factory reset with broken display
DuchessofAZ
Newbie

My Galaxy S4 (while in an Otter Box) was dropped and the display broke - not just cracked, but broken so I cannot see anything.  It's was not locked when I dropped it.  I cannot perform a factory reset without seeing the display and I have to send this broken phone back to Asurion because they sent me a replacement phone.  I was able to import all my pictures and videos into my PC using the Kies program from Samsung, but there are other data that was stored directly to the phone's memory (NOT the SD Card) and I don't want to send it to Asurion with personal info on it.  Is there any way to do a factory reset by connecting the damaged phone to my PC?  Please help!

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Re: factory reset with broken display
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

I'm glad you already have a replacement phone from Asurion, DuchessofAZ. You're doing a lot to protect your device! Since your security is important and no one would want wipe options falling into someone else's hand, the phones require special permission directly from your phone to unlock the ability to wipe through PC or website options. If you had activated any third party device manager applications and provioded remote wipe permissions, you may be able to locate the steps to complete the wipe by viewing your applications at https://play.google.com/store and logging into the same Gmail email that was on your initial phone. If you've already activated the replacement though, your original phone may no longer be able to recognize a remote command unless it's connected to a WiFi network.

JenniferH_VZW

Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/vzwsupport

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Re: factory reset with broken display
Klue
Master - Level 1

You don't need to see the display on your old phone to do a factory reset. Use the screen of your replacement phone as a guide, keystroke for keystroke. So if it take four pushes of a certain button to get to a certain step, the same four pushes on the dark phone will get it to the same step. Follow this procedure to the end and you should be able to factory reset your dark phone.

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Re: factory reset with broken display
jrh4054
Specialist - Level 3

How will this work if the 'dark' phone isn't on, or you can't tell if it's on?  The four touches you mention would be on a black screen.  How would you know exactly where to touch?

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Re: factory reset with broken display
Klue
Master - Level 1

You do the factory reset using only the on/off, volume, and home key buttons. All of these buttons a physical buttons you can feel.

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Re: factory reset with broken display
Klue
Master - Level 1

I might add you start this with both phones turned off. To make sure the dark phone is off, pull the battery.

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