can apple fix a broken lcd screen 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.
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.
The current out-of-warranty battery service fee will apply until the end of February 2023. Effective March 1, 2023, the out-of-warranty battery service fee will be increased by $ 20 for all iPhone models prior to iPhone 14.
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.
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.
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.
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When troubleshooting any mobile electronic device you must always start at the common points of failure and work your way up. For example, if your iPhone 13 is not displaying, first check to see if the battery is dead by connecting it to a power outlet.
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.
“Late night at the bar. Left it on the roof of the car. Immediately got on the interstate. Found it the next morning near the entrance ramp on the interstate but it had been ran over by a car.” (yes we fixed this one by the way, ask us in store and we will show you which one it is on our famous wall of shame)
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.
JUMP! ®, JUMP on Demand®, and Trade-In devices with damage will be assessed at a lower value or require a fee. See your program terms & conditions for details.
The warehouse will check the device condition when we receive it. If it’s damaged, you may receive a reduced trade-in value or be required to pay a fee on your bill statement. (Prepaid customers will have the defective device shipped back instead.)
When inspecting a screen, remove any screen protectors and cases first. Tilt the device under good lighting conditions and inspect it at multiple angles. Screen damage includes hairline cracks that are difficult to see.
Mobile devices have a Liquid Damage Indicator (LDI) to show if the device has contacted any liquids. The indicator is white when it"s new, and it turns pink or red when it contacts water.
iPhone® X and above do not have a visible LDI. If you cannot identify your LDI on an iPhone X or above, we ask you to confirm the device has not been exposed to liquid.
Wearables like Apple & Samsung watches often don"t have visible LDIs. Check for moisture under the display screen, as well as corrosion, discoloration, and fuzzy growth on the charging connection.
If the device does not fully turn on and load the home screen or if it cannot stay on without being connected to a charger, it"s considered not able to turn on.
No matter how careful you are, accidents happen. Screen damage and liquid damage are not covered under the warranty, so T-Mobile can"t exchange devices with this damage. But, we don’t want you to be stuck with a broken phone, so you have two options to replace or repair your damaged device:
Before visiting a T-Mobile Store, please file a claim with Assurant, our Protection and Repair vendor. This will expedite your repair process and minimize your time in the store. Below are two convenient ways to file a claim.
Once the claim is filed, be sure to schedule an Assurant Repair appointment at one of our T-Mobile Device Service Locations via the text message or confirmation email sent from Assurant.
iFixit has been offering OLED screens for those who would like to tackle repairs on their own. Those go for around $100 less than what Apple charges for an official screen replacement but now, it’s started offering LCD replacement for iPhone X, XS, and XS Max. It’s an interesting downgrade from OLED but some on a budget with DIY interest might find it’s a great option.
Apple’s screen repair costs jumped considerably with the arrival of the iPhone X. At this point, it costs between $279 and $329 to get an OLED on the X, XS, and 11 Pro.
we’re now offering an LCD screen option for the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max. These LCDs (and their Fix Kits) are less than half the price of the OLED models we sell. They’re a little darker (about 50 nits worth), the resolution is a little lower, and the colors and contrast ratio won’t be quite the same.
But you might remember that, until a couple years ago, most phones had LCD displays, including phones you probably loved. Apple notably stuck with LCD displays while Samsung was experimenting with early OLED, and Apple still uses LCDs in its iPhone 8 and XR models.
Indeed, it’s like turning your X or XS into a XR, display-wise anyway. iFixit’s new LCD options run $75 for the X, $85 for the XS, and then jump up to $165 for the XS Max.
iFixit highlights “these LCD replacements are hand-tested in the USA to our rigorous quality standards, and we back them up with a lifetime warranty.”
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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.
(The Ambient Light Sensor has been an issue with previous iPhone releases, down to where its controller was sited. On the iPhone 12, for instance, it was mounted on a sensor flex itself that leant itself to mechanical failure. On the 13, it was moved to a new component cluster, reducing the risk of it breaking unexpectedly. Our source says that the iPhone 14’s sensor is in a similar place, and so any failure must be a software-related issue.)
