What to do if your phone's display is cracked? Cracked screen on the tablet: Broken screen and repair methods

A broken screen on a phone (or tablet) is the most popular problem with which clients contact our service. And it’s not surprising, because the material used to make the screen is glass. And it doesn’t matter whether it’s hardened or gorilla glass. As practice shows, everything breaks. And if a phone falls, it must be with the glass down.

Main problems with the screen on your phone

1. The top glass is cracked

2. The sensor does not work

Externally, no cracks are visible, but the touch screen (aka touchscreen) does not work. In this case, part of the screen may not respond to touch, the sensor may not work at the point of contact or may not work at all. There are many reasons for this - the phone was dropped and a chip formed in the glass of the touchscreen, the cable peeled off from the glass, etc.

In 99% of cases when the sensor does not work, the problem can ONLY be solved by replacing it. You can often hear the opinion that something may have gone wrong or needs to be fixed. No, that won't help. Just change the touchscreen. And, as in the case of glass, often a module. More details about why this is later in the article.

3. Problems with the display matrix

There is a picture on the screen, but it is only visible if you look at the light. The display is not completely backlit (although the touch buttons may be illuminated when you press the power button). What could be:

• After a fall: dead pixels, color stripes, dark spots, a white screen or the picture is barely visible, the image “ripples” or “jarres.” All this is the result of mechanical impact on the display matrix. Perhaps the phone didn’t even fall, but was crushed in a jeans pocket or bag.
• After water. If moisture gets inside the phone, spots or streaks may appear on the display. To remove them, you need to repack a complex system of light-diffusing films inside the screen. This is not done on every phone. You can read more about this case in a separate article:

4. No screen backlight

• If moisture gets inside the phone, the backlight circuits may bend. It's bad if these are LEDs inside the screen. Not every display has the ability to reach them. In this case, you have to replace the entire screen.
• The coil in the backlight circuit or the voltage inverter microcircuit has burned out. In this case, there is no problem with the motherboard and nothing to do with the phone’s display. Diagnostics are needed to accurately find out the cause of the malfunction.

Why do you need to change the display module?

Even if only the top glass is cracked, but the sensor and display work normally. The fact is that the design of most modern displays is designed in such a way that the glass, touch panel and matrix are one spare part. Therefore it is necessary to change completely display module assembly. This affects the cost of the spare part, and therefore the overall cost. Check with the technician whether the touchscreen can be changed separately or whether the module needs to be changed, and indicate the exact model of the smartphone or tablet.

Demand creates supply, and many workshops offer to replace separately broken glass on the screen (or touchscreen). This can not be done on all phone models, and it is not always cost-effective. Sometimes replacing glass will cost almost as much as replacing the module, this is especially true on budget and mid-range smartphones. On expensive phones, where the screen module itself costs a lot of money (usually Amoled displays), it is almost impossible to replace the glass separately due to the fragility of the display matrix. It all depends on the phone model.

Screen replacement time

Dear clients, we ourselves are interested get your phone repaired quickly. They did it and earned money. But quality comes first for us. And here there is a nuance that on many phone models the screen is glued to a special adhesive sealant, which dries about 10 hours. That is, if the repair is done efficiently, it will take at least a day for the screen to stick well and there will be no problems with it in the future. There are services where the display is glued with double-sided tape. The problem is that modern phones have very narrow frames and the tape simply does not hold. As a result, the screen peels off and highlights appear on the sides (especially visible in the dark).

Plus there is a basic loading of masters, time for checking, etc. But I repeat once again, we ourselves are interested in changing the screen efficiently and quickly at the same time. The terms, as well as the price, are agreed upon individually, usually no more than 1-2 business days (except for rare phone models, spare parts for which must be ordered).

Repair cost

Depends on factors such as the model of the phone or tablet, which part of the screen does not work, whether it is changed separately or only as a module, as well as on fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate (link to the cost of spare parts). We are simply physically unable to cover all the many device models, so it is better to check the prices for screen replacement by phone or ask a question to a technician on our website.

