ABSTRACT Despite the huge quantity of potentially relevant data on crimes, victims, and offenders generated by and associated with technologies such as smartphones, evidence suggests these are rarely used in court proceedings. Moreover, while empirical findings suggest that techniques for analysing digital trace evidence have outstripped the abilities of investigators to interpret it, there is a lack of research on the specific challenges and potential solutions for upskilling police officers to handle digital evidence. This study seeks to identify facilitators and barriers for investigators interpreting mobile phone evidence generated during criminal investigations in China. Based on interviews with 29 frontline investigators regarding their working experience and perceptions, findings illustrate that although Chinese legislation grants investigators access to and legitimacy in retaining mobile phone data and applying it as admissible evidence, and despite the acknowledged importance of this data, investigators often lack the capability to interpret it. The lack of functional techniques for efficiently reviewing and analysing data is identified as a barrier. But more importantly, unfamiliarity with technological innovations in criminal activities hinders investigators’ capabilities to understand the generation and meaning of mobile phone data within the context of the investigation.