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.
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.
Another common issue is a damaged or dirty charging port. Dirt and grime can get lodged in your charging port and can cause your phone not to charge. Has your phone’s battery life been less than great? We offer a quick and easy iPhone battery replacement service.
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.
Replacing an iPhone battery is a quick and easy fix! Our battery replacement service starts with a full diagnostic to see if it’s the battery or some other underlying problem. Over time, batteries naturally tend to degrade and the older your model the more prone the battery is to die. We can help you get the charge back in your iPhone. We have the highest quality batteries available in stock and waiting for you at your local store.
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.
A malfunctioning iPhone speaker is typically a software or a hardware issue. When diagnosing your phones sound issues, we first look at the software to make sure it is not due to a faulty app or some type of update issue. Software issues are quick to fix and are typically free under our diagnostics service. Hardware issues are more serious, but our techs are experts at fixing these too. In some cases, you may need a speaker replacement. If your speaker is damaged, it may stop working. We can replace your iPhone speakers the same day you bring it in and for a price that won’t break the bank. Come in for a free diagnostic!
Most of the time, fixing a slow iPhone could be as simple as freeing up space on your device. Keeping hundreds of photos, videos and downloaded files can cause your phone to be slow and deleting these will speed things up. Apps can also be a major culprit of slowing your iPhone down. We suggest removing any apps that could be running "background services" or tracking your location when you’re not using it. If you think you could still use some help optimizing your iPhone, bring it in for a free diagnostic. Our techs are ready to help speed up your iPhone.
Apple surprised us last year when it announced a new self-service repair program to allow iPhone owners to replace their own broken screens, aging batteries, and other key components.
That program finally launched last month, although, at this point, it’s limited to the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 families. Nevertheless, if you’re thinking that this may finally let you fix your own screen, you might want to take a closer look at the various other service options available. Apple’s new Self Service Repair program isn’t for the faint of either heart or wallet.
The cost is more reasonable for older iPhone models, especially those without OLED screens. For instance, while an iPhone 11 Pro screen replacement will set you back the same $279 as the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro, you can get the LCD-equipped iPhone 11 screen replaced for only $199. Set the Wayback Machine to an iPhone 5S or an iPhone 6, and it drops to $129.
Note that this assumes your screen is the only thing that’s damaged on your iPhone. You’ll pay more if there’s anything else wrong. Apple calls these “out-of-warranty prices,” but except in very rare cases, a damaged screen is never covered by a manufacturer’s warranty, so if you’re walking into an Apple Store, expect to pay. Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) usually follow Apple’s repair pricing, but they aren’t bound by it, so they’re free to charge different rates.
At these prices, you might think Apple’s self-service repair program is a breath of fresh air. After all, shouldn’t it be cheaper to repair your iPhone screen on your own? You’d think so, but in a perhaps misguided desire to ensure that you have everything you need to do the job properly, Apple is making the process nearly as expensive and considerably more cumbersome than visiting your local Apple Store or AASP.
For one thing, genuine Apple parts don’t come cheap. An iPhone 12 Pro display bundle, which gives you a replacement screen and all of the pieces that go with it, costs $270 upfront. That’s only $10 less than having Apple repair it for you, although you will get a $33.60 credit after returning your old display to Apple. This still brings the out-of-pocket cost to $236.35.
A total savings of $42.65 isn’t too bad if you’re already a keen do-it-yourselfer. Still, even then, you’ll probably want to avail yourself of Apple’s repair toolkit, which the company is happy to rent to you for an extra $49 per week — plus a deposit held on your credit card for the replacement cost of the tools.
This kit comes in two separate cases, collectively weighing 79 pounds and measuring 20 inches wide by 47 inches high when stacked. They’re also specific to each iPhone model, so you won’t be able to use the same kit to repair additional phones for friends or family members unless they all happen to be using the same iPhone.
