apple lcd screen repair manufacturer

Use our “Get an Estimate” tool to review potential costs if you get service directly from Apple. The prices shown here are only for screen repair. If your iPhone needs other service, you’ll pay additional costs.

If you go to another service provider, they can set their own fees, so ask them for an estimate. For service covered by AppleCare+, your fee per incident will be the same regardless of which service provider you choose.

Your country or region offers AppleCare+ for this product. Screen repair (front) is eligible for coverage with a fee by using an incident of accidental damage from handling that comes with your AppleCare+ plan.

The Apple Limited Warranty covers your iPhone and the Apple-branded accessories that come in the box with your product against manufacturing issues for one year from the date you bought them. Apple-branded accessories purchased separately are covered by the Apple Limited Warranty for Accessories. This includes adapters, spare cables, wireless chargers, or cases.

Depending on the issue, you might also have coverage with AppleCare+. Terms and Conditions apply, including fees. Feature availability and options may vary by country or region.

We guarantee our service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty or AppleCare plan, whichever is longer. This is in addition to your rights provided by consumer law.

Replacement equipment that Apple provides as part of the repair or replacement service may contain new or previously used genuine Apple parts that have been tested and pass Apple functional requirements.

Use our “Get an Estimate” tool to review potential costs if you get service directly from Apple. If you go to another service provider, they can set their own fees, so ask them for an estimate. For service covered by AppleCare+, your fee per incident will be the same regardless of which service provider you choose. We"ll inspect your product when we receive it. If additional damage is found, you could pay an additional fee.

The Apple Limited Warranty covers your Apple Display and the Apple-branded accessories that come in the box with your product against manufacturing issues for one year from the date you bought them. Apple-branded accessories purchased separately are covered by the Apple Limited Warranty for Accessories. This includes adapters and spare cables.

Depending on the issue, you might also have coverage with AppleCare+. Terms and Conditions apply, including fees. Feature availability and options may vary by country or region.

If your situation isn’t covered, you’ll pay a fee. If the issue with your Apple Display is ineligible for service, you might pay the full replacement value.

We guarantee our service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty or AppleCare plan, whichever is longer. This is in addition to your rights provided by consumer law.

Replacement equipment that Apple provides as part of the repair or replacement service may contain new or previously used genuine Apple parts that have been tested and pass Apple functional requirements.

For most customers, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair. These providers include Apple and Apple Authorized Service Providers, and Independent Repair Providers, who have access to genuine Apple parts.* Repairs performed by untrained individuals using nongenuine parts might affect the safety of the device or functionality of the display. Apple displays are designed to fit precisely within the device. Additionally, repairs that don"t properly replace screws or cowlings might leave behind loose parts that could damage the battery, cause overheating, or result in injury.

Depending on your location, you can get your iPhone display replaced—in or out of warranty—by visiting an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider, or by shipping your iPhone to an Apple Repair Center. Genuine Apple parts are also available for out-of-warranty repairs from Independent Repair Providers or through Self Service Repair.*

* Independent Repair Providers have access to genuine Apple parts, tools, training, service guides, diagnostics, and resources. Repairs by Independent Repair Providers are not covered by Apple"s warranty or AppleCare plans, but might be covered by the provider"s own repair warranty. Self Service Repair provides access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and repair manuals so that customers experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices can perform their own out-of-warranty repair. Self Service Repair is currently available in certain countries or regions for specific iPhone models introduced in 2021 or later. To view repair manuals and order parts for eligible models, go to the Self Service Repair page.

Your product is eligible for a battery replacement at no additional cost if you have AppleCare+ and your product"s battery holds less than 80 percent of its original capacity.

Use our “Get an Estimate” tool to review potential costs if you get service directly from Apple. If you go to another service provider, they can set their own fees, so ask them for an estimate. For service covered by AppleCare+, your fee per incident will be the same regardless of which service provider you choose. We"ll inspect your product when we receive it. If additional damage is found, you could pay an additional fee.

Your country or region offers AppleCare+ for this product. AppleCare+ includes battery service coverage, which means your battery can be replaced at no charge if we test your product and its battery retains less than 80% of its original capacity.

AppleCare+ also provides coverage for accidental damage from handling, and each incident is subject to a service fee. Your AppleCare+ also offers Express Replacement Service.

The Apple Limited Warranty covers your iPhone and the Apple-branded accessories that come in the box with your product against manufacturing issues for one year from the date you bought them. Apple-branded accessories purchased separately are covered by the Apple Limited Warranty for Accessories. This includes adapters, spare cables, wireless chargers, or cases.

Depending on the issue, you might also have coverage with AppleCare+. Terms and Conditions apply, including fees. Feature availability and options may vary by country or region.

We guarantee our service, including replacement parts, for 90 days or the remaining term of your Apple warranty or AppleCare plan, whichever is longer. This is in addition to your rights provided by consumer law.

Replacement equipment that Apple provides as part of the repair or replacement service may contain new or previously used genuine Apple parts that have been tested and pass Apple functional requirements.

Companies applying are required to be an established business, with business verification documents available for review by Apple. Apple’s repair tools, training, service guides, and diagnostics must be kept confidential.

Eligible companies must maintain a commercial walk-in service location in an easily accessible location, or, for companies intending to perform repairs at customer locations, a commercial business location for parts shipping and receiving. A residential address is not acceptable as a service location.

