A Comprehensive Guide to iPhone Screen Repair for Everyone

Intro to Professional iPhone Screen Repair

We understand that you might be skeptical about the possibility of repairing a broken iPhone screen, especially given the advanced technologies like OLED and TFT LCD displays, and the chemically strengthened aluminosilicate glass used in iPhones. 

The manufacturers have you convinced that only they can do it, and carriers have sold you on insurance that is “necessary” because technology is a super expensive fix.

However, rest assured that despite these advanced components, a broken iPhone screen can indeed be repaired, and your device can be restored to its original functionality without breaking the bank.

Firstly, it’s important to recognize that the iPhone is designed to be modular, meaning that it can be replaced independently of other parts of the phone. This design allows for efficient repairs and ensures that even if the screen is damaged, the rest of the device remains intact and functional.

When it comes to the display itself, whether it’s an OLED or TFT LCD, repair facilities have access to high-quality replacement parts that are compatible with your iPhone model. These parts are designed to meet or exceed the original specifications, ensuring that your repaired screen will perform just as well as it did before the damage occurred.

The various types of iPhone screen damages

Understanding the type of screen damage on your iPhone is the first step to getting an ideal iPhone repair solution. But most of the time, you won’t understand your problem beyond the visible cracks on the screen. 

Fortunately most display repairs will fix everything down below that we describe, but it’s helpful for you to understand in the case of warranty claim, additional incidental damages, or preventing future issues.

Damaged Glass

This is a typical iPhone damage where the glass screen cracks or shatters. This is the outside layer of an iPhone display panel. There are multiple layers to a display and this is often the most common to break. We’ll explain the other layers, but this is the most common damage we will see and what most commonly folks will refer to.

The display glass used in iPhones is typically made from a chemically strengthened glass, known as aluminosilicate glass. 

Aluminosilicate glass is a special type of glass that is more durable and resistant to scratches and impacts compared to regular soda-lime glass. The strengthening process involves replacing smaller sodium ions in the glass with larger potassium ions, resulting in a more robust glass structure.

One of the most well-known brands of aluminosilicate glass is Corning’s Gorilla Glass. Apple has used various versions of Gorilla Glass in its iPhones over the years, although the specific branding or supplier is not always disclosed.

The glass is designed to provide a high level of transparency and touch sensitivity, as well as resistance to everyday wear and tear. 

Despite its enhanced durability, aluminosilicate glass is not indestructible, and it can still break or shatter under certain conditions, such as a hard impact or extreme bending.

But hey, you have that Corningware Casserole dish at home that you’ve dropped 100 and it’s never broken! You dropped your iPhone twice, and WHAM it cracked. What gives?

While the technology behind your dish set and your iPhone display are similar, there is one big difference. 

Your dishware is probably an eighth of an inch to quarter inch thick, your iPhone glass is just .45 to .55mm thick.

That is why it is not “indestructible.” 

Lines on the display or flickering

Physical damage may cause vertical or horizontal lines across your iPhone’s screen. 

Newer iPhones are built with an OLED so these lines may look different from the LCDs that used to dominate iPhone displays prior to the iPhone X series.

Your glass does not need to be damaged in order for you to have this issue. 

iPhone and Samsung glass is getting to be strong enough to where it won’t break, but the display will break. 

This is also common if you drop your phone and it lands on the back and you have a good protective case. Often the glass won’t break, but the upward force will damage the OLED display.

If an OLED display is damaged, it may exhibit a range of visual issues. Some common signs of damage to OLED displays include:

1. Dead or stuck pixels: Damaged OLED displays can have dead pixels, which appear as small black dots or areas on the screen where no light is emitted. Stuck pixels, on the other hand, emit a constant color (red, green, or blue) and do not change as the image on the screen changes.
2. Image retention or burn-in: Prolonged display of static images on an OLED screen may cause image retention or burn-in. This issue manifests as a faint but persistent ghost image of the static content that remains visible even when the content changes. While temporary image retention may disappear after some time, burn-in is a permanent form of damage.
3. Discoloration or irregular brightness: Damage to an OLED display may cause uneven brightness levels or color shifts across the screen. This problem can result in patches or areas with different brightness levels, washed-out colors, or a general lack of uniformity in the display.
4. Cracks or lines on the screen: Physical damage, such as impacts or bending, can cause visible cracks, lines, or shattering on the OLED panel. This damage may lead to distorted or discolored images, or in severe cases, a completely non-functional display.
5. Flickering or unresponsiveness: A damaged OLED display might exhibit flickering, where the screen appears to rapidly switch on and off or show random patterns. Additionally, the touch screen functionality may become unresponsive or erratic due to damage to the display’s touch-sensitive layer.

If your iPhone has a LCD vs an OLED they both exhibit a lot of the same symptoms when damaged. Both LCD and OLED can have dead/stuck pixels, cracks, lines, and flickering or unresponsive touch when broken. However, TFT LCDs may show perfect vertical/horizontal lines, bleeding, or discoloration, and dimming due to backlight issues, while OLEDs may show image retention or burn-in, and uneven brightness or color shifts.

Touch screen not responding or a broken digitizer

A digitizer, also known as a touch screen or touch panel, is a crucial component in modern smartphones.

It is a thin, transparent layer typically made of glass or plastic, placed over the phone’s LCD or OLED display and under the glass. The digitizer is responsible for detecting and processing touch inputs on the screen.

When you touch the screen of your iPhone or Samsung device, the digitizer translates the physical touch into electrical signals. These signals are then sent to the phone’s processor, which interprets the touch input and performs the corresponding action, such as opening an app or typing on the keyboard.

In many smartphones, the digitizer is fused together with the display panel (LCD or OLED) to form a single unit. 

