What to Do After You Get a Cracked Phone Screen

Accidentally drop your phone? Don't panic, it's fixable! Check out this article for your options with a cracked phone screen.

22:37 17 June 2019

You have just bought a new phone. Then you drop it and now what you have is a spider web look like on the screen. Don't worry; it happens more than you think. In fact, we highly doubt whether there is anyone who owns a phone who has not had to deal with a cracked phone screen.

The critical thing to do is to take steps to repair it as soon as possible. Leaving it as it is will exacerbate the problem, and you don't want to deal with a sliver of glass in your hand. Water and other debris can also gain entry into the phone through the crack, thereby giving you more significant problems.

Plastic covers will provide an interim solution, but try and fix the problem as soon as you can. Read on for more tips on what to do with a cracked phone.

Cracked Phone Tips

A cracked screen looks terrible, will not allow you to see much, and you may not be able to use the touch screen functionality. However, if the crack is not too bad, you can continue to use the phone until you get around to doing the repairs

Let us explore some of the steps you need to take when this unfortunate incident happens.

1. Assess the Damage

Your phone screen is made up of the glass and the LCD. The glass protects the LCD against damage. When you drop your phone, the damage will vary in severity. The first thing you need to do is assess how much damage has occurred. Broken or cracked glass is easier to replace than if the LCD has some damage to it.

Carefully note how everything looks, test the screen or that responds to your touch, and check if it seems to be giving in among others. In some cases, you will realize that the damage is not severe, and the phone is still responsive. You can, therefore, opt to live with the ugly screen for some time. But if the phone is not responding, or not even coming on, you may need to get cracked phone help.

2. Do a Phone Backup
   
   

• Before consulting an LCD phone screen repair expert, do a phone backup. This will allow you to transfer important files to external storage, because you may not quite know the extent of the damage. It may require that it stays at the repair shop for a long time.
  
  

The repairman may even suggest a restore to factory settings which will wipe your phone clean of anything you may have put in.

3. Can the Manufacturer Repair the Phone?

Most phones come with a warranty, but they typically do not cover damages that occur due to accidents. If you're debating about where to take the cracked phone; to the local repairman or manufacturer, we would strongly suggest the latter. They know the phone better than anyone else, and most have support centers that are within easy reach.

4. Consider Alternative Repairs

There are many phone repair shops you can take your phone to. Make sure you're dealing with someone who has the necessary expertise; otherwise, you may cause more damage. The only disadvantage of this course of action is that if there is any warranty, the manufacturer will have a reason to void it.

Most warranty stipulations are very clear that no third-party should tamper with the device in any way. But if the warranty period is over, you may have no choice.

You may be tempted to try a DIY phone repair, and maybe trawling the internet on tutorials on how to fix a cracked screen. But we are not very sure this is the best way to go about it. While there are many cracked phone guides available, if this is not your area of expertise, we would discourage trying to repair the phone on your own.

If you have insurance cover, you will not feel the pinch of having someone repair it. So go ahead, let the repairman earn his keep.

5. If You Really Want to Give DIY a Try

You'll find many tutorials online on how to fix a cracked phone, but do note that they all have a certain level of risk. You may void your warranty, or the repairman will have a reason to charge you just a little bit more for your efforts.

However, some of the things you can try include:

• Toothpaste is great for hiding small scratches. Put a bit on a cotton bud and rub it on the scratch. make sure it does not get into the buttons, sockets, or any other part other than the screen
  
  
• Vegetable oil will hide but not fix the scratch. Use the same method as you would with toothpaste, but you need to keep doing this because it will rub off.
  
  • Use a screen protector, but if you cannot afford one, rap a transparent plastic bag around your phone. it may look unsightly, but it can help temporarily
  
  • Sandpaper or a grinding machine may help smooth a crack, but you have to be very careful
  
  • Make a paste using baking soda and use the toothpaste routine.
  
  

6. Consider if It's Time to Let Go

You may have an attachment to your phone, but there come a time when letting go may be the best option for you. Sometimes, the cost of repairs may be prohibitive; and may honestly not be worth the trouble. Some people will buy items that have issues; remember one man's trash is another man's gold.

eBay is one such marketplace. The money you get can go towards funding your replacement phone. Repair shops also buy old phones for the spare parts, depending on the type of phone you have, you may get a good amount of money that will go towards your new phone.

Get Your Phone Back in Shape

We have shared with you steps that you can take when you have a cracked phone. You have the option of trying to repair it yourself, using home DIY tips like toothpaste and oil, bringing it back to the manufacturer, or going to your local repairman.

Visit our website for additional information on how to make your life so much easier.