Becoming certified to repair Apple products requires passing exams through an online Authorized Testing Center. Certifications are updated on a per product basis annually. The certification exam fees are waived for businesses that have been approved to be an Independent Repair Provider.

CUPERTINO, California Apple today announced Self Service Repair is now available, providing repair manuals and genuine Apple parts and tools through the Apple Self Service Repair Store. Self Service Repair is available in the US and will expand to additional countries — beginning in Europe — later this year.

The new online store offers more than 200 individual parts and tools, enabling customers who are experienced with the complexities of repairing electronic devices to complete repairs on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups and iPhone SE (3rd generation), such as the display, battery, and camera. Later this year the program will also include manuals, parts, and tools to perform repairs on Mac computers with Apple silicon.

To start the Self Service Repair process, a customer will first review the repair manual for the product they want to repair by visiting support.apple.com/self-service-repair. Then, they can visit the Apple Self Service Repair Store and order the necessary parts and tools.

Every genuine Apple part is designed and engineered for each product, and goes through extensive testing to ensure the highest quality, safety, and reliability. The parts are the same ones — at the same price — as those available to Apple’s network of authorized repair providers. For certain repairs, customers will receive a credit when returning a replaced part for recycling.

The Apple tools available to customers on the Self Service Repair Store are the same as used by Apple’s repair network. They are custom designed to help provide the best repairs for Apple products, and are engineered to withstand the rigors of high-volume, professional repair operations where safety and reliability are the utmost priority. The high-quality tools offered through Self Service Repair include torque drivers, repair trays, display and battery presses, and more.

Apple will offer tool rental kits for $49, so that customers who do not want to purchase tools for a single repair still have access to these professional repair tools. The weeklong rental kits will ship to customers for free.

Self Service Repair is part of Apple’s efforts to further expand access to repairs. For the vast majority of customers who do not have experience repairing electronic devices, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair.

Over the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and training, including more than 3,000 Independent Repair Providers. A global network of more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers supports more than 100,000 active technicians. As a result, in the US, eight out of 10 Apple customers are located within 20 minutes of an authorized service provider.

Also today, Apple published a paper, “Expanding Access to Safe, Reliable, and Secure Service and Repair,” which details Apple’s approach to designing long-lasting products and increasing access to repairs.

Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, and Apple TV. Apple’s five software platforms — iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.

Apple has determined that a small percentage of iPhone 11 displays may stop responding to touch due to an issue with the display module. Affected devices were manufactured between November 2019 and May 2020.

If your iPhone 11 has been exhibiting this issue, please use the serial number checker below to see if your device is eligible for this program. If so, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will provide service, free of charge.

If your iPhone 11 has any damage which impairs the ability to complete the repair, such as a cracked screen, that issue will need to be resolved prior to the service. In some cases, there may be a cost associated with the additional repair.

Have a broken iPhone screen? Here are three iPhone screen repair options and how much each costs, plus a breakdown of whether you should fix it or sell it.

NOTE: If your iPhone is still under warranty, check with Apple to see if you can get your screen fixed for free. Here’s Apple’s warranty coverage checker.

You can replace your own iPhone screen with a little tech savvy and a bit of patience. The repair requires disassembly, however, so you shouldn’t attempt this fix if you’re not comfortable doing that.

Your best bet is to buy a complete screen assembly, which is a much easier repair than replacing just the front glass or digitizer. Expect to pay between $45 and $280 for a new iPhone screen, depending on your model, where you buy parts and whether you buy a standard LCD or premium OLED screen. Toolkits start at $5 if you don’t already have the necessary tools.

WARNING: This can be a difficult repair, especially if you aren’t experienced. Understand the risk of additional damage that could void any warranties and insurance policies.Rather buy a new iPhone? Save with these iPhone deals

Don’t want to fix your own iPhone screen? You can opt for professional repair instead. Local repair shops can often replace your screen in a few hours, either in-store or at your location. Online mail-in repair services take longer, but they’re good options if you don’t have a local repair store.

Expect to pay between $119 and $520 for professional iPhone screen replacement, depending on your model and repair shop. Note that Apple’s own repair service tops out at $329 for out-of-warranty screen repair. Apple also uses OEM (original equipment manufacturer parts), while many repair shops use less expensive aftermarket parts.

Mail-in repair services like iFixYouri and My Broken Phone typically charge between $100 and $200, but they don’t always list pricing for every repair on their websites. Sometimes, it’s because they haven’t updated their service offering lately, especially if newer devices aren’t listed. Other times, they can make the repair, but it’s too uncommon to stock parts.

In some cases, the repair is difficult and likely to damage the device, so it’s not profitable for the company to offer it. Or, the required parts are so expensive it’s not worth fixing. Either way, if the repair you need isn’t listed on a repair shop’s website, it’s a good idea to contact them anyway to see if they offer it.

It’s a good idea to ask about warranties on parts and labor before you choose a repair company. You should also inquire about your service tech’s experience, credentials and quality of parts.Interested in a refurbished iPhone 12? See where to get it for less

Do you have iPhone insurance? If so, you can file a claim directly with your insurance company, who might offer a choice between mail-in, in-store or on-location repair services. Some companies will overnight a refurbished replacement iPhone rather than repair and return yours.

