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How to Prepare for an Extraction

This article explains what you need to get ready for your Hearsay extraction, including your phone, computer, cable, and storage space.

Updated over 2 weeks ago

This article covers what you’ll need for your Hearsay extraction, how to set things up, and what devices and software are supported. It includes a checklist of items, helpful tips, and minimum system requirements. Checking your computer’s available storage is a quick and important step that helps ensure a smooth extraction.


What You Need

  • A desktop or laptop computer

  • A USB cable to connect your computer and phone

  • Your Phone

  • Your Hearsay Extraction Code (created by the account holder or your attorney in the online portal)


Tips:

  • Make room on your computer. Your computer should have ~50GB of space for an Android extraction, or 150-200GB for iPhones (average). If you need more space, please have an 256GB+ SSD external hard drive or thumb drive available.

  • Make sure that you have enough USB ports (2-3) on your computer to simultaneously connect the power (for laptops), phone and additional storage, if needed.

  • Plan for the extraction to take 1–1.5 hours. The time may vary based on your phone’s age, computer performance, storage location, or USB cable.

  • Make sure the USB cable supports data transfer. Some low-cost cables from gas stations or supermarkets only charge the phone and do not allow for data transfer.


Need More Storage?

If your computer doesn’t have enough free space, we recommend using an external storage device. Below are some good options to consider:

External SSDs
Fastest, preferred option.

External Hard Drive
Slower than SSDs.

USB Flash Drives
Least expensive option, but may have performance issues depending on quality.


Minimum Hardware Requirements

To use the Hearsay Extractor, your device must meet the following minimum system requirements:

Apple Computer: macOS 10.14+
Windows Computer: Windows 7+

Apple iPhone: iOS 10.14+
Apple iPad: iPadOS 10.14+

Android Phone: Android 10+
Android Tablet: Android 10+


Note: Chromebooks are not compatible with the Hearsay Extractor. Microsoft Surface devices are generally compatible but may experience slower extraction times due to power or USB limitations.


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