It’s almost as if Apple doesn’t really want you to repair your own iPhone, but what could possibly be its motivation for that? It’s not like it hasn’t spent years lobbying against people’s right to repair their own devices. Apple’s stated rationale for this has always been that it doesn’t want its customers to hurt themselves by trying to fix their own iPhones without the proper tools and “Genuine Apple Parts.” Apple’s new Self Service Repair Program provides both, but in doing so, it also looks like the company wants to tacitly make a case for why its repair services are so expensive.
Screen replacement costs from most AASPs are in the same ballpark as what Apple charges. Large national AASPs like Best Buy charge identical prices, while smaller local and regional AASPs may sometimes charge $10 to $20 less depending on the model and other factors.
However, AASPs generally have stringent requirements they must follow to be approved by Apple. This not only includes regular training and certifications for repair technicians ,but even things like laying out their business in a way that’s “consistent with the Apple brand.” All this drives up their costs.
In 2019, Apple introduced a new program for Independent Repair Providers (IRPs), offering a way for smaller repair shops to get their hands on genuine Apple parts without jumping through the hoops required to become a full AASP. While the Independent Repair Provider Program has been described as somewhat onerous — Apple still reserves the right to conduct surprise inspections, for instance — the lower barrier to entry allows many small businesses or even independent technicians to offer out-of-warranty Apple repairs, bringing the costs of these repairs down.
Unfortunately, these IRPs pay the same prices for genuine Apple parts and the necessary tools that AASPs do, and it’s not much less than what Apple charges in its Self-Service Repair Store. A survey of about a dozen IRPs across the U.S. revealed iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 screen repair pricing in the $230 to $300 range. Yes, some IRPs are charging more than Apple, most often those located in areas far from an Apple Store or AASP.
Some of the IRPs I’ve spoken with since Apple introduced the program have told me that it’s not worth it from a profitability point of view. Many have only remained in the program hoping to use iPhone repairs as a “loss leader” to bring in new customers.
You can shave quite a bit off your repair costs if you’re willing to seek out an unauthorized repair shop that’s not part of one of Apple’s repair programs, but you’ll also be doing so at your own risk. Apple isn’t lying when it says that genuine Apple parts work better for screen and battery replacements, but it is being slightly disingenuous. While there are dangers to using substandard parts, not all unauthorized parts fit into this category.
For one thing, many repair shops will salvage screens and batteries from iPhones that are otherwise unserviceable. Despite being used, these are still genuine Apple parts, and there’s no reason they can’t be repurposed to repair another iPhone as long as the shop is honest about it. There are networks of repair shops that work together to take advantage of trading in these types of replacement parts.
Apple’s repair costs have also created a significant gray market for genuine iPhone screens and batteries. In these cases, the parts are legitimate, but the sources of the parts aren’t. These methods, along with using parts legitimately manufactured by third parties, allow unauthorized repair shops to offer screen replacement prices significantly below those found in the AASP and IRP market. In my research, I encountered iPhone 12 screen replacements offered for as little as $120, although the median price from more reputable repair shops hovered closer to the $200 mark.
Unfortunately, to try and prevent this dealing in gray market and used parts, Apple has made it progressively more difficult each year to use “non-genuine” parts. Replacing a battery, screen, or camera system on recent iPhone models requires the service technician to pair the new component. If that’s not done, the iPhone will regularly alert you that it’s “unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple part” and may even cause features like Face ID to fail entirely.
These high repair costs make a good case for buying AppleCare+ for your new iPhone. That will cover you for two incidents of accidental damage every 12 months for a deductible of only $29 per incident for a screen replacement or $99 for other types of damage.
Two years of AppleCare+ costs $199 for the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro models (and their “Max” counterparts), or $149 for the iPhone 11, iPhone 12, or iPhone 13. Compared to the screen replacement costs, which start at $279 for an iPhone 12 Pro or $229 for an iPhone 12 mini, it’s easy to see how AppleCare+ is a bargain if you break your screen even once.
Of course, like most insurance plans, unless you’re accident-prone, you’re mostly paying for peace of mind here. Apple is hoping that you don’t break your screen while you’re betting that you will break it at least once during the life of your iPhone. However, AppleCare+ isn’t the only option. Most carriers offer protection plans for an additional monthly fee on your regular bill, most of which will let you take your iPhone to an Apple Store for the same level of service you’d get with AppleCare+.