Expect to pay a deductible ranging between $29 and $149, depending on your model and insurance company. Here are some example iPhone screen repair deductibles.InsureriPhone Screen Replacement Deductible

Should you fix your iPhone screen or sell it broken? You can base your decision on how much your iPhone is worth broken versus repaired, especially if you plan to upgrade soon.

For example, at the time of this writing, an iPhone X 64GB on the Verizon network was worth $255 in good condition. Here’s a breakdown of its net value after different repair options.

Next, compare the net value after repair to what your iPhone is worth in broken condition. At the time of this writing, a broken iPhone X 64GB on the Verizon network was worth $110.

As the table shows, our example iPhone will have significantly more value if you repair it yourself or file an insurance claim through AppleCare+ or Verizon.

However, SquareTrade insurance leaves a net value of $4 less than the phone is worth broken, while out-of-warranty Apple repair leaves a net value of $134 less, which means you’d lose money by going with those repair options.

The independent repair shop option leaves a net value of just $26 more than selling it broken, which might make you question whether repair is worth the hassle.

Of course, your decision depends not only on the value, but also how long you plan to keep your iPhone. If you intend to hold on to it for a few years, it’s cheaper to repair it than to buy a new iPhone.

If you plan to upgrade soon and trade in your old phone, however, it’s worth comparing your options to see whether you’ll get more value after repair or selling it as-is.

There are several issues that could cause your iPhone to not power on. Finding a repair shop that can offer a comprehensive diagnostic service is key. That’s why at uBreakiFix, our diagnostic services are completely free. Even if your phone won’t turn on, we have you covered. One of the most common iPhone issues is LCD damage. If the LCD is damaged from a drop or you are experiencing a hardware malfunction, it will look like your iPhone is not powering on.

Accidents happen! Cracked screen are inevitable and when it happens you need a reliable repair shop that will provide a high quality and convenient repair. If your screen is broken, you have two main iPhone screen repair options: Glass or LCD repair. The front glass protects the screen and can break on its own. The LCD display controls what you see, and a broken one can look like pixelated lines or just a blank screen. No matter the model of iPhone you have we can fix all screens. iPhone screen replacements are one of the most common repairs we see in our stores.

If you have dropped your iPhone in water, the first step is to get your phone to a repair professional as soon as possible. Corrosion can set in and cause circuits to short out, leaving you with very few repair options. We can run a complete water damage diagnostic to see how far along the damage is and if we can get your iPhone back from its watery grave.

Cracked screen? You aren’t alone. Americans spend billions of dollars each year repairing cracked and touch hesitant screens. Before taking your iPhone in for a repair, think carefully about where you go. Not all providers are created equal and a wrong decision will void your warranty. Or worse.

With more than 1 billion iPhones sold each year, the business of screen repair has become a booming industry. Unauthorized repair shops have been opening up across the country and they do a great job of marketing their services to the community. Odds are, there is one in your neighborhood. Your other option is to find an Apple Authorized Service Providers (Apple ASP). Is it worth finding an ASP? Or should you just go with a local unauthorized (non-Apple) repair facility?

An Apple Authorized Service Provider (ASP) is a business which has been thoroughly vetted and approved by Apple. They are authorized to legally service Apple products in accordance with all product warranties and standards. Apple has very strict requirements in place to become an ASP. All parts must be factory direct from Apple, ASP’s must employ Apple Certified Technicians, and all repairs must include a 90-day Apple Warranty.

If your iPhone has been damaged, the first thing you should consider is your Apple Warranty. Keep in mind that per the product warranty, any service or repair to an iPhone completed by an unauthorized repair technician renders the warranty null and void.

•Limited one year warranty: Every iPhone comes with a one year limited warranty at time of purchase. If a screen is cracked due to a manufacturing defect, your device is fully covered. However, there is no coverage if the crack is the result of an accident or abuse. So if you drop the phone on the ground, the most common culprit, you’re out of luck. Knowing this, many people take their phone to the cheapest unauthorized repair business. Big mistake. If you go to an unauthorized repair facility at any time, you void your entire warranty. That means, if you have additional problems with your phone in the future which would have been covered, such as overheating, you will be denied because you lost your warranty. Choosing a repair facility is a life-long commitment for your phone.

• AppleCare+: When you buy your iPhone, the retailer will offer you AppleCare+ for $129. This extends your one year warranty to two years from the original purchase date AND covers two incidents of accidental damage! For a cracked screen, there may be a $29 service fee, but that is much cheaper than paying for the full cost of repair out of pocket. And it covers you TWICE IN TWO YEARS! AppleCare+ is a worthy investment for the majority of us lacking in graceful phone use. Be aware that the same rules apply to AppleCare+ as the limited one year warranty. If you decide to take your device to an unauthorized repair shop, be prepared to void your AppleCare+.

• Damage Exchange Option: Let’s pretend you damage your phone to such an extent that it is inoperable. Wipe your tears - you may be eligible to trade in the damaged phone for a new iPhone, but only through an ASP. Your payment would be substantially less than the full price of a brand new phone in-store. If your phone won’t power on, has water damage, speaker or microphone damage, or bent enclosures consider trading it in for a new reduced-price phone. Unauthorized repair facilities cannot facilitate this trade for you nor will they foot the bill for you to get a new phone.

