Backup iPhone with cracked screen and no display

My phone fell off my motorbike on the freeway and was shattered, front and back. The screen displayed for a bit, but by the time I got home it went black. The phone was still working, I could control and make calls using the Apple Watch and AirPods, but I could not unlock the phone to make a backup (I already know my mistake :).

This is how I got around unlocking the phone and creating a backup on my MacBook;

1. You need to have your pictures already syncing to the cloud, and you need another device, like your old iPhone that you kept in case of an emergency such as this.
2. Do what you usually do to bring up the sign in number pad, and then take a screenshot. This screenshot will then sync to your other phone after a short while (keep it plugged in to speed up the sync).
3. Get the picture onto your computer so that you can scale it by comparing the actual size of the picture to your phone, and then turn your screen brightness to full, take a piece of paper and align the bottom left corner to the bottom left of the image. You should see the numbers of the keypad shine through the paper. GENTLY with a soft tip pen, write the number on the display on the piece of paper making sure that the paper doesn't slip until you're done with all number 0-9.
4. Cut a small ring around each number that forms part of your pin. Make sure that it will not overlap to any other number by laying it over the image once you are complete.
5. Get your broken device to the sign in screen, as you usually would, you can take screenshots to make sure your method is working, just remember that the incorrect pin entered too many times will lock your phone for an hour. The idea now is to test that the screen responds to the touch at each hole you've cut, so perform the following test for each number in your pin:

5.1 Get to the sign in screen showing the keypad

5.2 Overlay the paper template you have made, using the bottom left corner to align it properly

5.3 Press firmly twice where your number should be

5.4 Take a screenshot and wait for it to sync to your other device, there should be 2 filled dots (each dot represents a number entered on the keypad, they are empty until white-filled) at the top of the screen which are filled as you normally enter your pin, showing that 2 buttons have been pressed (or 1 button pressed twice)

5.5 Lock your phone, and start again so that you don't accidentally enter the wrong pin and lock your phone

5.6 Repeat for each number in your pin until you know they are all working

The reason you are doing this is to make sure the numbers in your pin are responding, while not locking your phone.

Now you are ready to try and enter the complete pin.

1. Get to the unlock phone screen, overlay the template, and enter your entire pin.
2. Take a screenshot to confirm that the phone is unlocked and wait for it to sync to your other device (you can also try and Ask Siri something).
3. If you're unlocked, now you plug your device into your MacBook and go to Finder, in the left pane of the window, click on your device name, and confirm that you want to 'Trust' the device.
4. Wait 30 seconds (or test a few times to see how long it takes) and take a screenshot so that you can see where the 'Trust' button will appear. You can make another template for this button press response, but I just guessed.
5. Once you're past that screen, you will be asked to enter your passcode again, so use your template and do that.

If you are successful, you MacBook will connect to your iPhone, and if you get to this point, then immediately create a backup, so that you can restore from it to your new iPhone, which I'm pretty sure is already on it's way ;)

Warning: This process requires a heck of a lot of hit-and-miss, patience and tenacity, but if it works, you have saved your data!

Good luck.

[Image Edited by Moderator to Remove Personal Information]