A broken smartphone screen can ruin your day and ruin your month if you don’t have the right repair options. This is how you can fix a broken screen on your iPhone or Android device. We also have a guide on how to fix a cracked screen without replacing it.
Replacing an iPhone or Android in the middle of a payment plan is expensive, and with trade-in offers, you’re less likely to have a spare phone you can trust.
We will go over the options you can use to fix your broken iPhone screen or broken Android screen. There are several ways to fix your broken screen and options to seek help. Here are the options you should consider using to fix your broken smartphone screen without breaking the bank.
If you leave your iPhone or Android without a case, you can start looking for a solution. Cases can help, but if you’re probably reading this, you’re looking for a solution for a screen you’ve already cracked.
You don’t need to buy a new iPhone for $650 or pay full price for a new Android phone to get your device repaired. You can get a temporary fix for a few bucks and there are some great options ranging from $100-$200. If you’re in warranty, you can pay as little as $29 for a replacement iPhone screen, and some cell phone stores even offer same-day repair service.
If you end up with a cracked screen, here are five different repair options that might work for you, including do-it-yourself screen repair without replacing your screen.
1. Contact the Manufacturer
Before trying any DIY screen repair options, you should check with the company that made your phone.
See if you can get a free screen repair or replacement.
Apple offers AppleCare+ if you purchase a new device within 60 days of purchase. This is between $99 and $129 depending on your iPhone, with a discount for accidental damage. You have to buy this before your iPhone screen is broken, but we’ve seen Apple Geniuses allow users to purchase this plan with a broken screen and then get a new one. We’ve also seen the occasional free repair, but that depends on many factors that line up in your favour. If you have AppleCare+ you only need to pay $29 for screen repair and they’ll do it in-store while you wait.
One of HTC’s Ah-Oh protection plan This covers screen replacement if your HTC One M9 breaks down within the first year. This is a free replacement and the new device will arrive quickly.
Samsung sells Galaxy S9 warranty and warranty plans for other Samsung phones Just like AppleCare+ does. If you buy this before damage occurs, you are covered by insurance.
Although not officially supported, a Samsung rep at Best Buy recently told a friend to buy the warranty after his screen broke, wait a month, then get a new one. It’s not the best way to do it, but it’s an option a Samsung rep told him to do while clearly seeing his cracked screen.
2. Screen Protector or Tape
If you can’t fix your broken smartphone screen right away, there are some steps you can take to use broken screen iPhone or Android. Assuming that only the glass is broken, i.e. the screen still displays an image and responds to touch, you can use this as a temporary measure until you can afford to replace the screen yourself.
If an upgrade is coming or you need to save money for a repair, use a workaround.
Clean the screen as best you can, and then place a large piece of packing tape over the screen. Trim the excess tap and you should be able to continue using the phone. This will prevent the crack from growing and shards of glass from falling on your lap or finger.
You can also purchase a screen protector to place over the cracked screen. A glass protector or good plastic will at least keep your screen in its current state.
3. DIY Screen Repair and Replacement
The cheapest way to fix a broken iPhone screen or broken Android screen is to do-it-yourself screen replacement.
It works, but it’s not impossible. You can replace the screen on your iPhone or Android quite easily using online tutorials. Sometimes you will need to replace the screen, other times you will just need to replace the glass.
Try a DIY iPhone screen repair or Android repair.
iFixit is a great option to learn how to replace a cracked screen yourself. They offer DIY screen replacement guides for many devices.
You can buy a new Android or iPhone screen from iFixit, eBay, Amazon and other sites. Be sure to do your research to get the right screen for your device and to get a quality screen if you are planning to buy one that is not an original replacement (OEM replacement).
Make sure you also purchase the tools you need to complete the replacement. Watch a YouTube video and refer to the manuals to make sure it’s something you can complete before purchasing parts. Depending on the tools and parts you need, this do-it-yourself screen repair can cost you between $100 and $250.
4. Warranty Repair
If you can’t take the time or lack the necessary expertise to repair your cracked iPhone screen or cracked Android screen on your own, there are other options than buying a new phone.
Be sure to research out-of-warranty repair costs before attempting to repair it yourself.
See out-of-warranty repair option for your device. Apple offers An out-of-warranty iPhone screen repair option that’s cheaper than buying parts and in most cases doing it yourself.
You will need to contact Samsung, HTC or other manufacturers to get the cost of expiring your broken Android screen.
5. Local Repair Shop
If you’re not near an Apple Store or don’t want to send your Android phone back to the manufacturer, you can look into a local repair shop. Even in small cities there is usually a place that fixes broken iPhone screens or Android screens.
Find a local mechanic to repair your cracked smartphone screen.
Note that not all of these resources may use parts of the same level. Apple no longer voids your warranty when a third-party iPhone screen repair is done. This is good news, but if the iPhone has any damage caused by third-party repair, you may face a voided warranty. If your phone is less than a year old, it might be worth checking out the official repair options.
Research the location to see if they offer any guarantees for their work. Many places promise that the repairs they promised will not fail, at least for a short time. Read comments and ask on Facebook. This is how I found the best local screen repair shop.