1. Exchange for a new device: Apple is a great company. They offer an Out of Warranty Service allowing most iPhone owners to trade in damaged phones and receive replacements at a substantially reduced price, even if you purchased your phone second hand. This means savings of up to half the price of a new iPhone. Sometimes even more. The only way to check your eligibility or take advantage of this offer is to take your iPhone to an Apple ASP.

2. Original parts: If you take your iPhone to an unauthorized repair facility, you have no guarantee that they are using certified, authentic Apple replacement parts. Only ASP’s can promise that. It doesn’t make sense to risk the overall health of your iPhone, with no attached warranties, by going to a random repair facility. Apple facilities use only Apple parts – and Apple stands behind every part they create.

3. Screen calibration: An iPhone’s touchscreen is very complex and sensitive. After replacement, screens need to be recalibrated to Apple’s standards. Only Apple ASP’s have the ability to do this. Statistically, calibration fails 5-10% of the time. If you had your screen replaced and calibrated by a professional Apple Technician at an Authorized Service Provider, you will be receive a new iPhone at no cost to you. Unauthorized service providers can’t offer that level of protection.

4. Word Wide Warranty: Apple Authorized Service Providers guarantee their work for 90 days. If any problems arise with the repair within that time period, take the device back to any Apple ASP facility in world for a free fix. It is rare for unauthorized repair businesses to offer warranties and if they do you will be lucky to receive one for 30 days or less. You should also hope you aren’t on vacation when the repair fails because those little warranties are only good at the one location you received the service at.

Great question. Apple’s website has a great search tool which allows you to search by location to find an ASP near you. Even though Apple requires all of their Authorized Service Providers to meet high standards, you may still find a large variety of customer service levels provided between companies. Be sure to visit an ASP near you and gauge their levels of service and professionalism.

If you live in California, we welcome you to visit any of our 19 Mobile Kangaroo locations. We are an Apple Authorized Service Provider with convenient locations in Fremont, Mountain View, San Francisco, Palo Alto, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Fresno, Redwood City, Pleasanton, Sacramento, Petaluma, San Rafael, Monterey, Walnut Creek, Modesto and Roseville.

Our friendly and knowledgeable Certified Apple Technicians have been helping our California customers with phone and electronic repairs for over 15 years. We take pride in serving our customers and will happily answer any questions you may have. Our service and professionalism are beyond reproach.

Apple earned plaudits for making the iPhone 14 more repairable compared to its predecessors, but the question of who can make those repairs remains. It appears the company has added an additional, seemingly-unnecessary layer of friction to the process of replacing a broken display. Much like in 2019, even genuine Apple screens are causing repaired iPhones to malfunction. Sources within the third-party repair community, who have asked not to be named for fear of reprisals, say that while tearing an iPhone 14 may be easier, getting it to work properly after is considerably harder.

Our sources say the new issue centers on the iPhone 14’s Always-On Display (AOD), which uses the phone’s two Ambient Light Sensors (ALS) to calibrate display brightness. In order to conserve battery life, when at night or when the phone is in your pocket, the display will shut down, leveraging the automatic brightness. If your display breaks, and you don’t use an Apple-authorized service center to replace it, however, the ALS shuts down, leaving the screen permanently black unless you can remember the position of the slider, and then you’ll be stuck manually adjusting your brightness.

YouTuber Hugh Jefferys posted a video about the problem, swapping the logic board between two brand new iPhones (both for the 14 and 14 Pro). Despite the fact that every component is new and Apple-made, the phones erupted into a chorus of error messages and broken features. FaceID, Battery Health, True Tone and Auto Brightness, as well as the forward-facing cameras are all disabled. When Jeffreys swapped them back, the problems persisted, and the phones were only “fixed” after he had downgraded to iOS 16.0.

The cause of this failure is Apple’s policy of “Parts Pairing,” tying individual components to the phones that carry them. A display – a commonly broken part – will have a unique ID logged in its hardware that the iPhone checks for whenever it boots. As far as the phone is concerned, it will only work properly if it has its “own” display attached, and if it’s not detected, it won’t work. Users will instead see a bunch of error messages urging them to go to their local Apple support technician. These messages will, eventually, stop, but your device will be marked as hosting unauthorized components.

The only way to prevent this is for an Apple-authorized technician to manually sanction the pairing with an in-house software tool. Our source said that this process requires a technician connecting to Apple’s private network over the internet, a process that is kept “under lock and key” by the company. Until the iPhone 13, there was a workaround for this with third-party repair stores using custom EEPROM programmers. These devices would read the part ID code from the paired display and write it to its replacement, which would often be a refurbished, genuine Apple-made display. Unfortunately, while this worked on previous iPhones, it does not remedy the issues for the iPhone 14.

The result of this is that repair stores outside of Apple’s own network will soon be left unable to make repairs on any new iPhones. The costs of joining Apple’s network, however, are high enough that many businesses have had second thoughts about doing so. “The Independent Repair Programme (IRP) is not profitable enough, as an independent repairer, to maintain as a retail operation” said one individual who asked not to be named.

Apple has been historically resistant to the idea that users should be able to fix their own gear. It has backed anti-Right to Repair groups and tries to keep all repairs within its own service process. That has led to situations where Apple grossly overcharged for basic repairs that did not require a machine to be sent away to be serviced. The most infamous example, as reported byCBC, was when a Genius Bar quoted $1,200 to make a fix a third-party store charged $75 for.

