lcd screen repair apple brands

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.

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.

Very quick on the repair even after finding out there was water in the device. They called immediately to let me know and decide how to proceed. The price was very fair. Ian was very professional. I was very happy...

Local iPhone Repairs The impressive new features on the iPhone 11 don’t make it immune to cracks and damage. So if you’re tired of looking at your text messages and emails through shattered glass, come to uBreakiFix for our iPhone 11 repair service. Whether you need a new screen, a replacement part or a water damage diagnostic, our skilled technicians can complete any repair for an affordable price. Plus, all of our uBreakiFix locations are locally owned and operated, making it easy to find and visit your neighborhood uBreakiFix location.

Our Repair Process Our repair process is designed to be quick and easy for our customers. Our technicians like to start every repair with a free diagnostic exam that will reveal which repair service will be best for the issue. Even if the damage seems obvious, the diagnostic will make sure that there is no hidden damage or issue. Diagnostics are always free of charge and are there is never any pressure to move forward with a repair. Once a customer is happy with their repair plan, we can begin right away!

iPhone 11 Screen Repair Even though the phone is technically waterproof, if your iPhone 11 is acting strangely after being exposed to water, it could have water damage. Normal wear and tear can reduce the effectiveness of water resistance resulting in water getting into crevices and cracks. If you let water sit in the key components of a device, it can begin to corrode and possibly cause short circuits. The faster you get to a repair professional once the damage happens, the better the chance at a full recovery.

We Fix it All We know how disappointing it is to break your brand new phone, but thanks to us, you have options. Don’t spend your money on a brand new phone when a repair is more affordable. We can complete your LCD replacement, charge port repair, power button repair or back glass replacement in under an hour. We also have a 1 year warranty that protects your new parts and our low price guarantee ensures that you are getting the lowest possible price for the repair. So make an appointment today for your iPhone 11 Repair.

1.Make sure the Apple smartphone is completely charged. Ensure the Apple lightning charging cable is not bent, frayed or broken to rule out a bad cable and to make sure that your iPhone 13 is charging. If the Apple iPhone 13 is completely dead, it will take a few seconds or even minutes of charging before displaying these icons:

2. If the iPhone 13 still doesn’t come on after charging it, you may need a screen or display assembly. If the iPhone 13 powers on but you see lines running up and down the display you will need a screen replacement.

3. If the iPhone 13 powers on but doesn’t have any damage and doesn’t respond to touch, you most likely still need a screen replacement. The digitizer is a component of the screen that controls the touch functionality of your screen, it can be easily damaged even if your screen isn’t cracked and will most likely need a display assembly replacement to fix.

Dropping the device on rocky surfaces, tile, hardwood floor or just dropping it in general is the biggest culprit of damaged iPhone screens. The Apple iPhone 13 display is one of the thinnest models to date and the display is even thinner than ever. The actual OLED panel underneath the iPhone 13 screen is about the size of an egg shell.

The Apple iPhone 13 screen requires specialized equipment to even complete the repair. Failure to use Apple’s heated display removal tool and the corresponding Apple iPhone 13 hot pocket can easily result in additional damage. The iPhone 13 screen replacement isn’t hard to do, but it’s very easy to mess up. A botched screen replacement often results in Face ID damage or FPC damage on the board which costs even more to fix.

If you have the necessary tools and equipment to complete the repair yourself… go for it! Just remember if damage occurs to any of the components that you have to remove or come into contact with during the screen replacement process, you will have to fix those or certain features such as face ID may not function as intended. Recently Apple launched aself-repair programwhere customers can rent the tools themselves, but after factoring in the $1,200 hold they put on your credit card and the rental fees they charge for the tools and equipment, most customers might as well just use an XiRepair service location to repair their Apple iPhone.

Replacing the screen is ABSOLUTELY worth it! The replacement cost of the iPhone 13 is at minimum $800 for just the base model, however after factoring in a 10% tax rate, plus activation fees. The realreplacement costof the iPhone 13 is between $900 and $930!

Our affordable iPhone screen replacement services replace your faulty screen with a brand new screen. This process turns a seemingly non-functional apple iPhone into a practically new Apple iPhone.

Replacing the screen on an iPhone 13 is an easy decision! It’s way more affordable than replacing it, plus repairing your device is much better for the environment.

Apple products are expensive, and when they break, it can be a huge headache. In this article, we will go over some of the most common issues that you might experience with your Apple device - from phone to tablet to laptop - and offer some solutions on how to fix them.