A modern smartphone is a fragile thing, especially its screen. The tempered glass that covers the displays for protection is almost resistant to scratches and light impacts somewhere in the middle. But from landing on a hard surface, and even if the smartphone hits the corner or edge of the screen, it’s easy to break it. Sometimes only the glass cracks, while the display itself continues to show the picture normally, and sometimes the image disappears. In some cases, the sensor remains in working condition, and in others, it stops responding to the finger.

There are several options for damage, and what to do if you break your smartphone screen depends on the type and scale of the damage. Therefore, let’s try to figure out what’s what and draw up a further course of action. It should be noted right away: if certain areas of the display do not work, there is no need to try to make it respond to your fingers by increasing the pressing force. After all, you can cut yourself on a chip or drive small pieces of glass into your skin.

What to do if the screen and sensor are working

If you break the screen of your smartphone, but it continues to show the picture, and the sensor responds to your fingers, there are two options. If the device does not have an air gap between the screen and the sensor, then only the glass is damaged, but the touchscreen remains intact. This design is found in almost all smartphones that cost more than $160-200, for example, in the iPhone. The second option is when there is an air gap. Then the sensor can be considered broken, but only its glass base is damaged, and the invisible sensor layer of conductors remains intact.

In the first case, the problem is eliminated by re-gluing the glass to a new one. You can’t do this on your own, as you need to disassemble the phone and heat it in a special installation to peel off the broken glass from the screen. Not all services carry out this procedure (an experienced specialist is needed here), but if you find a specialist, you can save money. The cost of repairs usually ranges from $15 to $100 (depending on the smartphone, as well as your country and city). The savings can be significant, because the original display for the same iPhone 6 with a replacement service can cost up to $150, and the glass itself can cost only $50. Therefore, if you break the glass on the screen of a new smartphone, but everything works, but the technician still talks about mandatory replacement for about $200 - you can try to find another technician who will only replace the broken glass. True, this is not always possible.

If the display has an air gap (in this case, when you press near a crack, the glass bends), then the sensor will have to be replaced. However, this is already easier; many more craftsmen are capable of doing normal repairs. The cost of replacing a touchscreen for a very popular or budget smartphone is from $10 to $30, plus the cost of labor (for example, in Ukraine - from 150 to 500 UAH, in Russia - from 1000 rubles). But for a rare model (for which spare parts are not mass produced) it may turn out to be twice as expensive.

What to do if you break the screen and it doesn’t work

If you break the screen and after that it either does not show (dark spots or areas filled with multi-colored patterns have appeared) or does not respond to your finger - everything is more complicated. For models without an air gap under the sensor, the entire display assembly will have to be replaced. The price of the issue depends on the model. For example, if you broke your iPhone 5S, you need to prepare to shell out about 30-50 dollars (the original screen is 1.5-2 times more expensive than a copy). On Xiaomi Redmi Note 2 or Meizu M3, the repair costs from 25 to 60 dollars (also depends on whether the spare part is original or a copy), and on Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge – all 300.

For smartphones with an air gap under the touchscreen (and this is the majority of Chinese-made devices, priced less than $120-130, and some models are more expensive), you can only replace the part that does not work. The price of the issue depends on the quality of the screen that happened to be broken and the complexity of the work. The replacement screen alone will cost between $25 and $50, and the sensor alone will cost slightly less. The popularity of the device also matters: for example, on the GSmart Mika M2, which cost about $100, the price of the assembled screen is about $50, and on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 3 Pro for $150 – from $20 (excluding the work of the technician).

Due to the wide range of prices in different workshops and service centers, if you break your phone, we recommend that you Google adequate prices before going to the repairman. You can do this simply by requesting something like “replacement/repair/price of screen [your smartphone model].” By comparing the offers of several services, you can determine where they are telling you a really favorable price for services, and where they are just trying to make good money on a girl who is not familiar with the intricacies of electronics repair and who accidentally broke her smartphone.