There are also independent insurance programs like Allstate’s Squaretrade that may offer better options for your individual needs. For instance, some charge a fixed deductible regardless of the type of repair; these usually work out higher for screen replacements, but can save you money for other types of damage. They may also offer a higher number of incidents or different types of coverage. So, it’s worth shopping around to see what’s available. Repairs under these programs are still conducted by an Apple Store or Authorized Apple Service Provider; either the company has an AASP it deals with, or it reimburses you directly for the cost of the out-of-warranty repairs.
What’s the takeaway here? If you break the screen on your iPhone, you’ll probably wish you had AppleCare+ or a similar extended warranty. What you may not want to do is try to repair it yourself unless you’re very handy with some rented spanners.
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
The process differs slightly by model, but generally involves these steps:Use a hair dryer, heat gun or iOpener tool to heat the front glass and soften the underlying adhesive
You can find detailed step-by-step instructions on sites like iFixit and YouTube. Here are some example videos for the iPhone 12, iPhone 11 and iPhone X.
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.
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Most of us will fall victim to a broken iPhone at some point. You’ve probably had to get your phone fixed at some point, whether because of a broken screen or a dying battery.iPhone repairs, though, maybe a bit of a gray area, with warranties and insurance policies coming into play with manufacturers typically holding all the cards.Concerns that an Apple Store might not acknowledge often find eager investigators among independent parties.Apple repairs were notoriously difficult because of the focus on the battery & screen, such as fixing a broken Wi-Fi antenna or reviving a phone with extensive damage.
Depending on the nature of your issue, this adaptability could prove useful. However, the main difference between the two relies on mainly credibility part.Third-Party Apple Repairs could get your things fixed, however, they don’t guarantee anything from the brand itself. In some cases, there might be major concerns related to the warranty as well if a customer chooses to go through third-party repairs.Apple Repairs on the other hand might be costly, but they follow proper procedures which are a part of the official standard of procedures.
Apple-approved service centers employ only certified technicians who are authorized to work on Apple products and who only use Apple-supplied replacement components.Apple only guarantees repairs made by authorized service centers. You may rest assured that your product will be restored to full functionality regardless of which route you take.If you have a problem with your Apple product, you can schedule a shipment to an Apple Repair Centre online or over the phone. Many Apple products are supported by this service.
Access to a wide variety of repair centers for Apple products is made possible via their network of Apple Authorized Service Providers.It is possible to arrange for an iPhone screen replacement expert to come to your house or place of business in some locations.There’s more to do than just browse and learn skills at an Apple Store. Make an appointment with a Genius to have hardware fixed by starting a repair request.
There is quite a difference when it comes to Apple Third Party repairs, as it involves such stores which have received certain certifications from Apple itself.But one thing to keep in mind is that, despite receiving the certification, it does not involve the policies and conditions which Apple provides on their goods (i.e., iWatch, iPhone, etc)These third-party repairs are considered to be useful when your Apple Products are out of the warranty period and you have faced some sort of operations and functional issues with them.
Apple Standard Repairs policy includes fixing faults that are caused at a manufacturing level, which are absolutely free of cost to repair at times.However, that’s not the same case when it comes to third-party repairs, you will be charged but might get a better turnaround time for the fix.Apple has argued that unofficial repairs could leave its products vulnerable to hackers and usage of poorer-grade parts.Additionally, Apple has defended its battery warning signal as a “safety” feature, which it has implemented to notify consumers if their phone’s replacement battery did not originate from an authorized Apple service provider.
It’s an old dilemma for iPhone users. When you need a repair badly, from a cracked screen to a malfunctioning port, where do you head to? An Apple Store or an eager third-party phone repair shop that’s not exactly Apple certified? We’re not going to make the decision for you – but we are going to make the decision easier. Check out the advantages and disadvantages of choosing either!
You can get great bargains: Third-party repair ships are more likely to offer repair discounts and lower repair fees overall. If you don’t have much money for repairs but really need your phone working again, then third parties are usually a better place to start.