Apple withholds repair manuals and spare parts from third-party stores, despite the volume of iPhones that require basic fixes, like display and battery replacements. Instead, the only non-Apple outfits that can fix iPhones are Authorized Service Providers (ASPs) where Apple can exert some control. The company’s critics say boxing out third parties who can make simple repairs and forcing people back to the Genius Bar helps turn a tidy profit. Apple denies this, and told the US Antitrust subcommittee that in 2019, since 2009, “the costs of providing repair services has exceeded the revenue generated by repairs.” Although Apple did not explain if that constitutes the whole of its repair operations, or just those made under warranty.

But the company, through a combination of regulator and activist pressure, has been forced to loosen its grip on repairs. In 2019, it said it would allow third-party repair stores to become “verified,” enabling it to receive the same tools, parts and manuals as its ASPs. The process subsequently expanded this program to include Mac repair as well as for iPhones (and iPads). And, on November 17th, 2021, the company announced a self-service repair program where it would make tools, parts and manuals available to users.

This process, however, as detailed in depth by The Verge, revealed that enabling a user to fix their own iPhone display on Apple’s terms wasn’t that easy. The company handed over 79 pounds of tools, including a hot plate to melt the glue holding the display in place. If that wasn’t bad enough, the repair isn’t validated until the iPhone is connected to Apple’s own service team, which can then set the new part as legitimate. And in order to do it, a user has to lay down a deposit of $1,200 to ensure they return the tools within seven days.

The end result of this is that consumers have to pay a significantly higher price to keep their iPhone running than they should, or could. In one example, a third-party store that used genuine Apple displays charged around £140 ($157) to repair an iPhone 11 display, whereas that same repair at an Apple-authorized store would cost closer to £220 ($247). Compare that to aftermarket display replacements, made by third-party companies, which are priced at £95 ($106).

Jason Eccles is General Manager of SimplyFixIt, a chain of independent repair stores across Scotland. “The idea that someone can buy a device outright, but the manufacturer can still control the functionality of it for years to come is mind-blowing,” he said. “It’s frustrating for us, because we want to offer the best possible repair, but Apple appears to have arbitrary rules around what we can do, sometimes even creating new issues with iOS updates.” Eccles does not have an issue with iOS devices knowing that it was repaired with aftermarket parts, however. “Consumers getting relevant information in iOS that a component has been replaced is a good thing, but I think it’s difficult to say that reducing the functionality of the phone, even if we use genuine parts, is good for customers.”

Eccles added that it’s important to repair existing equipment from a sustainability standpoint as much as anything else. “We still regularly repair MacBooks and iMacs that are ten years old,” he said, “it shows plenty of Apple devices are out there that would be perfectly usable after a little repair.” Not to mention that responsible independent repair technicians should be welcomed by Apple with open arms. “If everyone had to pay £349 ($403) for a new screen, there would be a lot more people switching to Android for their next phone. Apple might not want to admit it, but we’re helping people stay in their ecosystem.

iFixit has tested and confirmed the issue to Engadget, saying that there is an issue related to the always-on display. Liz Chamberlain, iFixit Director of Sustainability, said that the practice of using software locks is an “insidious threat to repair as we know it.” And that this new issue is a greater demonstration of the fact that “repairability requires the ability to access software locks, not just hardware.” She added that, either by accident or intention, Apple has “proved [it] can’t be trusted with a parts pairing kill switch.” And that unless lawmakers step in to ensure there is a federally protected right to repair, there’s the possibility that Apple could “disable all phones that have undergone independent repair.”

If there’s a hope, it’s that pushes for Right to Repair legislation on both sides of the Atlantic make strong progress. Earlier this year, President Biden said it was a common problem that a person owns a product, but doesn’t “have the freedom to choose how or where to repair [it.]” And the FTC has recently moved to enforce legislation that sees major manufacturers – including Harley Davidson – from using warranty provisions to prevent owners seeking independent repair for their products.

And the EU, currently taking the lead in many elements of tech regulation, is also looking at laying down better right to repair provisions. Its “Ecodesign” initiative is in its infancy right now, but will focus on producing rules that will ensure devices sold there are more repairable. One of the key clauses in its earliest draft is to provide “appropriate information for users, repairers and recyclers” (Para 4). And that these requirements are designed to enable “repair operations by end-users,” (Para 15), something Apple allows, but doesn’t make easy. We can only hope, that when these rules are agreed, that the balance of power is swung back towards user repair.

You dropped your iPhone for the third time this week. Now you have to decide if you’re going to get your broken screen replaced at a local Apple repair service provider or if you’re going to start scrolling online to find the best options for a new or refurbished iPhone.

Let’s say you decide to have the screen on your old phone fixed up by a tech-savvy friend of yours so you can sell or exchange the old, beat-up iPhone 6 for a good deal on a new iPhone 13. Now you’re wondering, “Can Apple tell if I replaced my screen?”

Screen replacements come in a variety of different kinds, like LCD or OLED. Other types of smartphone screens include TFT and IPS. You may have heard of AMOLED or even Super AMOLED displays. Most of these touch screens are made by third-party manufacturers. All of these screens can function on an iPhone — and they’re cheaper than an original. So what’s the problem?

