pay extra if need be
Or, if the material is too sensitive and the above options aren't viable:
The good thing with a problem like this is that your options are limited. So there's not a whole hell of a lot of decision tree making you need to do.
Stop being logical! We need to find holes!
Remote wipes are possible. Log into your Apple/Google account, figure out how to find your device, then perform a remote wipe.
Assuming the device is powered on and can connect to a network to recieve the instruction.
Plug it into a computer and delete the files that way?
Youve never actually had that happen if you think its that easy.
Guys no...
You cant wipe a phone remotely with your google sign on unless "find my device" is enabled, which it never was.
My phone does not just give access automatically to any device plugged into it. You are REQUIRED to give permission from the phone. Which cant be done because the screen is fucked.
Your phone SHOULDNT be accessible in this scenario because allowing any device to just plug in and download everything with no authentication is a security risk.
It is still possible to unlock an android phone with a fucked screen.
I had to do this once and managed to unlock the phone with a USB mouse. It took me a while to get the right pattern, but it is possible.
I mean sure it’s not easy to remote wipe if you never set up the feature that lets you remote wipe.
The first ever Android I had (Galaxy S4) was sadly dropped by a friend, and the oled screen was toast within a few days... thankfully I had previously authorized ADB on my main computer, had it paired to a Sony Ericsson LiveView (with OpenLiveView), and my bluetooth headset was set up to automatically launch the music player when connected. Could also make calls using the voice assistant (forgot what it was called back then, S-Voice or something?) needless to say a screen replacement wasn't urgent at all.
Can't say I'd be able to do the same nowadays on modern Android with all the forced app killing and stuff, as well as Google Assistant being a massive downgrade (believe most useful actions on a smashed device would require unlocking, and on-screen confirmation)
Actually yes, but that’s just old man me yelling at the clouds. Nudes are just so pointless, especially of oneself.