Sometimes it’s obvious when you have a serious problem.
Like when your car suddenly won’t start, no matter what you do to it. Or when the running water in your home suddenly stops altogether. Or—in the case of iPhones—when your screen shatters or stops responding to touch.
If your iPhone screen is cracked to the point it looks like a kaleidoscope, you know you have a problem that needs to be addressed. But other times, it isn’t as obvious.
Does an iPhone 11 screen replacement make sense if there’s just a little crack? What if there are tiny, barely-noticeable spots on your screen that stay a certain color? Should you get your phone repaired then?
This article will try to answer those questions for you. If you aren’t sure whether to splurge on an iPhone 7 screen replacement for your four-year-old phone, keep reading to find out.
Sometimes a phone breaks at the perfect time: right when its model was becoming obsolete. Of course, a cracked screen is never a convenient thing to have happen. But if you were getting ready to upgrade to the latest iPhone anyway, at least you don’t need to worry about repairs.
Maybe your phone is brand-new or in excellent condition—or you just don’t have the budget to upgrade right now. In that case, you’ll most likely want to get it repaired.
iPhones are often treated like status symbols. Granted, almost everyone carries an expensive smartphone nowadays, so it’s not that rare. But there’s no denying the appeal and sense of luxury that the Apple logo has.
However, nothing kills that illusion of luxury like a cracked screen. And if you’re a professional who travels or deals with clients in person, even minor screen damage can ruin your look. If you feel like your damaged iPhone is giving people the impression that you’re clumsy or careless, consider getting it fixed.
Let’s be honest: if the damage to your screen consists of a hairline scratch, it may be something you can live with. If the corner of your screen has small cracks, but doesn’t interfere with the use of your phone, repairs might be optional.
However, it’s worth noting even small cracks can let dust or moisture into your iPhone, causing damage to your phone’s components over time. If you choose not to have your screen repaired, you should at least secure it with a tempered glass screen protector and back up all your data in case it decides to stop working.
One of the many things that make the Apple iPhone stand out is its display. From its inception to the latest flagship models, Apple has paid extra attention to developing crisp, vibrant, and simply brilliant displays. However, there is one consistent problem with these displays: they break. While it’s not strictly an “iPhone” problem since all touchscreens are prone to breaking if mishandled, it is pretty frustrating and painful to use a device with a broken screen.
In this article, we will share the signs of iPhone screen damage, different types of damage, how much it costs to fix them, and how you can prevent your iPhone screen from getting damaged.
Your iPhone may need screen replacement if you notice any signs of damage, such as scratches, cracks, frozen screen, discoloration, or dead pixels. These kinds of damages can severely impact the device’s functionality and, hence, must be fixed immediately. Identifying the impact of damage is crucial to finding the right solution, such as DIY for minor screen damage or professional repair services for critical damages. When deciding between official Apple repair stores and local repair stores in the United States, it’s important to consider the costs of repair as well as the warranty offered on the repaired device.
iPhone screens have some of the sharpest and most colorful displays that make images, videos, and text appear crisp and vibrant. However, these gorgeous touchscreen displays are very delicate and sensitive to damage from drops, exposure to extreme heat or cold, software issues, and sometimes manufacturing defects. Listed below are some common signs of iPhone screen damage that are hard to ignore:
Depending on how you use your iPhone, its screen may sustain different levels of damage. These can range from minor cracks and scratches to completely shattered glass. As far as functionality is concerned, even a hairline crack can begin to degrade the aesthetics and usage of the iPhone.
As the extent of damage increases, the touch screen may appear distorted, as shattered glass significantly impairs the visibility of content. Apart from just reduced functionality, a shattered iPhone screen also poses a safety hazard. Whether it’s a small crack or a completely shattered screen, any level of damage undermines the crisp and stunning high-resolution display that is the prominent feature of the iPhone. Impaired visibility and inability to properly operate the touchscreen ultimately disrupt the iPhone’s renowned user experience.
Despite having one of the best touchscreen displays in the industry, the iPhone is not without its flaws. Listed below are some common touchscreen issues faced by iPhone users that hinder user experience.
A screen or certain areas on the screen may go unresponsive due to hardware or physical damage, cracks, or dents, often caused by impacts. Additionally, a touch screen may fail to detect touch if it has not been replaced properly. Environmental factors also contribute to this problem; extreme temperatures, humidity, or the presence of liquids can affect the touch screen's responsiveness either temporarily or permanently.
An unresponsive touchscreen causes significant inconvenience for users and can be highly frustrating.
Ghost touch is another common issue, where the screen recognizes touch input that hasn't occurred. This can be attributed to faulty hardware or manufacturing defects. Software glitches can also cause ghost touch issues, possibly due to incompatibility with certain applications.