Apple says that all its screens are designed and tested for ‘Apple quality and performance standards.’ This is done before iPhones and iPads hit the shelves for the first time to ensure all Apple products have their proprietary technology like multi-touch, true tone, night shift, and haptic touch functioning properly.

While you may not understand all the jargon, this basically means that iPhone screens are immaculate in functionality — and we’re not even talking about the Pro versions here. There are many reasons why having an original iPhone screen is important, both as a buyer and as a seller. An original screen can go a long way in terms of performance, specifications, aesthetics, and exchange offers if you’re eventually looking to upgrade.

Getting your iPhone screen replaced by an authorized Apple service provider can be an expensive affair — but cheaper, aftermarket screens that aren’t from Apple often come with several issues.

To answer the question above: yes. Apple can tell if you’ve replaced your screen. As a matter of fact, you can check for yourself. In this guide, we’ll look at how you can check for genuine Apple iPhone screens, issues with non-genuine screens, and the difference between the two.

Genuine iPhones will use OEM parts. This means they’re the original equipment manufacturer for all their hardware. Every original Apple product goes through a rigorous quality check process to ensure every part, from the display to the speakers, is compliant with their standards.

Most non-OEM parts come from third-party manufacturers who use cheaper materials to make their screens. The costs are lower upfront, but, you get what you pay for. It"s likely that you"ll have to keep replacing your screen at iPhone repair shops because third-party screens perform poorly and lack longevity.

This is why it’s important to get OEM parts, even if it’s a little more expensive. Your iPhone will perform at an optimum level, as Apple meant it to, and you’ll safeguard your warranty. Original parts also help with resale value if you eventually look to sell your iPhone or exchange it for a newer model.

Another quick way to check whether your iPhone screen is genuine is by shining a flashlight on it. You just want to shine the light directly on the iPhone’s screen.

Focus on the reflection of the light on the display. Fake screens tend to have grid lines on them, which will show up under a flashlight. These could be running across the screen horizontally, vertically, or both. The most common causes for this include software incompatibilities, hardware failure, or screen damage.

The last few iPhones to be released all have a maximum brightness level of around 1200 units. This means that iPhone screens get very bright and usually have best-in-class color accuracy.

You can use this to check if your iPhone’s screen is genuine. Simply bump the brightness slider up to maximum brightness, and open a solid black picture. You can head over to this website for a completely black screen.

Once you’re on this screen, zoom in and look at the display. If you have a genuine Retina OLED screen, it will look pitch black — as if you haven’t turned on your iPhone.

However, if the screen replacement process was non-genuine, you might have an LCD screen that isn’t from Apple. You can tell if you have a non-genuine screen if you notice color mismatch, specks, or marks of white or grey. Anything other than solid, fullscreen pitch black is not an original iPhone display.

A device certification report will give you your device status, carrier details, and phone repair history, among many other things. The entire process only takes a few minutes.

Having a non-genuine screen on your phone can cause several issues. Not only this, but the chances of selling or exchanging your phone for maximum value will substantially decrease.

One of the most common issues with a non-genuine touch screen is multi-touch. Non-genuine screens will not be as prompt or accurate as genuine iPhone screens. Some of the signs of a non-genuine screen are:Missed screen touches or touches not registering in the intended area.

Another common issue with non-genuine iPhone screens is that there could be LCD display panels that aren’t from Apple. Original iPhone screens usually have Retina or Super Retina displays made from an OLED panel that is incredibly bright and color accurate.

If you notice the following issues with your screen’s display, you might have a non-genuine iPhone screen:iPhone"s true tone feature does not work properly (this is when your screen uses different sensors to adapt the screen"s color to the light sources around it).

Apart from the more common issues related to multi-touch and display brightness, you may experience the following issues with your iPhone if you have a faulty screen:Your iPhone does not turn on.

With some non-genuine iPhone screens, digitizers tend to malfunction, creating dead areas in the screen (usually the bottom) where your touch commands have no effect. A digitizer is a layer of glass that converts analog movements like your touch commands and gestures to digital signals that your iPhone can understand and interpret. The digitizer rests over the device"s LCD or OLED display.

While original iPhone screens may be slightly more expensive, they’re the screens that were initially manufactured specifically for Apple iPhones. You can slap a third-party screen on an iPhone, and it will work, but the performance will be nowhere near as seamless. Non-genuine LCD panels will have lower brightness levels and weaker contrast. The colors won’t pop and the screen will feel coarse to the touch.

As mentioned in the previous section, non-genuine screens have tons of issues when it comes to multi-touch, true tone, night shift, and other features that Apple meant to be enjoyed exclusively on an iPhone.

A non-genuine screen’s touch will be inaccurate, the iPhone won’t respond as well, the screen won’t be as smooth to the touch, the brightness will flicker on its own, the battery might deplete quicker, and you may experience a lag in day-to-day usage. With a genuine Apple-approved iPhone screen, you are far less likely to experience these issues.

A genuine iPhone screen is just as important on the day you buy it as it is when you decide to sell it. If you’re looking to sell your phone or hand it in to exchange for a new iPhone, the value of an iPhone with a genuine screen will always be far higher than an iPhone with a non-genuine screen.