Let's find out! We'll try to figure out what went wrong.

Let's start with the reasons. Let's divide them into groups, like everything related to technology. You have heard more than once in your life that the warranty does not cover mechanical damage and liquid spills. Let's start from this.

We can talk for a long time about flooded devices and the reasons for sensor failure after liquid ingress. There can be a lot of them! Liquid and current, this mixture is unpredictable! And it is unpredictable because it can damage almost any element of the system. Or maybe even after liquid gets in contact with the device, everything will be fine; after it dries completely, it will work as before. But let me make a reservation right away: you shouldn’t flatter yourself with hopes that everything will pass and the gadget will “come to life”!!!

It can “come to life” only if it has been turned off, sometimes it “comes to life” if it is immediately turned off, but the main thing is that after everything it has dried thoroughly. So that with a guarantee that a short circuit will not occur when turned on. And here there is one important condition, the liquid in which the equipment was “bathed” or filled was WATER. Yes, if it was water, there are chances. If it's sweet tea, beer, wine, juice. Everything that contains sugar, gases, dyes, any impurities. This is detrimental to electronics. Be prepared that after this, expensive repairs may be required, and if water gets in, don’t relax, the repairs can affect everyone. It’s better not to risk it, but to take it to the nearest service center, let them clean it, and restore the damaged parts if necessary. To make a device unrepairable, you need either a complete lack of spare parts, which is extremely rare, or something fantastic, for example, splitting the device with an ax. Then the opportunity to repair will disappear. But we are talking about liquid ingress; repairs will depend only on the feasibility of restoration. The result is filled in - we go to the service.

Now let's move on to the axe. Just kidding, although an ax is a useful thing, we won’t consider it. Still, if a hatchet actually went through your device, send us a photo, it’s interesting to see. Save the leftovers as keepsakes. (We will post the best photos in this article).

Speaking about mechanical damage, you need to clearly understand that they are all consequences of an impact! There is no such thing as a sensor cracking like ice on its own. Well, since we decided to find out what to change, we need to understand the force of the impact and the scale of the damage. IN any device with a sensor, d The display module consists, roughly speaking, of two parts - a touchscreen and a display. The display is responsible for the picture, the touchscreen for interaction with the device. And if your device shows “signs of life,” then it will need to be repaired.

If the device does not show “signs of life,” then take it to the service center and, after diagnostics, make a decision on the advisability of repair. “Signs of life” when the display and sensor are not working, this is any confirmation of the operation of the device, indication, vibration, sound... This means that the “victim” is still “conscious”, and not all is lost. And if there are no “signs of life”, then only diagnostics can reveal the breakdown; now all devices are repairable, it’s a matter of price. We know of cases where, for the sake of information, the same device - a donor - was bought, and the memory was resoldered. After all, in most cases, personal gadgets become storekeepers of information that are of particular value to the user. Let's move a little away from the topic, let's return to display modules and their mechanical damage...

For modern devices, as a rule, there are 3 replacement options:

• touchscreen

• display

• module (this is a touchscreen and display assembly)

touchscreen- an information input device, which is a surface that responds to touches.

display- an electronic device designed for visual display of text and graphic information.

module- a device designed to visually display information with a touch-sensitive surface.

What does the display module consist of?

Without going into details, the module consists of: touch glass (touchscreen) and display, glued together. The glue provides better color rendition, without an air gap, the picture looks “juicier”. And this method prevents dust from getting between the layers.

Recently, an active race has begun in display production technologies: LED, AMOLED, IPS, AHVA, PLS. Everyone wants to make their screen brighter, more accurate, and juicier. We will not touch on manufacturing technologies and their differences. But any modern display consists of: a polarizing layer, it is needed for more accurate color rendition, the display itself, and backlighting.

