can you fix lcd screen on iphone 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.
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.
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.
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As often as you use your smartphone, it’s almost inevitable that you’ll eventually drop it. You may be extremely careful, but it only takes one fumble for your phone to tumble. While iPhone screens are designed to withstand impact, you might still end up with a shattered screen.
The good news: a broken screen doesn’t mean your phone is kaput. In fact, if only the glass is broken, the fix is quick and inexpensive. The bad news: if the LCD screen is broken, you’re looking at a pricier repair.
If you’ve looked into replacement parts, you’ve likely come across two very different options: a glass screen, and an LCD screen. While the first option is cheap, the second is definitely not. Here’s the difference:
1. The glass screen is the exterior layer on your phone’s display. While it is specially engineered for durability, it’s still just glass (between layers of plastic film), which is why it’s not very pricey to replace.
Most of the time, the damage to your screen will be pretty obvious. You’ll see the spider web patterns of shattered glass across the front of your iPhone. Occasionally, however, the glass screen will be intact, and you might not realize the damage until you try to use it. Whether the damage is visible or not, it’s a good idea to run a quick diagnostic to determine the extent of it.
If you encounter any of these problems, you’re dealing with a broken LCD screen. If the glass is shattered, but the display is clear and touch capability is working, that’s a good sign. The problem is probably just the glass screen.
Whether you’re dealing with cracked glass or a broken LCD screen, you can find a quick, reliable repair service at FastPhoneRepair.com. Our qualified technicians will get your iPhone repaired and up and running again in record time and at reasonable rates.
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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The impressive new features on the iPhone X 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 X screen replacement service. Whether you need a new iPhone screen, a replacement part or a water damage diagnostic, our skilled technicians can complete any iPhone x screen replacement 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 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 iPhone X 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 iPhone X screen repair. Once a customer is happy with their iPhone X screen repair plan, we can begin right away!
Even though the phone is technically waterproof, if your iPhone X 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 iPhone X screen replacement professional once the damage happens, the better the chance at a full recovery.
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 iPhone X screen 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 iPhone X screen replacement. So make an appointment today for your iPhone X screen replacement.
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.
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.)
If the device was sent for in-store pickup, a Mobile Expert will conduct a device condition check. If there"s damage, the Mobile Expert will inform you of your options.
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.
After going 0-for-2 on cracked screens, I decided to lay down my screwdriver. I’m not going to quit my day job anytime soon to work as a freelance phone fixer. I don"t relish the idea of handing malfunctioning smartphones off to co-workers.
1. Before you set out to perform DIY repairs on your smartphone, do a trial run on an old one. Even with clear instructions, it"s easy to make a mistake that leaves the device inoperable.
3. Be prepared to spend a few days on the project. That requires having a dedicated workspace in a low-traffic area of your home. If you start out on the kitchen table, all those tiny parts can easily get knocked around or lost.
While they may look the same at first glance, they’re different sizes. A screw that’s too short won’t hold your phone together. And a screw that’s too long can drill down until it pierces the phone"s motherboard—which could be one reason I ended up with two flawed phones in the end.
The technician in the iCracked video uses a magnetic board to stay organized. You can buy one through the company"s website for as little as $10. I didn’t have one, so I put the screws on a sheet of paper and labeled them, trying to diagram where they appeared on the phone. This went downhill pretty quickly. Just brushing the paper was enough to send them rolling out of place. To prevent this, I eventually started taping them down.
You may want to think about organizing the replacement screws, too. When I had to pull one from the tiny bag, they were all lumped together, so I often ended up guessing which to use.
One last thing: When you buy a screen replacement kit, keep in mind that you"re not guaranteed to get parts of the same quality offered by the manufacturer or a certified repair shop.
While the screens in the kits I bought looked very nice, I had no way to tell what kind of glass was used to make them. And the appearance of cables and connectors on the replacement screen did not perfectly match those of the iPhones.