The impact on user experience is significant as ghost touches can lead to accidental actions, such as opening apps, making calls, or sending messages unintentionally.
Difficulty swiping is a frustrating experience for many users. There can be various reasons why a touchscreen sensitivity may be affected over time. One of the biggest factors is age and use of the device. If your device storage is full, you may experience a sluggish response. Similarly, as your device ages and runs on newer iOS versions, there is a high possibility that your device may not be able to keep up with the new iOS, resulting in touch sensitivity issues.
The use of poor-quality screen protectors can also hinder the touch screen's sensitivity, further complicating swiping actions. This issue affects the ease of navigating through the device’s interface, leading to a sluggish and frustrating user experience. It is especially problematic for users who mostly use their devices for gaming or browsing, requiring swift and precise gestures.
Listed below are some of the most common iPhone display abnormalities that affect user experience;
Screen discoloration refers to uneven patches of faded, darker, or saturated areas across the iPhone display. This makes viewing photos, videos, and apps difficult since color accuracy is lost in affected regions. iPhone usability greatly suffers as screen content becomes hard to see or interpret properly. It can mainly happen due to faulty LCD or damage to the internal components.
Strange lines that flicker or remain static on the iPhone screen may affect areas users need to see. Horizontal or vertical lines divide the display, making portions of apps and interfaces unusable. Viewing videos, photos, or texts with large strips slicing across them can be very challenging. These disruptive lines usually develop due to cracked screens or software glitches. Moisture can also affect the display and create these lines over the screen.
Dead pixels are tiny black dots scattered across the iPhone screen that don’t receive light, regardless of the actual content displayed. While small at first, these dots quickly multiply, affecting apps and interfaces that are hard to ignore. The most common reason behind the dead pixels is a manufacturing defect or physical damage to the phone.
A flickering iPhone screen rapidly blinks on and off, making it nearly impossible to interact with the device. Usability is critically impaired by the constant flickering that affects not only the field of view but also strains the eyes and may cause headaches if users look at the device for longer periods. Flickering of the screen can be linked to software glitches, exposure to water, or physical damage by impact.
A cracked or damaged iPhone screen has an impact that goes far beyond just spoiling the sleek, glossy exterior design iPhones are known for. One of the biggest functional impacts of a broken screen is the impaired visibility that affects how users interact with apps and games, take photos and videos, read messages, and perform other essential day-to-day functions.
When a screen shatters, the glass fragments obstruct large portions of display visibility. Cracks also affect touch accuracy, making even the most basic operations like scrolling or typing frustrating. Moreover, cracks spread over the built-in camera lenses distort photo and video quality significantly. As a result, pictures taken with the camera come out unfocused, grainy, or smeared by light.
Most importantly, iPhone features like Face ID may also be rendered useless if the cracks cover the front-facing lens. As a result, users are unable to use the enhanced security and convenience of the Face ID. Ultimately, users have no option but to rely on passcode, which is just as difficult to use since the screen is damaged.
From watching videos to communicating to playing games, a shattered screen greatly affects the functionality iPhone users rely upon daily.
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Since a cracked iPhone screen can hinder daily productivity and user experience, it may be a wiser decision to get the iPhone screen repaired as soon as possible. But the screen replacement is not cheap. Depending upon your iPhone model, it can actually be quite costly.
A DIY approach to iPhone screen replacement seems quite appealing to save on repair costs but keep in mind that a DIY comes with significant risks that can further damage the device if it's not done properly.
Even removing just the screen requires carefully disconnecting several internal components that are highly prone to damage from excessive pressure or mishandling. These include ribbon cables, dock ports, speaker components, cameras, batteries, etc. All these small parts can easily be broken or disconnected incorrectly during a DIY job, causing more harm than good. It is possible that a slight mistake may cause a new issue altogether to develop.
Amateur repairs also have a greater likelihood of alignment issues causing problems like visible gaps between the bezel and screen, dead zones, unresponsive touch recognition, or losing Face ID capabilities completely.
Unless the DIY is perfectly executed in a safe environment with the right tools, it can damage your device further. Having said that, those determined to do iPhone repairs themselves can take some precautionary measures to perform the procedure effectively;
Be sure to purchase the precise model-specific tool kit for the job.
Carefully go through DIY guides and visual tutorials to understand the procedure.
Take photos of the iPhone's exact configuration before taking it apart so everything can be properly arranged.
Work slowly and diligently when lifting out delicate components like cameras and motherboards.
While DIY iPhone screen repairs may seem straightforward, the reality is that even one slight slip-up can result in a far costlier mistake than just having the screen replaced by an experienced technician.
A DIY approach is surely less costly but comes with a list of risks. Therefore, most iPhone owners benefit more from seeking professional repair services than risking a DIY.