As a rule, a module is a part completely ready for replacement. Exceptions include some variations where a frame may be required to install the module. The frame serves for tight gluing of the housing and the module. Often, if you repair it yourself, it’s easier to install the module...

So let's move on to the “symptoms” and consider the options.

• The touch glass is intact, the display is broken.

  Such situations are not fantastic; if the touchscreen is not glued to the display, then it may turn out to be more flexible than the display. And then, at the moment of impact, the sensor will bend and the display will be damaged. After all, touch glass does not imply the presence of glass as such. Now sensors are made from scratch-resistant polymers. While the displays mostly have a fragile glass coating. In such a situation, the display needs to be replaced.

• There is a “cobweb” on the glass of the device, the sensor works, there is an image.

  In such a situation, it’s up to you to decide aesthetically, if it suits you, then use it to your health. Paste the film so as not to get hurt.

• There is a “cobweb” on the device’s display, the sensor does not work, but there is an image.

  If we are talking about a phone or tablet, then it is impossible to use such a device. Definitely replacing the touchscreen or module assembly. If you have a laptop and it does not interfere with your work, then use it to your health.

• There is a “cobweb” on the device’s display, the sensor does not work, the display is broken.

  Definitely replacing the module, or the touchscreen and display together, in such a situation it is also impossible to use the device.

A simple table for self-diagnosis; it is visually easier to perceive the information.

Legend:

• "Cobwebs" on the glass - the presence of chips and/or cracks.
• the sensor works - the device responds correctly to touch.
• The display is in good working order - the display is in full working order, does not ripple, shows “like new”.

Do not be biased by the table, recommendations for replacing the module, everywhere. Yes, the module is more expensive, but the cost of replacing a module is often lower, and it is also faster and more reliable. As a rule, if the display was originally glued to the touchscreen, replacing the module In the end it won't be much more expensive than replacing the touchscreen. After all, not all services will undertake to unstick the module; there is a high risk of damaging the display with a piece of touch glass, and sometimes this is simply technically impossible to do. And simply because most equipment does not have separate touchscreens for sale. Therefore, whenever it is necessary to repair equipment with a sensor, we are talking about laptops, tablets and phones. First of all, find out about the possibility and cost of a separate replacement of the display or touchscreen, and compare it with the cost of the module.

We hope that this information was useful to you, Site Team.​

What to do if the touchscreen or display on your smartphone or tablet is cracked?

To begin with, I will explain some details, each device has, in common parlance, a screen, this is the part on which you see visual images and can control the device by physically pressing your fingers or using a stylus on the screen.

Let's take a brief look at what a screen is and what it consists of.

To be more precise, it is not called a screen at all, as the common people like to call it, but a display module. Why - a module? You may ask, because the word itself - module - implies a part consisting of several separate parts glued or pressed together to form a display module.

You need to understand and distinguish between what a touchscreen is and what a display is, they are not the same thing.

As we have already discussed above, the touchscreen and display are combined into one spare part called a display module. The full name is display module; the module itself is assembled at the manufacturer’s factory using special machines and combines:

Together, the display and touchscreen combine a kind of sandwich, i.e. display module.

How to determine what exactly is faulty in the touchscreen or display module?

The touchscreen is broken after a fall or any other mechanical impact.

First, inspect the entire display module. If there are cracks on the touchscreen (glass), but at the same time the image is transmitted clearly, there are no stains, stripes, lines, artifacts, smudges or broken pixels, then the display is intact. You will only have to change the touchscreen without the display, which is much cheaper than replacing the display module as a whole, but we do not recommend this method as it is a makeshift method, we will describe below why.

The display is broken after a fall or any other mechanical impact.

