If you’re worried about scratching your iPhone’s screen, getting a screen protector is a great way to prevent it. Here’s how to apply a screen protector to your iPhone.
There are different styles of screen protectors, but most are usually made of a thin flexible plastic sheet that adheres to your device’s screen using some kind of adhesive or just static electricity.
More expensive screen protectors are essentially made of tempered glass, which are very thin sheets of glass that you stick to your iPhone’s screen. This allows you to still give the device that natural glass feel, but adds some thickness as glass screen protectors are slightly thicker than plastic ones.
There are also more robust screen protectors from companies like Zagg, which specializes in military-grade screen protection. These screen protectors are made of an amazing material that is insanely scratch resistant. They’re often overkill and really expensive, but they can be good for users who work in construction jobs that will expose an iPhone to extreme conditions.
Otherwise, plastic screen protectors are sufficient for most users, and they’re incredibly inexpensive. Sometimes you can find a pack for $1 a pack on eBay, but you can regularly find it on Amazon for a few dollars a piece.
I’ll explain a few different ways to apply a plastic screen protector to your iPhone, and then show you what I think is the best way to apply it.
before you start
Before you apply a screen saver to your iPhone, it’s very important to do a few things to prepare it.
The first thing you will want to do is wash your hands to get rid of excess oil and dirt from your fingers. You don’t want fingerprints all over your device when trying to apply a screen protector, so washing your hands can eliminate most annoying fingerprint issues.
Second, you want to apply your screen protector in a room where there isn’t a lot of dust. A good place to do this is in the bathroom right after a shower, as the steam and moisture suffocate all the dust and provide a suitable environment to put a screen protector on your iPhone.
Besides your own hands, you’ll want a credit card and a microfiber cloth on hand. The microfiber cloth is for cleaning the screen before applying the screen protector. You definitely don’t want dust or fingerprints on the screen when applying the screen protector.
As for the credit card, use it to clear the bubbles when you apply the screen saver. Most of the time you can remove them all, but sometimes there will be some bubbles that will be stubborn. If this happens, carefully remove the screen saver and try applying it again.
Now, let’s talk about some different methods for applying screensavers.
Hinge Method
The Hinge Method has been gaining popularity over the past few years, and it’s easy to see why.
This method involves aligning the screen protector with your iPhone’s screen before removing the protective packaging. Then just stick two pieces of masking tape on one side of the phone; this will hold the screen protector in place while you apply it. This creates a kind of hinge, just like a door.
From there, lift the screen protector up like a hinge and remove the protective wrap. Finally, gently apply the screen protector to your iPhone’s screen and it will align perfectly when all is said and done.
Peel-Back Method
This method is a bit more difficult and may take some practice, but it’s the best way to ensure that no dust particles get under the screen protector when you go to the app.
The Peel-Back Method is to gently peel back the protective packaging so that you can attach one end of the screen protector to your iPhone, and then gently peel off the protective packaging at the same time while slowly applying the screen protector. finally peel it all off and apply the screen protector completely.
It may be difficult at first, but the video above does a good job of explaining and demonstrating the process.
Belt Method
While everyone has the best way to do things, I believe the Arch Method is the best way to apply a screen saver.
This method involves spreading the screensaver over long distances and then lining up the home button and the headset. From there, gently drop the screensaver on the ground and dissolve any bubbles that have formed.
This method ensures that the screen protector is perfectly aligned before you place it on the screen. This method doesn’t need masking tape or anything, making it a great option if you don’t have tape around. It’s also quicker to do this as you don’t have to carefully tape the screen protector in the first place.
