Screen replacement, explained
A cracked screen is the job we do most. Here is what actually happens on the bench, why two cracks that look the same can cost very different amounts, and how to get it done in one visit.
What breaks, and what does not
A phone screen is a stack. On top is the cover glass, the part you touch and the part that cracks when the phone lands on a corner. Under it is the digitiser, which senses your finger, and under that is the display panel itself, the OLED or LCD that makes the picture. On almost every phone made in the last several years those three layers are laminated into one assembly, so the practical question at the counter is not "which layer is broken" but "is the picture still perfect under the crack".
If the image is clean, the touch works everywhere and there are no coloured lines, dead patches or flickering, the damage is in the glass and the display underneath is sound. If there are green or purple lines, a black blotch that spreads, a patch that does not respond to touch, or the screen flashes and goes dark, the panel itself is damaged and the whole assembly has to be replaced. We check this in front of you before quoting, because it is the difference between the two prices on the sheet.
Glass-only versus full assembly
Where the panel is sound, some models can have the cover glass alone replaced. That is a delicate job: the old glass is separated from the display with heat and a fine wire, the adhesive is cleaned off, and new glass is bonded on under pressure. Done well it is indistinguishable from a full assembly at a lower cost. Done badly it leaves dust under the glass or a slight rainbow in the corner, which is why a lot of kiosk repairs come back. We only offer glass-only on models where our results are consistently clean, and we tell you when a full assembly is the safer spend.
A full assembly replacement swaps the whole laminated unit. It is the standard repair when the panel is damaged, and on most models it is also the faster one, because there is no bonding step. The old assembly comes off, the earpiece speaker, front camera and sensors are transferred where the model requires it, the new assembly is fitted and tested, and the phone is resealed.
Part grades, and why we will tell you which one you are getting
Screens come in grades. On the phones we see most there is usually a choice between an original-specification panel and a good-quality aftermarket one, and the two differ in price, in colour accuracy and brightness, and sometimes in whether features like true-tone colour matching or the highest refresh rate carry over. We stock both where both exist, we price them separately, and we say plainly which is going into your phone. If you use your phone for photo editing or you notice colour, ask for the higher grade. If it is a phone that mostly reads messages, the difference is hard to see and the saving is real.
What stays on your phone
Nothing about a screen replacement touches your data. Photos, messages, accounts and apps are exactly where you left them, and you will not need to sign back into anything. The one thing worth knowing is that on some models a screen replacement done anywhere other than the manufacturer will show a notice in settings saying the display is not recognised as genuine. It is a message, not a fault; the screen works normally. We tell you before we start on the models where that applies.
We also ask you for your passcode, or to unlock the phone at the counter, so we can test touch across the whole screen, the brightness range, the front camera and face unlock with the phone assembled. If you would rather not share it, we test what we can and hand it to you to check the rest before you pay.
How long it takes
On common phones a full assembly replacement takes well under an hour on the bench, and at most of our counters it is finished while you shop. Glass-only work and tablets take longer because of the bonding and the size of the panel, so on those we will usually ask you to leave the device with us for a few hours or until the next day. Models we do not keep on the shelf need the part ordered in first, which is why calling the counter with your exact model before you drive over is worth thirty seconds.
Back up first, if you can
A screen repair does not put your data at risk, but a badly cracked phone sometimes will not stay on long enough to be tested, and very occasionally a phone that has also had a knock to the board fails during reassembly for reasons that have nothing to do with the screen. If the phone will still turn on and you have not backed it up recently, do it before you come in. It takes ten minutes and it means the worst case is an inconvenience rather than a loss.
What to bring
Bring the phone, and bring the case only if you want it back on afterwards; we remove cases and screen protectors as part of the job. If the phone will not turn on at all, bring the charger you normally use so we can rule out a dead battery before assuming the display. You do not need a receipt, a box or the original packaging.
Tablets and larger screens
Tablet glass is thinner, larger and more awkward to separate than a phone's, and the digitiser on many tablets is bonded differently, which is why tablet screens are a leave-it-with-us job at most counters rather than a while-you-wait one. The same glass-versus-panel rule applies: if the picture is clean under the crack, a digitiser replacement is usually enough; if there are lines or dead patches, the panel goes too. See the tablet page for the model-specific notes.
After the repair
Every replaced screen is tested with the phone fully assembled: touch in every zone, brightness top to bottom, colour, the front camera and any face-unlock or proximity sensor that runs through the display. You check it at the counter before you pay. The part and the labour are both covered; keep the receipt, and if anything about the new screen is not right, bring it straight back to the counter that did the work.
Questions people ask
Can you replace just the glass, or does the whole screen have to go?
If the picture under the crack is perfect and touch works everywhere, the panel is sound and a glass-only repair is possible on models where we can do it cleanly. If there are lines, dark patches or unresponsive areas, the panel is damaged and the full assembly is replaced. We check this before quoting.
Will I lose anything on the phone?
No. A screen replacement does not touch storage or accounts. Back up anyway if the phone is in a state where it might not stay on, because that is the one situation where a fault unrelated to the screen can show up during the job.
How long will it take?
Common phone screens are usually done in well under an hour and often while you shop. Glass-only work and tablets take longer; models we do not stock need the part ordered first. Call the counter with your model and we will tell you.
Will the new screen be as good as the original?
That depends on the grade you choose, and we tell you which grade is going in. Original-specification panels match the factory display; good aftermarket panels are close and cost less. For photo work or if you notice colour, choose the higher grade.
Will my phone say the screen is not genuine?
On some models a screen fitted anywhere except the manufacturer shows a notice in settings. It is a message, not a fault, and the screen works normally. We tell you in advance on the models where it applies.
Do I need an appointment?
No. Every counter is walk-in. Calling ahead with the exact model is still worth it, so the part is on the bench when you arrive.
Bring it to a counter near you
Every counter quotes the exact price before anything is opened. Walk in during opening hours, or call ahead with the model so the part is on the bench.
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