With all that said, even if I had received parts identical to the ones I owned and pulled off the repairs flawlessly, I"m not sure the DIY screen replacement would have been worth the time and aggravation to save roughly $75.
I will admit, though, that I found this project kind of fun, at least until I started running into problems. If you’re a handy person who enjoys a good challenge, this might be your kind of thing. Just accept from the start that there’s a decent chance you might damage or destroy your phone in the process.
Ever since the iPhone 13 was announced, I know many of you have wondered if you can repair it. It’s been out now for a few months, and yes, folks have already broken them.
We will discuss which iPhones were introduced in September of 2021, including colors, price points, and availability. This article does not cover the 3rd Gen iPhone SE that was released in Mach of 2022.
We’ll be focusing on the repairability of the iPhone 13 Mini, iPhone 13, iPhone 13 Pro, and iPhone 13 Pro Max rather than the percentage change in camera quality, thickness, or battery size.
On September 14th, 2021, Apple announced four new iPhones. The 13 was a minor refresh of the previous year’s 12 series. The best part of this year’s series, instead of starting storage size of 64GB, all models’ base storage size is 128GB.
Going from 64GB to 128GB would have been a $100 upgrade in previous years. This year, it’s the same price, but you’re doubling up your storage. So that was nice of Apple to give everyone a $100 discount on the phone this year. iPhone 13 Mini: Staring $699
This article will discuss the iPhone 13 Pro Max (since we’ve already repaired a few), and we’ll write a few more in the coming weeks discussing the iPhone 13 Pro / iPhone 13 Mini.
The iPhone 13 Pro Max is essentially the iPhone 12 Pro Max; it has nearly the same display, coming in at 6.68″. One of the first noticeable differences is the smaller notch on the front side, up to 20% smaller than previous generations.
Since we’re discussing the repairability of the 13 Pro max versus the minute of differences in notch sizes, resolutions, etc., we’ll leave that to the million other articles and talk about what we know best (repairs!).
There are a lot of repairs out there for iPhones, but we’re only going to talk about the 95% that we see. We could spend hours and pages discussing the other 5%.
There is no need to make a booking. Just pop in during out open hours and allow 2 hours for your repair. You can wait in-store, visit one our the many local cafes in New Brighton or pop back once its ready to collect. Check out our opening hours.
We need it to test new parts to ensure they are working by giving the device back to you. We do this, so you don’t have to come back if a component in your repair is faulty such as a speaker. For security reasons all iPhone’s require a passcode to be entered before any function of the device can be used. With iOS 11 this includes charging an iPhone after an hour.
We offer a hassle-free 90-day warranty on all parts. Let us know if you are experiencing any issues, and we’ll be happy to help out. Check out our full warranty policy here
Mobile phone parts can contain harmful and dangerous materials as well as many reusable materials such as metals and glass. We use local recyclers to ensure materials from phone batteries, mobile screens and electronic devices are repurposed and hazardous materials disposed of properly.
You’ve dropped your iPhone and the screen is cracked. Or it’s smashed into a spider’s web of sadness. Once you’ve stopped berating yourself for dropping it, because shame isn’t going to fix the screen, you’ll need to hand it over to someone who can replace it for you. It’s okay, you think, the warranty will cover it. Think again.
The screen and LCD display are fused together, so it’s highly unlikely you can have the glass replaced without also replacing the LCD display as well. Below are costs from around the country for screen glass repairs and LCD replacement.
Apple’s service is wonderful if you have a store near you and can book your appointment ahead of time, but it won’t cover dropping your phone. According to Apple, their “Limited Warranty for iPhone covers your iPhone for one year. Warranty service for eligible repairs is available at no charge for twelve months from the date of original retail purchase ("date of purchase").
However, if your phone isn’t working because of an accident (you dropped it/your girlfriend threw it at you/your puppy thought it looked tasty), the warranty won’t cover the cost to repair it.
