How to fix broken screen protector
A broken screen protector — cracked, chipped, lifting at a corner — is doing its job, and there is no way to repair it: the tempered glass is already shattered along its stress lines.
Test it now
Peel the protector off, then run full-screen white and black: a crack in the real glass shows as a fine line on black; dead areas show on white. Run the touch test.
What it is
A broken screen protector — cracked, chipped, lifting at a corner — is doing its job, and there is no way to repair it: the tempered glass is already shattered along its stress lines. What matters is checking that the screen underneath is not cracked too.
Can it be fixed?
Replace it — a new protector is cheap, and fitting one is a five-minute job. Do not use the phone with a shattered protector; glass slivers lift and scratch the real screen.
What to do
- Peel it off carefully, edge first.
- Full-screen white and black, and the touch test, on the bare screen.
- Bare screen fine: fit a new protector.
- Bare screen cracked: display quote.
What a repair costs
| United States | $80–200 for a display on most Android phones; $200–380 at Apple for an iPhone screen out of warranty ($29–99 with AppleCare+) |
|---|---|
| India | ₹2,000–6,000 for a display on budget and mid-range Android phones at an independent shop, ₹6,000–20,000 for flagship OLED screens at the brand service centre; iPhone screens ₹12,000–35,000 at Apple-authorised service |
Typical ranges from repair-shop and manufacturer price lists, 2026-09-06. Get two quotes; prices vary by model and city.
Warranty
Most makers replace a panel under warranty for physical panel faults that are not accidental damage; pressure marks, cracks and liquid damage are treated as accidental and are not covered. For dead pixels, each brand has a threshold (typically 3–5 bright or 5–8 dark pixels on a laptop; Dell's premium-panel guarantee replaces at one bright pixel).