First, inspect the entire display module. As a rule, damage to the display responsible for displaying images without damaging the touchscreen (glass) is impossible. Since we have already said that the display module forms a kind of sandwich where the touchscreen stands above the display, it is likely that after a strong mechanical impact, the force of impact or squeezing caused damage not only to the touchscreen, but also to the display.
If you find that the image is not displayed as it should, has stains, stripes, lines, artifacts, smudges or broken pixels, then this is a clear sign of damage to the display and you will have to replace the entire display module, which we, in principle, advise even though the display intact, but the touchscreen is broken.

A homemade method of replacing the touchscreen on the display module yourself in the absence of professional equipment.

There are devices where it is impossible to replace the touchscreen separately from the display because At the manufacturing plant they are strongly glued together under vacuum on a machine and form a single spare part called a module. Of course, on the Internet there are countless video tutorials on how to independently separate the touchscreen from the display by heating it with a hairdryer. Craftsmen heat the display module around the entire perimeter with a stream of hot air, thereby melting the hermetic glue on which the already broken touchscreen is placed.

But I hasten to note that this is a makeshift method and it has many disadvantages. Most often, after heating, a broken touchscreen does not come off immediately; you have to literally tear off those very fragments, pieces of the broken touchscreen (glass) with tweezers or a stationery knife, like puzzles. When separating fragments of a wheelbarrow from the display, there is a high risk that the display itself will be damaged, broken pixels and micro-scratches appear, and after re-gluing a new wheelbarrow, corner flares and halos remain from pinching and uneven gluing.

Sometimes, after re-gluing, clearly visible fingerprints are found under the touchscreen, hairs that have fallen from the head during repairs, and dust that inevitably collects. The seal is no longer 100% tight. In the future, you will definitely expect the touchscreen to peel off at the corners of the module due to manual work and the lack of a uniform press with a table of the required pressure along the entire perimeter, the lack of necessary equipment such as a drying chamber for drying the glue, and most likely you will feel complete disappointment.

Of course, if you have level hands and do everything as it should, at the initial stage the work may look flawless, everything is clean and as if it came straight from the store.
But all the above-described disadvantages and problems are inevitable and will begin to appear after two or three days due to a simple temperature difference from room to street.

If, after all, you decide to replace the touchscreen yourself using a makeshift method, here are a couple of tips on how to do it correctly.

Buying a new touchscreen for plywood.

Before purchasing a new touchscreen, you need to accurately determine the part number of the spare part. The part number is a unique part number assigned by the manufacturer.
The touchscreen or display, and indeed any spare part in your device, in principle, has its own unique number, which is determined by a set of some letters and numbers and looks something like this: HY01160I
In appearance, the spare part sold may look identical, but there may be significant differences; you will not notice it with the naked eye, but if the cable going from the touchscreen to the board is located at least 2/5 of a millimeter to the right or left, or is bent slightly incorrectly then such a spare part simply will not fit on your device.

How to determine the part number of a spare part?

Basically, the P/N is located on the back of the touchscreen itself in the form of an engraving or sticker, and in order to determine it, the device must be disassembled and the touchscreen or what is left of it removed. Unprofessional disassembly of the device can lead to irreversible actions; you can tear the cable, having no idea which side to start bending the case from, etc. Of course, if you have a disassembly manual and steady hands, but it’s better to trust the specialists. If you did everything correctly, then this is not all you need to prepare.

You need to prepare:

1) Touchscreen for your model - be sure to take into account the part number of the spare part (P/N)
2) Glue or double-sided tape (superglue, PVA, instant glue will not work)
3) A set of screwdrivers for mobile devices, a spatula for separating touchscreen fragments.
4) Acetone
5) Clean cloth

Step - 1

First you need to disassemble your smartphone. Disassembly for each brand of smartphone is slightly different, so I will not describe the disassembly process itself. When your phone is disassembled, take the screen and heat it with a hair dryer. This is necessary to soften the glue with which the touchscreen is attached to the screen.

