Have you cracked the screen on your smart phone? Not exactly sure what you should do next? We’ve been there – it’s never a good feeling when you break your smart phone screen. In this article, we’ll tell you about what you should do if you happen to crack the screen.
1. Contact the company that made your phone.
If you get in touch with the manufacturer of your device, you can get information about the warranty on your phone. Talking to a representative from the company just might save you from spending money replacing your screen or device! Depending on your particular device, how long you’ve had it, and the cause of damage, there’s a chance you can get a discounted repair, or a free replacement.
Here are links for Apple customer support and Samsung customer support to help get you started.
2. Back up your files.
Just in case the damage happens to go deeper than it appears, you may want to back up the files (photos, music, etc.) that you have stored on your phone. Plug your phone into your computer using a USB cable and transfer the files so you’ll still have them in case anything else goes wrong with your phone. You may also be able to back up your device to a cloud storage server without having to plug it into your computer. For example, if you have an iPhone, you can back up your phone to iCloud.
To help you do this, check out these helpful articles for how to back up your iPhone/iPad, and how to back up your Android phone.
3. Cover your screen with clear tape or a screen protector.
If you aren’t able to get it repaired right away, there are a couple things you can do to patch it up a little in the meantime to make it temporarily usable. Using clear packing tape or a plastic protector made for your phone, cover up your cracked screen to prevent any pieces of glass from falling out, and to protect your fingers from the broken glass if you’re still trying to use your phone. Obviously, this isn’t a long-term solution, but it will get you through a few days while you’re waiting to get it properly fixed.
We found a great video to show you the best way how to do this, so if you’re interested, check it out here.
4. Replace the screen of the phone yourself.
If you feel confident enough in your ability to replace the screen on your device yourself, you can try to find a replacement screen available for purchase online. If you can do the repair yourself, you’ll likely be able to save yourself some money compared to how much it would cost to get your phone fixed by a professional. Keep in mind that replacing it yourself can sometimes result in your warranty being void. Be sure to look into the terms of the warranty on your device before attempting a do-it-yourself repair.
Watch this video to see an example of a DIY screen replacement to see if it’s something you can manage. We also know where you can purchase an iPhone screen replacement kit, or a Samsung phone screen replacement kit.
5. Take your phone to a repair shop in your area.
Another way to get your phone screen fixed that is usually less expensive than handing it over to the manufacturer for repair is to take it in to a local tech repair shop. These types of shops will have experienced people that can replace your cracked screen at a more affordable price than your phone carrier or the manufacturer of your device.
You can look up the best repair shops in your area by searching for them on Yelp.
6. Have your screen replaced by professionals.
Even if your phone is not under warranty anymore, the manufacturer of your device likely has a service where you can send your phone away to be fixed, and then shipped back to you. They may even provide you with another phone to use in the meantime while yours is being repaired. The only downside to this is that it can be much more expensive than doing the screen replacement yourself or taking it in to a local repair shop.
7. Purchase a replacement.
If all else fails, you can trade in your damaged phone for a new one. If your phone was an older model and you aren’t able to get the screen replaced, or if the damage to your device went further than just the screen being cracked, getting a new phone may be your only option. Your mobile carrier or the manufacturer that produced your phone may have a trade-in program where if you agree to give them your damaged phone, you’ll receive a discount on the price of a new one – be sure to look into these programs to see if you can save money on your new device.
If you’re interested in buying a replacement for your broken smartphone, some options you might want to consider purchasing some of the best phones on the market, like the iPhone or the Samsung Galaxy smartphone.
8. Sell your broken phone.
Another option is to try to sell your broken device online. There are a few websites that will buy broken smart phones, or you can even try to sell it on eBay.com. You likely won’t get very much money, but getting a little money for your broken phone is better than nothing, and you can put that money towards the cost of a new smart phone.
Those are the eight things you can do after cracking your phone screen. We hope these tips were helpful to you! If you’d like to share your experience, or if you have a request for our next blog post, leave us a comment down below.