Non-genuine screens will show up in your device’s parts and services history, and you’ll end up selling your iPhone for way less than it could have. There’s a good chance that you will pay for a screen a third time after your first non-genuine replacement fails to work properly. It’s best to get a genuine iPhone screen replaced with another genuine iPhone screen.

It’s likely you’ll have a more durable screen, better performances, and fewer problems in the long run until you decide to sell your phone for the best price available.

It’s clear that while a genuine iPhone screen may be more expensive than third-party replacement counterparts, the pros far outweigh the cons. Not only will you enjoy using your phone more, but you also won’t have to break the bank when you want to upgrade.

That’s how I felt again and again as I jumped through hoop after ridiculous hoop to replace the battery in my iPhone Mini. Part of that was the repair process — mostly, it was how difficult Apple makes it to even get there.

Last month, Apple launched its Self-Service Repair program, letting US customers fix broken screens, batteries, and cameras on the latest iPhones using Apple’s own parts and tools for the first time ever. I couldn’t wait. I’d never successfully repaired a phone — and my wife has never let me live down the one time I broke her Samsung Galaxy while using a hair dryer to replace the screen. This time, armed with an official repair manual and genuine parts, I’d make it right.

That Apple would even let me buy those parts, much less read its manuals and rent its tools, is a major change of pace for the company. For years, Apple has been lobbying to suppressright-to-repair policies around the country, with the company accused of doing everything it can to keep customers from repairing their own phones. It’s easy to see this as a huge moment for DIY advocates. But having tried the repair process, I actually can’t recommend it at all — and I have a sneaking suspicion that Apple likes it that way.

The thing you should understand about Apple’s home repair process is that it’s a far cry from traditional DIY if you opt for the kit — which I did, once I saw the repair manual only contains instructions for Apple’s own tools. (You can just buy a battery if you want.)

I expected Apple would send me asmall box of screwdrivers, spudgers, and pliers; I own a mini iPhone, after all. Instead, I found two giant Pelican cases — 79 pounds of tools— on my front porch. I couldn’t believe just how big and heavy they were considering Apple’s paying to ship them both ways.

Step one of opening an iPhone is, basically, using a hefty machine to suck the screen off the top. Here, I wasn’t microwaving a jelly-filled sock to loosen the Apple goop holding my screen down! Apple lets you rent an industrial-grade heat station that looks like a piece of lab equipment, right down to the big red safety dial you twist to release the emergency-off button and the suction-cup-tipped mechanical lifting arm. It looks pretty cool.

I slip my phone in a perfectly sized “heating pocket” that clamps a ring of copper around the iPhone’s band to evenly distribute the heat and melt the seal around the screen, realize in horror that I’ve invited the “Hot Pockets!” jingle to live in my head rent-free, then spin a dial to raise the arm that separates the iPhone’s screen from its body.

Or, that’s how it’s supposed to work, anyhow. The heating machine threw an error code partway through my first attempt, and Apple’s manual didn’t explain what to do if that happens after you’ve stuck your phone inside. So I wound up heating it twice in a row. And yet, that still wasn’t quite enough for my screen to “immediately” pop up when the suction cup arm began to lift the glass. The manual did cover that situation, making me spin a second hidden knob to put more pressure on the suction cup, but I started freaking out when I saw what looked like cracks spider across the screen. (It turned out it was just suction cup residue.)

Once the screen was loose, I cut through the softened glue holding it to the iPhone’s frame with Apple’s single tiny adhesive cutter, which also gave me a little trouble. The blade got caught when I wedged it under the corners of the screen, and I had to yank it out without accidentally sending my phone clattering to the ground. The kit comes with a perfect-fit tray to hold your phone steady and extra suction cups to hold the screen without stretching the fragile ribbon cables but nothing to hold the tray itself.

The manual pictures a technician holding the screen with one hand while cutting adhesive with the other, but I also had to hold the tray to keep it from sliding around. Image: Apple

Apple also provides a set of fancy torque drivers to make sure you don’t screw down the phone’s tiny screws too tightly, but it’s a bit of a chore. I must have dropped Apple’s incredibly tiny fasteners a dozen times while removing the slivers of metal that hold the screen’s ribbon cables in place, as well as the bottom speaker that Apple makes you yank to get at the battery. Presumably just to make it more difficult to repair, Apple requires three different screwdriver bits just to remove the screen, and none of Apple’s bits are magnetized to keep the screws from slipping.

When it finally lay open on the table, I couldn’t help but gawk in wonder at my iPhone 13 Mini’s precisely packed guts, and I realized I was having fun! Slicing open my phone was a thrill. But a lot of that thrill came from not knowing whether my phone would survive surgery — Apple tools or no.

From there, it was time to swap out the battery. Once I finished cursing at the far too easy to tear tabs that held in the original lithium pack, I used Apple’s fancy battery press with a rolling arm to seat — but notsquish — the new battery down. But I could have done that with my fingertips; I’d have much rather had a tool to properly align the battery, which I had to yank and reposition after plopping it down a millimeter too far south, or a tool to test whether you’ve properly reseated the battery and display connectors. But I’ll get to that.

Next, the instructions had me apply an actually helpful precut adhesive sheet designed to stick my screen back to the frame, which was easy to slot into exactly the right place and press down with my fingers. Then came a huge spring-loaded press (with a veritable slot machine of an arm) to close the phone once more. But even with the press, my screen wasn’t perfectly flush with the frame afterwards, perhaps due to the extra glue I didn’t manage to remove.