This design allows for a thinner and more responsive touch screen. 

However, if the digitizer is damaged, it may result in unresponsive or erratic touch inputs, requiring a replacement of the entire display unit in some cases.

Additional Reading: Solutions For Frozen or Unresponsive Screens

Incell and oncell digitizers are two different technologies used in the integration of touch panels with the display panels in smartphones and other touch-enabled devices.

Both approaches aim to create thinner and more responsive touchscreens by combining the digitizer and the display panel. Here’s a simple explanation of the differences between incell and oncell digitizers:

Incell Digitizers:

In an incell digitizer, the touch sensors are embedded within the display panel itself. In the case of LCD displays, the touch sensors are integrated into the liquid crystal layer, while for OLED displays, they are integrated into the organic material layer. As a result, there’s no need for an additional touch-sensitive layer on top of the display panel.

Advantages of incell digitizers include a thinner and lighter design, reduced glare, and improved touch responsiveness. 

Oncell Digitizers:

In an oncell digitizer, the touch sensors are placed on top of the display panel but not embedded within the display layers. Instead, the touch sensors are incorporated into the top protective layer or the outer glass, which is placed directly on the display panel.

Oncell digitizers still offer a thinner and more responsive touch screen compared to traditional designs with separate digitizer layers. However, they might not be as thin or responsive as incell digitizers. 

In short, incell digitizers have touch sensors embedded within the display panel itself, making them thinner and more responsive, while oncell digitizers have touch sensors placed on top of the display panel but integrated into the outer protective layer. Both technologies aim to improve touch screen performance and reduce device thickness.

Why does this matter?

For your everyday repair, it really doesn’t, but this explains why your phone’s digitizer / touch stopped working when it was damaged.

Oncell displays are usually less expensive displays and a sign of a lower quality screen. So if you have your iPhone or Samsung repaired, and if you get the smallest crack in the display and your touch stops working. There is a good chance the repair facility installed an oncell display on your device.

What to expect from the iPhone repair process

Understanding the iPhone screen repair process varies depending on your iPhone type and the extent of the screen damage. But here are general steps you should expect during the process:

1. Assessment: Your technician will examine your iPhone to determine the extent of the damage. They’ll also determine the type of iPhone you’re using during this step. The technician may provide a quote for the repair cost after the assessment.
2. Disassembling your iPhone: If a screen repair is necessary and viable, the technician will disassemble your iPhone.
3. Repairing/replacing the damaged screen: Straightforward? Not necessarily, depending on the model this may require special tools, programmers, adhesive and years of experience.
4. Testing the new screen: Once the screen is fixed, the technician will test it to ensure the touch screen and other phone components function. There are other parts attached to displays that are often transferred over such as cameras, ear speakers, and proximity sensors. These usually are not replaced, but transferred over to keep costs down.
5. Reassembly: The technician will reassemble your iPhone, but before handing the phone over to you, they’ll perform a final test to ensure everything is working correctly.

That’s it. 

You’ll now have your iPhone screen repaired. Generally, the whole process takes 30 minutes. Most professional repair shops will quote longer than 30 minutes to be able to budget additional testing, and in the event more issues are encountered, they can fix it without customers waiting.

Getting an iPhone screen repair at an Apple Authorized service provider or Apple store

Apple can repair or replace your cracked iPhone screen for free if your phone has AppleCare+ and only if you have AppleCare+. The standard one year Apple warranty doesn’t cover accidental damage. So, if you’re still under warranty, follow these steps to get your iPhone screen repaired;

• Make an appointment: schedule a visit at an Apple-authorized service provider or Apple Store.
• Send in for repair: Mail your iPhone directly to Apple for repair.
• Schedule onsite service: An Apple-authorized service provider can come to your home or office to repair your screen.

If your iPhone is not under warranty, Apple may fix it at a cost. The keyword is “may.” Just because your iPhone has a busted screen doesn’t imply Apple will repair it. If you have other issues, or damages, they can refuse the repair or request you fix other issues. 

You may also get a third-party service provider to fix your iPhone. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a repair service provider for your iPhone screen. What about that “Important Message” or “Unknown part” warning on your iPhone? For more in-depth understanding of the “Important Message” or “Unknown Part” warning on your iPhone, check out our detailed article Understanding the ‘Important Message’ or ‘Unknown Part’ warning on your iPhone. Remember, choosing to get your screen replaced through Apple can be a significant advantage in this case, as you won’t have to deal with such notifications post-repair.

Choosing a reliable repair service provider

Here are some considerations when choosing a repair service provider.

• Experience: Apple phones are different from Android phones. Therefore, you want a service provider with experience working on iPhones and a track record of successful repairs. 
• Quality parts: The repair service provider should have high-quality parts. If they don’t provide any type of warranty or guarantee, you should walk away from the repair. Stay away from Mall Kiosks, they typically offer the lowest prices, but the lowest quality. In this department, price is everything. The cheaper the service provider = the cheaper the part. This is not an oil change, quality is not homogenous.
• Warranty: Anything can happen after the repair, and you want the service provider to offer assurance through warranty. If there are any issues, the warranty will come to your aid after the service provider completes the repair.
• Cost: Don’t settle for significantly lower prices—it could mean low-quality work or parts. Instead, compare prices from various repair services.:

Do you need a repair or a replacement?

Fixing your iPhone screen can save you hundreds of dollars—typically; it’s just a fraction of the cost of buying a new iPhone.

If your iPhone screen is damaged, you have two options; repair the screen, or buy a new iPhone.

Apple will repair your screen at no cost if you purchased AppleCare and still have coverage. If not, you must find a reliable iPhone repair service provider like Gophermods. You don’t need an appointment with us, just send us a message or inquire about your repair service.