“To determine your warranty coverage, enter the serial number of your iPhone in the Online Service Assistant section on the Apple Support site. Apple may need to examine your proof of purchase document to verify your iPhone"s warranty status.” — Apple Support
Even if you believe your circumstances qualify you to use the warranty, if you bought your iPhone from anyone other than an authorized iPhone reseller or didn’t register your phone when you bought it, you may not be able to use the warranty on it, because Apple has no official record of the purchase date with your name in it.
The Apple support page says you might still be able to have Apple fix it through their Out-Of-Warranty (OOW) service—for things like screen burn or “an iPhone that has failed due to damage or liquid damage. ... See Apple"s Repair Terms and Conditions for further details. Refer to this article to check if the Liquid Contact indicator on your product has been triggered.” To find where to bring your phone for OOW service options, call your local carrier and they can direct you to iPhone repair shops near you.
If you’ve only just bought your phone, or are about to buy one, and you are historically talented at dropping your phone, your best option is to sign up for the AppleCare+ plan. “Both AppleCare+ and AppleCare+ with Theft and Loss extend that coverage1 up to two years and give you additional features such as 24/7 tech support and accidental damage coverage.” — Apple.com
For Apple to repair your iPhone thats out of warranty, prices start at $129 for older phones, and go up to $329 for the brand new models. Before Apple repairs your screen, you’ll need to carry out their pre-service instructions so you can protect your information. It involves things like having your ID and proof of purchase ready and, if you’re mailing it in, erasing your device. Read more about that here.
In store - The best part of having Apple repair your screen is that they have genuine Apple parts and all repairs are backed by Apple. It will probably be a same-day repair.
Mail it - If it’s too much of an inconvenience to get to the store, mail it instead. Apple will send you a box to send it in. It will take 7–9 days before you get your fixed phone back.
Be aware that if anyone other than Apple or an Apple service provider opens up your phone, any warranty or partial warranty you have will no longer apply. But if all your warranties have run out, a third-party service can be extremely helpful with prices that average $80 to $140 for screen repair. Don’t just bring it to any store though. Check out places first on sites like HomeGuide and Yelp to make sure customers have been pleased with their repair work.
Some will examine your phone for free to let you know exactly what’s broken and how much it will cost to repair. When you drop your phone, even though it might look like only the screen has cracked, there could be a lot more that’s damaged inside the phone—speakers, dock, batteries, screen, cameras, etc. Getting a thorough examination done before you fix the screen could save you the frustration of a second and third visit later at an additional cost.
Some shops will give you a same-day repair service while others will take a day or two. Obviously, it depends on how much work your iPhone needs to be fully functional again.
This can be one of the easiest ways of repairing your screen, and you don’t even have to leave your house or work to do it. Custom Computer Experts in Sheffield Lake, OH, say, “If you can"t come to us, we can come to you for $99.99 plus parts or software. $25 travel fee will be included in the final invoice for travel of 25 miles or more.”
Some repair shops are better than others because they focus exclusively on Apple products and are able to buy repair parts in bulk. iHospital Fowler say they don’t “only repair devices but also upgrade these devices and offers a full range of accessories for them. ... It has trained all of its iHospital Doctors to focus on one family of products, Apple.”
There is also the option of repairing your screen yourself with kit repair prices ranging from $40 to $80. Considering the high price of an iPhone, we don’t recommend this if you have little experience installing phone screens. We’re not mentioning names, but one of our own at HomeGuide tried this and the phone exploded in his hands. He ran, kicking the flaming phone across the carpet and out the front door in time to prevent the whole place going up in smoke. Lithium batteries are not to be trifled with. The memory will remain with us until the carpet is replaced....
Order the DIY kit—a combo of the replacement screen, tiny tools, cables, and an instructional booklet. Here’s an article on how that turned out for oneConsumer Reports reporter.
In summary, if your iPhone is in warranty and the screen needs to be repaired because of an internal problem, have Apple fix it. If it’s not in warranty, we recommend having a mobile iPhone repair technician meet you to do the work, as most of the repair options seem to cost about the same regardless of where you bring it, and the convenience of having them come to you is amazing.
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.