Screen cracks are one of the most common problems that many Apple device users experience. It is very important to stop using your phone or tablet as soon as possible after the screen cracks since any additional pressure will cause it to shatter completely and leave you with a non-responsive touchscreen. To fix this issue, you can visit Mr Phix, and they will replace your screen at an affordable price.

If your device is not charging, it could be due to a faulty battery. If you suspect that the problem might lie with your charger, try plugging in another Apple device and see if it charges - this will help determine whether or not the issue lies within the cable itself or with your phone"s port or battery. For your faulty battery or port, Mr Phix can help at a fair price.

If your Apple device is having trouble getting a signal or connecting to Wi-Fi, it could be due to outdated software, water damage, or faulty hardware. To resolve the issue, take your device to Mr Phix for a diagnostic before spending money on new equipment.

If your device is not working with headphones, it could be due to a faulty headphone jack. You can use another pair of headphones to determine whether the issue lies within your current earphones or elsewhere on the phone. If you confirm that there"s an issue with your headphone port, bring it to Mr Phix in Wilmington for a repair or replacement.

When your iPhone"s screen is black or flickering, it could be due to a faulty LCD screen. This problem can bring a lot of inconveniences, especially when you need to use your phone for work, school, or staying in touch with family and friends. To resolve this issue quickly and affordably, visit a professional in Apple devices repair and replacement, Mr Phix!

Your device"s logic board could be the cause of several issues. The logic board is a vital part of your iPhone, and if it is not working properly, you will have to repair or replace it. If this is it, and you are a resident of Wilmington, make an appointment with Mr Phix today!

If you are looking for an Apple repair shop in Wilmington, NC, look no further than Mr Phix. We offer replacements and high-quality repairs done by experienced technicians at affordable prices - what more could you ask for?

“Original” screens are those containing LCDs manufactured for Apple. “Copy” screens are compatible replacements entirely designed and manufactured by third-party companies not associated with Apple.

LCD display panel can have poorer resolution (i.e. looks “coarser”), worse brightness, contrast and vibrancy and reduced refresh rate amongst other problems.

Changes in specification from original can result in battery and performance issues. Certain badly-engineered screens could even damage the backlight circuitry.

Customers who bring their iPhones to us for a screen repair are offered two choices of replacement- an original or a “copy” screen. The most common response is “Is there a difference- and which one would you recommend?”

Originals are those screens containing LCDs that were manufactured for Apple. So-called “copy” screens are compatible replacements, but designed and manufactured entirely independently by third-party companies, typically in China.

Our answer is simple- the original screen is the one we’d go for ourselves, every time. Some people think we make more money on them, but this isn’t the case. We recommend originals because they’re far higher quality and the price difference is fairly small.

We’d rather only fit original screens. The only reason we don’t is that many people will shop around and choose purely on price. As such, we need to offer the cheaper copy screens to remain competitive and avoid losing these customers. In some cases, they didn’t even know there was a difference in the first place- especially since it’s not in some shops’ interest to draw people’s attention to the issue!

This may well be the worst copy screen we’ve ever come across. As a result, the unfortunate customer has ended up paying twice to have their screen replaced- we’re sure that had they been properly informed, they would have chosen an original in the first place.

While the difference in price between copies and originals can vary across devices, it’s generally around £10 – £14 extra to have an original screen fitted. This really isn’t a lot considering the improved quality and reliability.

We compare our prices to our competitors- and we know that we come out of it favourably. While we have to offer copy screens to remain competitive, we always advise customers to go for the original.

When you’ve spent- directly or indirectly- several hundred pounds for an iPhone with a Retina display, it doesn’t make sense to replace it with a lower-quality screen that can make a £400 phone look like a £40 one! Not only that, but you’re likely to have fewer issues, and a longer-lasting screen.

There’s nothing stopping any random person without training or experience opening up a smartphone repair shop. As a result, the industry is full of companies with little skill or experience who are only interested in getting hold of your money and installing the cheapest parts they can find.

Many- if not most- don’t even acknowledge the existence of copy screens, let alone explain the difference to the customer. Hardly in their interest to do so if they only fit cheap, low-quality copies. Some of them can hardly be blamed- they know so little, they’re not even clear on the differences between OEM, non-OEM and copy displays themselves! Others can be more deliberately misleading… and some outright lie.