With my phone closed up again, I held down the power button. Nothing. No bright white Apple logo — no response at all. For one horrible moment, I realized Apple gave me no way to test whether the battery and display connectors were actually seated (they probably weren’t) and had me close up the phone anyhow.

But I wasn’t done yet. The single most frustrating part of this process, after using Apple’s genuine parts and Apple’s genuine tools, was that my iPhone didn’t recognize the genuine battery as genuine. “Unknown Part,” flashed a warning. Apparently, that’s the case for almost all of these parts: you’re expected to dial up Apple’s third-party logistics company after the repair so they can validate the part for you. That’s a process that involves having an entirely separate computer and a Wi-Fi connection since you have to reboot your iPhone into diagnostics mode and give the company remote control. Which, of course, defeats a bunch of the reasons you’d repair your own device at home!

And, if I’m telling you the truth, the second most frustrating part didn’t occur during the repair either. If it were just me, I’d have aborted the entire process before Apple ever shipped 79 pounds of equipment to my home.

It would be an understatement to say that Apple has a history of resisting right-to-repair efforts. Before the iPhone, replacing a battery was typically as easy as inserting a thumbnailto pop off your phone’s back cover; afterwards, phones largely became tricky to even open without specialized tools, which arguably pushed customers to replace their perfectly good devices when they might have only needed a new screen or battery. Also see: batterygate.

In recent years, the company has actively lobbied against right-to-repair legislation in at least 20 states, sneakily pushing California, as one example, to postpone its bill. (The bill died in committee again this very week.) Apple cracked down on unauthorized repairs by throwing warnings or even disabling features if you repair phones with non-“genuine” parts, though it walked some of that back after an outcry. And it put together a contract for indie repair shops that was reportedly so invasive, many refused to sign it.

So, it didn’t surprise me when Apple’s press release about the program warned “the vast majority of customers” away from their own repairs, or when I needed to enter my phone’s IMEI to prove I owned my phone, or how I had to enter a six-digit code to prove I read the repair manual, which not only suggests you need three pages worth of tools but also a jar of sand in case your battery catches fire — one of many not strictly necessary items that don’t come with the kit. Apple also only includes instructions on how to use its own special tools for repairs, so you’re on your own if you want to try a more low-key or inexpensive DIY approach.

$69 for a new battery — the same price the Apple Store charges for a battery replacement, except here I get to do all the work and assume all the risk.

Let’s be clear: this is aridiculous amount of risk for the average person who just wants to put a new battery in their phone. And it’s frankly weird for Apple to insist on you covering the full value of the tools. “It’s not like when you rent a car they make you put down $20,000 as a safety deposit,” my colleague Mitchell Clark points out.

The more I think about it, the more I realize Apple’s Self-Service Repair program is the perfect way to make it look like the company supports right-to-repair policies without actually encouraging them at all. Apple can say it’s giving consumers access to everything, even the same tools its technicians use, while scaring them away with high prices, complexity, and the risk of losing a $1,200 deposit. This way, Apple gets credit for walking you through an 80-page repair, instead of building phones where — say — you don’t need to remove the phone’s most delicate components and two different types of security screws just to replace a battery.

To me, those giant Pelican cases are the proof. It would cost Apple a fortune to ship 79 pounds of equipment to individual homes all over the country, even with corporate discounts. The Verge is obviously far, far smaller than Apple, but it would cost us upwards of $200 just to return those cases to their sender. Yet Apple offers free shipping bothdirections with your $49 rental, plus a dedicated support team to validate your parts and facilitate returns. (Though, apparently, it doesn’t do the latter anywhere near its Silicon Valley HQ: when I took the support team up on its offer of picking up my battery, they told me they didn’t have a driver within 250 miles of my location, and I should just drop it off at the nearest Home Depot.)

I don’t think Apple expects anyone to seriously take it up on the offer of self-service repair kits. It stacked the deck in favor of taking your phone to an Apple Store, where it can tempt you to buy something new instead. The real victory will come months or years down the road, though. That’s when Apple can tell legislators it tried to give right-to-repair advocates what they wanted — but that consumers overwhelmingly decided Apple knows best.

“Creating greater access to Apple genuine parts gives our customers even more choice if a repair is needed,” Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer, said in a statement.

Previously, it was easiest to visit an Apple store to get an iPhone fixed. But just as taking your car to a dealer for servicing isn’t the cheapest option, going to an Apple store also wasn’t the most cost-effective.

The alternative was to take your iPhone to a third party for repair, potentially for a more competitive price. When I took a broken iPhone XS screen to an Apple store this year, I was quoted $280 for the repair, compared with $180 from an independent outlet.

Yet Apple has made iPhone repairs increasingly difficult for third-party shops, said Kyle Wiens, chief executive of iFixit, a company that sells parts and publishes instructions for consumers to repair their electronics.

Even when genuine parts were used, some repairs could be authenticated only with Apple’s software tools, which were not available to the public. Apple provided those software tools only to its staff and authorized repair shops that signed a contract and agreed to buy parts solely from the company. These authorized shops were then more likely to charge higher prices than unauthorized ones.

Apple’s new program opens more doors. You could try fixing your device yourself to save cash. Or you could buy the parts from Apple and take them to someone else to do the repair.