A cracked screen usually still works, which makes it tempting to keep using it. That is fine for a short while, but cracks spread, glass splinters cut fingers, and a crack lets in dust and moisture.
Straight away
- Put clear tape or a cheap screen protector over the crack. It holds the glass together and protects your fingers.
- Back up your phone now, while the touch screen still responds. Photos, contacts and WhatsApp chats first.
- If the screen shows lines, flickers, or goes black while the phone still rings, the display underneath is damaged, not just the glass. Back up that day.
If the touch screen has stopped responding
You can often still get in:
- Android: plug in a USB mouse with an OTG adapter (a small USB-C to USB adapter). A pointer appears and you can unlock and back up.
- iPhone: connect it to a computer it already trusts and back it up with iTunes or Finder.
- On many phones you can ask the voice assistant to do things, such as turn on Wi-Fi.
Glass, screen, or the whole display
Modern phones have the glass bonded to the display, so a repair almost always means replacing the whole screen assembly. Shops offer different grades:
| What they call it | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Original | Made by the phone's manufacturer. Best colour, brightness and touch. Most expensive. |
| Refurbished or "service pack" | An original screen that has been reglassed. Usually good. |
| Copy, OLED copy or "incell" | A third-party screen. Cheaper, often dimmer, with thicker borders and higher battery use. Fingerprint readers under the screen may stop working. |
Ask which grade you are being quoted for, and ask to see the screen working before you pay.
Before you hand the phone over
- Back up, if you can.
- Remove your SIM and memory card.
- Sign out of mobile money and banking apps, or at least make sure they have their own PIN.
- If the shop needs to test the phone, give them the screen PIN rather than turning the lock off, and change it afterwards.
After the repair
Test before you leave: touch along every edge, the brightness, the front camera, the earpiece on a call, the fingerprint or face unlock, and whether the phone gets warm. On iPhones, a non-original screen shows a message in Settings; it still works, but True Tone and brightness may differ.
Preventing the next one
A tempered glass protector and a case with raised edges around the screen prevent most cracks from ordinary drops. They cost a fraction of a screen replacement.