Generally, these shops are looking for the cheapest price on replacement screens.. When offered a copy at a half or a third of a price of the original, they’re going to go for that. That might be fine if they offered the customer a cheaper price- what we disagree with is selling “supermarket beans” (i.e. the copy screens) at “Heinz beans” prices!

Heading towards the “blatantly fraudulent”, we’re aware of companies that shamelessly fit copy screens while claiming them to be original. Worse, they’ll take your broken original screen and sell that to a recycler for more than they paid for your copy!

Obtained or manufactured “off the clock” via the same production line that produced them for Apple- in some cases, from the stockpile of parts that didn’t meet Apple’s standards, or

Apple tightened up their supply chain around 2015, which reduced the number of screens available for repairs and increased their price dramatically. A lot of companies went bankrupt, and Chinese manufacturers responded by making their own “copy” screens from scratch. At first, these weren’t much cheaper than the Apple ones, but the price soon fell.

We should be clear that- despite the name- “copy” screens aren’t direct copies of the Apple originals. Rather, they’re compatible replacements that have been designed from scratch and- as a result- vary in some respects that have an effect on usability and quality.

One of the most important differences between an original and a “copy” screen is how the digitizer (touch sensor) is designed. Apple has it manufactured as part of the LCD itself, whereas the copies have it on the glass.

Although there are only a small number of manufacturers of the bare LCDs themselves, these are then bought by countless other companies who add the remaining components needed to turn these into a complete working screen. As a result, you could easily end up with an LCD from the best “copy” manufacturer, but the digitizer/touch (as part of the separately-manufactured glass) from the worst.

There are countless digitizers out there, and you can only take the supplier’s word that the quality is good. Many ship good ones at first, then switch to cheaper parts to make more profit. This is particularly bad with the iPhone 6S and 6S+, since Apple moved the chips responsible for touch processing onto the LCD itself. As a result, you’re not just getting a copy screen- you’re getting copy chips too.

The performance specification (power drain, etc.) of most copy screens isn’t identical to the originals. As a result, they can drain the battery more quickly and mislead the operating system which was optimised for the original screen design.

It’s even possible that this mismatch could damage your backlight. We do a lot of subcontracted repairs for less-experienced shops, and get backlight repairs in almost every day. We’ve had cases where we fixed the circuit, fitted the new copy screen to test it, and had it break the circuit again!

Copy screens can disrupt the touch ID fingerprint reader. With the 6S, 6S+, 7 and 7+, the home button- part of the 3D touch- is part of the screen assembly. Frequently the home button flexes on aftermarket designs don’t work properly and stop the touch ID working- annoying if you use it to unlock the phone or log in to your bank.

We’ve seen many lift away from the frame that holds them in place. This usually results in the flex cable getting torn, and the screen needing replacing. You don’t even need to have dropped the phone- this often happens through general everyday wear and tear.

That brings us to another major issue with the copies. When you drop an Apple original, the glass often breaks, but if the LCD itself is intact, you can continue to use it until it’s fixed. With the copies, the touch/digitizer is on the glass and stops working when that’s broken. Even worse, the LCD itself is more likely to break due to the thinner and more fragile glass.

We’re not convinced this will happen, since Apple recently changed their repair policy to accept iPhones with third-party screens. However, it is possible that copy screens could be stopped from working via an iOS update, since those make a number of security checks.

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.

Breaking an iPhone screen is never a fun experience. While nearly every electronics repair store will help you fix your iPhone, the job isn’t free, and you could walk out with a much lighter wallet. So, here are all your repair options, plus the prices you can expect to pay for an iPhone screen replacement.

I’ll get one thing out of the way right now; Apple has a stranglehold on iPhone repairs. You don’t need to visit an Apple store to replace an iPhone screen, but the company goes out of its way to make other options less appealing. So, buckle up for a bit of disappointment.

For whatever reason, Apple is very good at marketing its repair service. Everyone knows that they can walk into an Apple Store, drop off their broken device, and (usually) pick it back up within 24 hours.

You can even mail an iPhone to Apple for repair! Of course, snail mail is rarely necessary, because Apple offers its repair service through select “Authorized Apple Service Providers” like Best Buy. These “authorized” providers follow the same repair process as Apple, so you can receive quality service even when you don’t live near an Apple Store.

But Apple overcharges for repairs. If you don’t have an AppleCare+ subscription, you can expect to pay several hundred dollars for a screen replacement.

With an AppleCare+ subscription, these repairs cost just $29. I strongly suggest paying for AppleCare+ (which is between $3.99 and $13.49 a month) if you’re super clumsy or if you’re buying an iPhone for a child.