Better availability: Apple Stores aren’t everywhere, and shipping your iPhone may not be an option, especially if time is an important consideration. It’s often easier to find a third-party service. Also, most third parties just let you walk right in with your phone, while the repair process is a little more complicated with Apple Stores.
A broader scope of repairs: Third parties are often willing to look into issues that an Apple Store doesn’t usually recognize (Apple repairs famously revolved around the battery and screen) – such as repairing a faulty Wi-Fi antenna, resuscitating a massively damaged phone, etc. This flexibility may be valuable, based on your problem.
Saving data: It’s often Apple Store policy to erase a phone when significant repairs are made. Third-party shops are generally more willing to save your valuable data and work with you to make sure you don’t lose anything.
Warranty issues: Using a non-certified third-party shop is a great way to void pretty much all of the warranties on your iPhone. That means you won’t be able to turn to Apple for any sort of screen replacement, model replacement, or anything else. This is more important in the first year or two of use when warranties are still active, but much less important afterward.
Third parties can make mistakes: It isn’t as common as you might be afraid of, but it does happen. A good example is the iPhone 8 screen repair debacle, where users found that third parties hadn’t properly replaced the screens, which continued to suffer problems until a further fix was found. Of course, certified third parties are far, far less likely to make such mistakes.
Apple still doesn’t like third-party repairs: At all. In fact, they have recently started locking MacBook Pros and iMac Pros from being repaired at all by third parties who do not have full access to Apple Service Toolkit 2. Battery and screen features often won’t work with third-party replacements, either – although this is probably due to compatibility problems rather than strategy.
Reliable parts: Apple components are frequent targets of counterfeiting, and third parties may use cheaper parts to fix problems as a shortcut. This could lead to faster breakdowns in the future or compatibility issues.
Trained experts: This is a pretty obvious advantage in most cases. Apple technicians have exactly the right training and tools to perform repairs. This is very important when it comes to replacing iPhone batteries and other tricky tasks.
Keeping up with technology: New iPhone models tend to be on the cutting edge, and a lot of third-party repair shops may not have caught up. This means that problems with advanced features like OLED screens or high-tech dual cameras should probably be left to Apple’s professionals.
Easy replacements: In case of internal damage, Apple can send your phone in for an easy replacement, a service that third parties can’t offer. Of course, if your warranties are out of date, this move could cost you, but at least it’s always an option.
Setting up appointments: For any type of serious iPhone repair, Apple generally has you set up an appointment to bring your phone into the Store, which can make scheduling tricky. Another common option is to mail your phone in for repairs, but this tends to lengthen the process – sometimes by weeks. The advantage of this process is that you can check online to see what your current repair status is, but that’s not exactly a great trade-off.
Costs: Apple repair fees do tend to be higher than third-party costs (a basic replacement can cost several hundred dollars on newer iPhones), and they aren’t going down any time soon. This could make even minor repairs painful for your wallet.
Repairs and service are not guaranteed: You can still have failed repairs at an Apple Store, and experiences that are messy and disappointing. An Apple Store is no guarantee of quality, especially during busy times of the year. Although Apple is more likely to rectify a mistake should one occur.
Apple & Third-Party repair are two separate things, which benefit consumers based on different requirements.Customers need to understand when to choose either of the two options. In conclusion, it’s a battle between warranty period, price, and time.If you have faced an issue related to functionality within the warranty limit, it’s better to go for the Apple Official Repair.However, if you have fallen out of the warranty zone and need a quick repair, then it would be best to choose a third-party Apple Certified Repair Shop in the region.
Apple Self-Service Repair allows you to make an out-of-warranty repair on your Apple product with access to original Apple components, tools, and repair manuals, provided you have the necessary expertise.
It really depends on the experience of the technicians. There are numerous repair shops present in the marketplace that perform outclass screen repairs that make your iPhone look as good as new.Make sure to check the repair experience of the Repair shops and whether they are certified by some authorities for validations purposes.Last but not least, make sure to check whether the screen repair of the respective third party has better reviews or not, before making a decision.