What to know about a cracked screen
A phone screen is more than a piece of glass. Knowing what’s under the glass explains why some repairs cost more than others, and why a crack is worth fixing even when the phone still works.
What’s inside a phone screen
A modern phone screen is a stack of layers: the cover glass on top, a touch layer that senses your finger, and the display that makes the picture. On almost every phone made in the last several years, those layers are fused together into one part.
That’s why a crack in the glass usually means replacing the whole screen. It’s also why the price depends on your model: the OLED screens on newer flagship phones cost more to make than the LCD screens on older and budget phones.
Glass crack or display damage?
- Glass only: you can see cracks, but the picture is clear and touch works everywhere.
- Display damage: black or colored spots, lines, flickering, or a screen that stays dark.
- Touch damage: parts of the screen don’t respond, or the phone taps things on its own.
A new screen fixes all three. Display and touch damage usually get worse with time, so it’s better not to wait on those.
Why fix a crack if the phone still works?
Cracks spread with every bump and every swing in temperature. Slivers of glass can cut fingers, and gaps in the glass let dust and moisture reach the display underneath. A cracked phone is also worth much less if you ever sell it or trade it in.
Tip Until you can get it fixed, a screen protector or clear packing tape over the crack keeps loose glass in place.
After a new screen
Your apps, photos, and settings stay exactly as they were. On phones with a fingerprint reader under the screen, you may need to set up your fingerprint again.
Water resistance isn’t guaranteed after any phone has been opened, so treat a repaired phone as splash resistant, not waterproof.
Keeping the new screen in one piece
A case with a raised lip around the screen does the most to prevent cracks, because it keeps the glass off the ground when the phone lands face down. Add a tempered glass protector. It costs far less than a screen and takes the scratches and small hits instead.