Bear in mind that these prices apply to all Authorized Apple Service Providers. If you wander into a Best Buy looking for a screen replacement, you’ll pay the same price that Apple charges at its stores. The benefit, of course, is that Best Buy and other authorized locations follow the same repair process as Apple’s “Genius Bar.”

One last note—some carriers, including Verizon, are happy to take broken phones for trade-in. Swapping your busted iPhone for a new device may be more cost-effective than paying for repairs at an Apple Store, especially if you own a newer model of iPhone.

If you’re just looking for a screen replacement, you can save money by avoiding “authorized” service centers. Third-party repair stores charge very little for screen replacements, as their prices aren’t dictated by Apple.

Every small business is different, so I can’t tell you what your neighborhood repair shop charges for an iPhone screen replacement. That said, their prices are lower than Apple’s, often by $100 or more. And because small repair shops like to build relationships with their community, they’re often willing to cut deals with first-time or repeat customers.

Unfortunately, only Authorized Apple Service Providers can order official iPhone parts. Some independent shops salvage official parts from other iPhones, but still, there’s a decent chance you’ll end up with an unofficial replacement screen. (Which isn’t a big deal for older iPhones, but unofficial screens for newer iPhones are much less durable than the “real thing.”)

Apple also likes to restrict some repairs at a software level. Performing certain repairs without Apple’s calibration tools (which independent stores can’t access) will actually disable features like Face ID. But this is only a problem with brand spankin’ new iPhone models—historically, Apple lifts screen repair restrictions a few months after each iPhone’s release. (You can now replace the iPhone 13’s display without consequence, for example.)

You can’t save money without putting in the work. Replacing your iPhone screen at home is usually cheaper than visiting an Apple store or an independent repair shop. And yeah, there are a ton of resources to help you get the job done.

The best resource, in my opinion, is iFixit. The gang at iFixit regularly publishes repair guides and sells replacement parts for popular products. You can even buy one of iFixit’s screen replacement bundles, which includes all the parts and tools you need to fix your iPhone’s broken screen.

But Apple doesn’t sell official parts to iFixit. So, you’re stuck using third-party materials. It’s a frustrating situation, as the only “official” at-home repair option is Apple’s Self Service Repair program, which stinks.

Unless you’re looking for a novelty, I suggest that you avoid Apple’s Self Service Repair program. It’s a great idea on the surface (official parts, repair guides, and calibration tools), but it only costs a few dollars less than a visit to the Apple Store. (Apple also sends out these massive Pelican cases for Self Service Repair orders, which is completely over the top and not very useful to customers.)

So, if you want to replace your iPhone’s screen at home, iFixit is still your best option. Just keep in mind that iFixit kits for newer iPhones are still a bit expensive, and in some cases, they may be more expensive than a visit to an independent repair shop.

Apple has published a new support document that says the iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max will present customers with a warning if the devices are unable to verify a genuine display after a screen repair job. “If you need to replace your iPhone display, it’s important for certified technicians who use genuine Apple display parts to repair it,” the page reads. “Replacements not performed by Apple, authorized service providers, or certified technicians might not follow proper safety and repair procedures and could result in improper function or issues with display quality or safety.”

Apple goes over a laundry list of problems that could arise if your display is swapped the wrong way or with a non-genuine part, such as multi-touch problems, issues with screen color accuracy and brightness, or True Tone failing to work properly. “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.”

The company isn’t afraid of nagging customers about this, either. Apple says that a notification will appear on the affected iPhone’s lock screen for 4 days after a problem is first detected, then it’ll move to the main settings menu for 15 more days. After all that, it gets pushed away to Settings -> General -> About.

According to Apple, this new measure only applies to its brand new iPhones and not previous models. Even if it can’t be verified as genuine, the display isn’t prevented from functioning normally by iOS.

This new screen verification warning follows another alert that Apple recently began showing customers when iPhones detect an unauthorized battery replacement. “We take the safety of our customers very seriously and want to make sure any battery replacement is done properly,” an Apple spokesperson said about that notification, which was criticized by right to repair advocates because it also disables the iPhone’s battery statistics and health data. “There are now over 1,800 Apple authorized service providers across the US so our customers have even more convenient access to quality repairs.” Apple recently said it would make genuine parts available to more independent repair businesses.

