Most of us have been in this situation: you take your phone out to look up something, but it slips out of your hand and drops to the ground. If you’re lucky, the layers of plastic and glass will somehow hold up. In most cases, though, this scenario will lead to a broken or cracked iPhone screen. The good news: even if the cracks resemble a spider web, there is a way to fix your screen. Not sure where to start? This iPhone cracked screen repair guide will provide all the answers you need—so get to reading!
Why Do Screens Break?
First things first: why do our phone screens break so easily in the first place? If you paid $1,000 for your iPhone, shouldn’t it be a bit more resilient?
It’s all about finding the balance between engineering reality and consumer desires. We all want our phones to look elegant and have a maxed-out display, right? Well, those slick screens come at a cost: a small decrease in durability.
Even beyond the design specifics, it’s a matter of energy. When you drop a phone, the elastic energy in the phone’s glass gets converted into surface energy. The force of impact overcomes the surface compression, causing the screen to shatter.
This is why Apple keeps experimenting with glass that could absorb this sort of impact. For now, though, we’re stuck with our relatively weak screens.
What to Do Right Away
When you drop your phone, the screen may crack in a variety of ways. Your first step should be to pick it up while making sure you don’t cut yourself.
Once you know you’re safe, assess the severity of the situation. Smashed screens range from light scratches to missing entire chunks of glass. Depending on the damage, you could be dealing with a cosmetic issue or a broken phone.
If you’re not sure how serious the issue is, place the phone on a solid surface and under good lighting. Then, do some prodding to figure out whether the screen is about to fall off or stay in place.
If the screen is hanging on, back up your phone data as soon as you can. With serious cracks, you’ll never know when your phone will decide to stop working. If it’s already stopped working, you’re best off contacting a screen repair professional.
Repair Options
Fortunately, you have plenty of potential solutions at your disposal. Let’s go through each of them, noting their pros and cons.
Apple
If you have AppleCare+, Apple is your best bet. Repairing a cracked screen with them will only set you back $29, which is a bargain.
Without AppleCare+, you’re looking at paying anywhere from $129 to $329. That’s only for screen damage, too—any other damage will incur additional costs. On top of that, their post-repair warranty is only 90 days.
They also have a mail-in repair service, but their return times can take a week or longer. If you need your phone right away or aren’t prepared to pay such a high price, look into third-party options.
Local Repair Shops
As Apple products become more popular, more shops keep servicing them. This is undoubtedly a good thing, but it may lead to some variability.
See, plenty of iPhone repair shops may not be a great fit for your specific phone. If you don’t do your research, you may end up paying for shoddy service. Of course, you also have repair shops that can service any iPhone model.
Keep in mind that getting a replacement screen for your iPhone is likely to void your warranty. In some cases, Apple may refuse to service your phone altogether. If your phone is still under warranty, take it to Apple first.
Come-to-You Repairs
This option is similar to the previous one, except that the technician comes to you. With some luck, they’ll be able to repair your iPhone on the spot.
As convenient as this method is, it does come with some caveats. For starters, it’s more expensive than going to a local repair shop. Plus, you’ll still need to do your research to avoid any potential issues with the service.
Mail-In Programs
Your final cracked screen repair option is a mail-in repair service. This is convenient for people who don’t have a good local repair shop in the vicinity.
Main-in programs can do the job, but many of them are notoriously slow. Much like with Apple mail-ins, the return time can take up to a week or longer. If you’re ready to wait that long, mail-in repairs are a solid option.
DIY Options
Replacing an iPhone screen is a delicate process, but it’s definitely possible.
Before going down this route, make sure to check what a replacement screen would cost. Today’s screens don’t come cheap, especially if they involve biometric sensors. To be on the safe side, take another look at your warranty situation as well.
If you’re repairing the screen yourself, you’ll also need the right DIY kit. The kit should contain all the tools you need, from a suction handle to precision tweezers. Of course, you’ll also need some technical knowledge and plenty of patience.
Your other option is to keep your cracked phone until you’re eligible for an upgrade. You may be able to do so by covering the cracked screen with a layer of packing tape. That way, you won’t slice up your fingers while using the phone.
You can also opt for an actual screen protector. This method will ensure you have a clean line around the edge of your screen. Granted, if your screen is noticeably cracked, this may not be that much of a concern.
More on iPhone Cracked Screen Repair
As you can see, a cracked iPhone screen is no reason to panic. As long as you weigh your options carefully, you’ll be fine. This guide contains all the information you need, so make sure to reread it if you get stuck.
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