What to do with a cracked phone screen
Whilst many phones are built to withstand heavy impacts, sometimes cracks can still occur on the screen. If not addressed, these cracks can become a significant problem, no matter how big or small they are.
This guide takes you through how to diagnose your cracked screen and what fixes you can apply to start resolving the issue. To help protect your phone from future damage, check out our range of phone cases for various brands, including Apple and Samsung, or search through our range of refurbished phones should you need to replace your broken phone screen.
Examine the damage
It’s important to first identify the extent of the damage to your phone’s screen. A small crack could be surface-level damage, whereas a dark spot on the screen can be a sign of harm to the inner layer. What kind of crack your screen has will determine the action you need to take.
Regardless of the damage to your phone screen, it is advisable, if the device is accessible, to back up your phone’s data as soon as possible to either an online cloud storage space or an SD card.
The damage to look out for includes:
Cracks to the screen
Dark spots
Cracks and pixel bleeding (coloured lines across the screen)
Dark spots and pixel bleeding can occur due to damage to the inner layer of the phone screen. These are best fixed with the immediate aid of a phone engineer or your phone manufacturer if it is still under warranty.
However, if your phone primarily has a cracked screen, there are fixes you can employ to try and alleviate the problem.
Repair the screen yourself
If your phone is not under warranty and you don’t want to purchase a new device, you can attempt to restore some of the screen to its original condition. The full extent of the damage can’t always be fixed, but you can ease it.
You can replace the glass if the touchscreen on your phone still works. The tools you need to swap it out will change depending on your phone model, for example, a heat gun to loosen the glass from the frame.
Check your warranty
Depending on the age of your phone, it may still be under warranty and eligible for repair. Check with your manufacturer and ask if your phone is still covered by its warranty; from there, you can then book an engineer to get it repaired.
Some phone providers can also include a secondary warranty as part of the contract or purchase, so it is also worth contacting your provider if you are under warranty with them.
Visit a repair shop
A phone repair shop can also fix your cracked screen. Depending on the age of your phone, damage to the screen, and potentially inner layers, the fee will differ to repair it.
Be sure to read our prior guidance on assessing your phone’s damage earlier in this article; it can sometimes be cheaper to purchase a new device rather than fix your existing one, especially if the damage is significant.
Trade in your damaged phone
Some phone shops and outlets will purchase damaged phones for resale. This is worth considering if you want to put money towards a new device, rather than repairing your old phone.
Using a screen protector won’t fix existing damage to your phone, but it can help prevent serious harm to the screen in the future. Check out our guide on fitting a screen protector and give your device the best possible chance of avoiding severe damage.