Raising a safety issue with batteries is perfectly reasonable; batteries can be dangerous. But should the company be this aggressive about swapped displays? On the other hand, this is a pretty direct way of alerting customers that they might’ve been given a bum display by their local repair shop. And if you’re buying a used iPhone 11 at some point in the future, there’ll be no wondering whether the screen was replaced with a cheap, non-Apple part.

However, there’s an added element to this display notification that seems a little alarming, too. Apple makes it sound as if the iPhone might report back to the company that you’re using a display that couldn’t be verified and tie that information to the device’s service history. This could potentially cause problems if you need to get something else on your iPhone fixed down the line.

You might see an additional notification that says, “Apple has updated the device information for this iPhone.” This means that Apple has updated the device information maintained for your iPhone for service needs, safety analysis, and to improve future products.

The Verge has reached out to Apple for more details on these new display verification measures. The company recently introduced a subscription model for its AppleCare+ extended warranty, letting customers pay monthly even beyond the usual two-year window and maintain coverage for as long as Apple offers servicing for that device.

iFixit’s Taylor Dixon digs into the process of removing the iPhone 13’s Face-ID-saving screen chip, including an interview with The Art of Repair’s Justin Ashford.

five days after this post was widely cited in news reports, that it would issue a software update to prevent Face ID’s disabling after screen replacements.

Apple has been chipping away at iPhone repair work outside their control for years now. With new changes to the iPhone 13, they may be aiming to shatter the market completely.

The new iPhone 13 completely disables its flagship Face ID functionality when you replace its screen. We have confirmed this repeatedly in our lab, testing with many different phones on iOS 15 and 15.1, and our results have been replicated by numerous repair professionals.

This is a dark day for fixers, both DIY and professional. One of the most common phone repairs that could once be done with hand tools now requires a microscope. This means you won’t be able to fix your iPhone screen yourself without sacrificing major functionality. It also has huge implications for the professional repair industry, for which Apple is the dominant brand to service. Small shops could be shuttered, forced to choose between spending thousands on new equipment or losing a major source of income.

For shops that want to survive, their only options will be to join Apple’s onerous IRP network—not an option for shops that value their customers’ privacy—or work past the iPhone’s locks with microsoldering tools and training. This unprecedented lockdown is unique to Apple. It’s totally new in the iPhone 13, and hard to understand as a security measure, given that the Face ID illuminator is entirely separate from the screen. It is likely the strongest case yet for right to repair laws. And it’s all because of a chip about the size of a Tic-Tac, tucked into the bottom of a screen.

The iPhone 13 is paired to its screen using this small microcontroller, in a condition repair techs often call “serialization.” Apple has not provided a way for owners or independent shops to pair a new screen. Authorized technicians with access to proprietary software, Apple Services Toolkit 2, can make new screens work by logging the repairto Apple’s cloud servers and syncing the serial numbers of the phone and screen. This gives Apple the ability to approve or deny each individual repair.

The most sophisticated repair shops have found a workaround, but it’s not a quick, clever hack—it’s physically moving a soldered chip from the original screen onto the replacement. We’ll go into more detail on that process below, but it’s important to note how completely unprecedented this is. Screen replacement is incredibly common. Tens of thousands of repair shops around the world support their communities by replacing screens for customers at competitive prices. And Apple is, with one fell swoop, seemingly cutting the industry off at the knees.

Justin Drake Carroll, CEO and founder of Fruit Fixed, a regional repair chain in Virginia, said that screen replacements were about 35 percent of revenue. “At one point it was 60 percent, a few years ago. We worked really hard to push that figure down, so that one revenue stream wasn’t such a huge part of what we do. Obviously, it’s still an incredibly important part of our business model.”

“This IC [chip] swap thing, it’s a disaster, and we definitely need to fight it, 100 percent,” said Justin Ashford, a repair shop consultant and popular YouTube repair instructor. “But our industry’s definition of what basic repair is needs to change … this is the new basic. Going forward, the first tool you need is a microscope.”

Let’s dive into the technical details. We’ve tested it on iOS 15.1, the latest official iPhone software release. Replacing an iPhone 13’s screen with the same exact screen from an identical brand new iPhone gives this error: “Unable to activate Face ID on this iPhone.”

Apple hasn’t said anything publicly about this issue. Dusten Mahathy, an experienced repair tech, said that a friend inside Apple’s Independent Repair Program was told by Apple support that the issue would be fixed in an iOS update. The only change we’ve seen is that in 15.0, the Face ID feature silently didn’t work, but in the latest version it displays the explicit error message. We reached out to Apple for comment, but they did not reply.