Professional repair shops have high-quality precision tools and equipment. Moreover, they possess the skills and experience necessary to safely remove and reinstall displays without disturbing other fragile interior parts.
They also have access to high-quality parts to use in repair.
Depending upon the level of damage and other appointments before you, you can easily get your iPhone fixed within a few hours.
Most professional repair services, such as Simply Fixable, offer a warranty of at least 90 days, within which time, if you face any issue with the touchscreen, you can get it fixed for free.
If you have purchased AppleCare+, you can get your iPhone fixed by Apple at no cost.
If you rely heavily on your iPhone for both personal and professional use, it’s important to get the screen fixed only by authorized repair stores such as Apple or Simply Fixable.
The replacement cost for a cracked iPhone screen differs from model to model, particularly because of the difference in technology and internal components. So, how much a replacement will set you back depends on the following factors;
Replacing an iPhone 14 Pro screen requires a specific Pro model’s display, which is more expensive than a basic iPhone 14 screen. Newer models also cost more since their parts are the newest on the market.
The extent of damage also affects overall pricing. Minor scratches may cost you less than the complete LCD replacement. Damage to other components due to the screen may also increase the repair cost.
The shop or technician doing the work also influences price based on their reputation, parts quality, and labor rates. Apple Store repairs from Genius Bar techs are generally among the highest-cost options. Local repair stores, on the other hand, may offer lower repair costs. But only opt for the store that offers competitive prices and doesn’t compromise on the repair quality.
AppleCare+ extends the repair warranty for up to two years. If your iPhone gets damaged within this period, you can get your iPhone repaired for absolutely free. Similar is the case with warranties by Apple, but the approval of repair under warranty varies from case to case.
The cost may vary from store to store. For instance, screen replacement by Apple’s official store may be free if it’s under warranty. However, outside the warranty, it may cost you $250 on average to get the screen replaced.
Alternatively, if you’re tight on budget, there are numerous local repair stores providing excellent quality repairs across the United States. One of them is Simply Fixable, which offers iPhone screen replacement for as low as $150 on average. Their repair comes with a 90-day warranty period. If anything happens to the screen during that period (excluding the accidents), they’ll repair it without any cost.
Replacing the screen yourself at home is significantly cheaper than giving it to a professional. All you need is a repair kit and a model-specific LCD. On average, the premium LCD part will cost you $113.
However, regardless of the lower repair costs of DIY, it’s important to have technical knowledge to perform the screen replacement at home. Without proper knowledge and skills, you may harm your iPhone more.
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Seeing a shattered screen on a device you spent hundreds of dollars on can be painful. Here is what you can do to prevent iPhone screen damage and save yourself from unwanted repair costs:
Use tempered glass screen protectors to protect against impact damage.
Use a case with raised edges around the screen, which will prevent the device from making contact with the surface if dropped on it.
Never rest or lean if your device is in your rear pant pocket to avoid screen pressure cracks or exterior damage.
Keep your iPhone away from liquids and extreme temperatures.
Although iPhone screens are amongst the best in the industry today, they are unfortunately vulnerable to mishandling and can result in cracks, unresponsiveness, discoloration, and other issues, as mentioned above.
There are two ways users can fix the damage: a DIY approach or a professional repair service. A DIY approach may be cost-efficient but risks damaging other components while a professional repair service guarantees a high-quality repair and also provides you with a warranty if you choose a credible repair service provider like Simply Fixable.
It depends on your skills and also the severity of screen damage. If the damage is minor, you can fix it at home, saving you labor costs. However, if your iPhone screen is badly shattered, you should seek help from a professional repair store.
Attempting a DIY iPhone screen replacement comes with several risks, especially if you don’t have any skills or the tools to perform the procedure. You might cause damage to other components and also void the warranty if you still have it from Apple.
You can follow these steps to check for screen damage on your iPhone:
Look for any visible scratches or cracks, discoloration, or lines on the screen.
Examine the touch functionality by using your iPhone for a while to make sure it’s working fine. Navigate through the apps and also swipe across the screen to confirm there is no issue.
Check if the front-facing camera and Face ID are working correctly. If the screen is damaged, it may impact both components.
Are there specific iPhone models having screen damage more often than others?
There are no specific iPhone models that have screen damage more often than others. Screen damage can happen to any phone regardless of its make or model if not handled carefully.
Yes, a damaged iPhone screen can impact the Face ID as the screen won’t recognize your face and hence will not unlock the device. On the other hand, if the screen is broken, it will also give you blurry front camera photos.
Yes. Screen protectors and durable cases provide an extra layer of protection that helps prevent screen damage by impact.
Yes. You can buy tools or repair kits from online stores such as Amazon. However, you have to buy parts separately according to the model of your iPhone.