It’s hard to believe, after years of repair-blocking issues with Touch ID, batteries, and cameras, that Apple’s latest iPhone part lock-out is accidental. As far as our engineers can tell, keeping Face ID working on the iPhone 13 after a screen swap should be easier than ever, since its scanner is wholly separate from the display. Technically, yes: Face ID failure could be a very specific hardware bug for one of the most commonly replaced components, one that somehow made it through testing, didn’t get fixed in a major software update, and just happens to lock out the kind of independent repair from which the company doesn’t profit.

More likely, though, is that this is a strategy, not an oversight. This situation makes AppleCare all but required for newer iPhones, unless you happen to know that your local repair shop is ready for the challenge. Or you simply plan to never drop your phone.

Among repair techs we talked to, and inside private repair discussion groups, there’s a sense of trepidation. Technicians are preparing for three immediate options: buy new equipment and retrain technicians for microsoldering work, join Apple’s “authorized” repair network (either AASP or the Independent Repair Program—both could be charitably described as “incredibly restrictive”), or find a new line of work. There is a fourth option, of course: fight like hell for the right to repair.

“This industry was built on iPhone screens, but it won’t be much longer,” Ashford, the repair instructor, said. “This kind of thing has been creeping up on us for a while. Anyone who takes repair seriously knows what they have to do now.”

One experienced repair shop told me they’ve been swapping screen chips since the iPhone X to avoid touch calibration issues and “genuine” part warnings; they’ve got the process down to about 15 minutes. They’ve been slowly building an inventory of refurbished and third-party replacement screens with their chip slots empty, using CNC machines and screen-holding jigs to carve them out.

Microsoldering is skilled work that requires thousands of dollars of equipment and extensive practice before you are proficient. The technical expertise and time required will challenge many repair shops that were previously working primarily with larger parts, above the logic board level. “Three out of 10 shops solder,” the tech said. “One out of [those] three can do BGA work.”

Even when a shop has the equipment and experience to de-solder a BGA chip and move it to a new screen, they’re competing at a disadvantage with Apple’s repair network and protection plan, AppleCare. An authorized Apple technician can make an iPhone 13 accept a new screen with a few clicks inside their secret software—no heating, desoldering, or resoldering required. Apple’s techs can also keep True Tone working, something that independent repair techs have not yet achieved with third-party programmers on newer iPhone 12 and 13 models.

In other words, for those who can access Apple’s network, replacing a screen on the iPhone 13 is no different than before. For independent shops, everything is different.

“[This] is an intentional move to thwart a customer’s ability to repair,” said Carroll, of the Fruit Fixed chain. “Honestly, if every screen repair involved that much work, I would hang it up and we wouldn’t be able to help the thousands of people we do each month.”

For customers who want to fix their iPhone 13 themselves, the options are grim. You could live without any kind of biometric login, like you might have in 2012. Or you could try to move the chip, after buying yourself a microscope or high-resolution webcam, a hot air rework station, a fine-tip soldering iron, and the necessary BGA stencils, flux, and other supplies. We’ve posted a series of videos explaining how to do precisely that, and we sell most of these items. But even with those tools (and lots of heat-resistant tape), it’s a challenge. It’s easy to damage the fragile OLED screen just beyond the cable the chip sits on. One of our engineers learned this the hard way, killing two screens while attempting to remove the chip for photos and verification.

There is a chance that, as with the iPhone 12 camera, Apple could change the iPhone 13’s Face ID from non-functional to an “Unable to verify” warning with a future software update. Such an iOS update arrived in late January, about three months after the iPhone 12 shipped. If that happens, the company will need to explain whether it was intentionally testing the waters for further serializing parts, or just blithely neglecting the needs of its customers and independent fixers.

Apple’s repair software is exclusive to those techs bound by the company’s tightly controlled repair program. Other companies could follow; Samsung, which is expanding its own repair network, made this screen for Apple. Without fair access to companies’ gatekeeping software, the small businesses may feel forced to get good under a microscope, or give in.

“[Shops] either convert to IRP as an independent or via a franchise, level up and be prepared to earn less for more work, or move onto another industry,” said one experienced tech. “Apple is swallowing us up.”

By locking down the most common repair for their devices, Apple has crossed the Rubicon. If we want repair shops to exist in our local communities, we have no choice but to pass right to repair legislation to protect them from this predatory, monopolistic behavior.