Step - 2

After the glue has softened, take a regular thread and, stretching it between the touchscreen and the screen, remove the touchscreen. After this, you need to wet the napkin with acetone and remove the remaining glue from the screen. Remove the adhesive carefully so as not to damage the fragile screen.

Step - 3

Prepare double-sided tape. To do this, cut it into small strips of small width (3-5 mm). Then wipe the screen dry, remove dust from it and cover its rim with strips of double-sided tape. Trim off any excess tape.

Next, take a new touchscreen, wipe it from dust and carefully stick it to the screen with double-sided tape. If everything went smoothly, you can assemble the phone in reverse order, after connecting the touchscreen connector to the main board of the smartphone.

Disadvantages of replacing the touchscreen or display yourself using a makeshift method.

1) Lack of knowledge on how to properly disassemble the device
2) Lack of mobile engineering expertise
3) Lack of professional equipment
4) Time spent on determining the part number and searching for spare parts
5) Purchasing a spare part without a guarantee of its continued performance
6) Non-return of spare parts if you made a mistake in the part number or if it is defective
7) Lack of spare parts in the Russian Federation and ordering them from abroad, waiting, risk of parcel loss and defects
8) Complete absence of guarantees
9) Cash costs for searching for spare parts, glue and consumables
10) Complete disappointment from the artisanal, quick, but not high-quality method of self-replacement.

Do you need it?

Here's my advice: change the entire display module right away, even if you just have a broken touchscreen. There is no need to strain yourself and waste your precious time, nerves and money on useless, low-quality, artisanal methods of re-gluing. Of course, I understand that the Russian people will find a cheap and simple way out of the situation even in hunger and cold, but does it always bring the expected result?
If you want high-quality repair of any of your devices, bring it to me, that is, to a specialist with level hands of the company

Ring! Smack! Clap! Slap! Crunch! It may sound different, and the reasons for this may also be very different, but when a smartphone encounters hard surfaces, the consequences for its owner are rarely joyful.

In addition, the law of the sandwich, as luck would have it, works reliably in such cases. Although when this very law was invented, there was no trace of expensive and fragile touch panels.

In general, he knocked. Emotions, understandably, surged. But the oohs and ahs, whether virtual or real, sooner or later subside, and the brain quite intelligibly generates the question required in such cases: “What to do?”

And then he begins to slowly throw up some information from his memory: they chose a beautiful case, not a strong one, insurance is an incomprehensible matter, so they ignored it, and Yes-ssss.ka! - the glass is cracked, the smartphone screen has gone out, and it definitely won’t be repaired under warranty. But I just bought...

So, what to do when your smartphone screen is broken? We stop being nervous and think, gradually:

#7. We need to find a working replacement device

A modern mobile user, faced with a completely everyday problem in the form of a broken screen of his favorite smartphone, for some reason suddenly decides that this problem can only be solved by buying a new device, and a truly new one, and not just another one.

Yes, we live in a consumer society, but it is still a society in which you probably have friends or just good acquaintances. So why not ask them for a while for some old smartphone, one of those that is not quite ancient and still works decently. Surely there will be one. Why do you need so many friends on VK, LiveJournal and other Facebooks if they’ve been willing to let you use their used Samsungs for a couple of weeks?

#6. smartphone screen crashed - let's face it

The screen of the smartphone was broken - there is such a thing, but it wasn’t blown to pieces. Turned on? Is the text readable? Does the touchpad respond to touch in any way? Does your finger obnoxiously catch on the protruding plastic every time you swipe it across the screen? Not really? Great! You are already thinking, which means the end of the world has not come yet. Try testing your smartphone. It may work normally, without the same comfort, of course, but it will be usable for a while. Let's move the thought further...

#5. Do-it-yourself repair?

No, well, for some, just one such decision may seem like a real feat. However, nowadays repairing and replacing a smartphone screen is not such a super complicated job. Detailed video guides on self-repairing smartphones are regularly published on the Internet. Any spare parts are available for free sale. Here, for example, is the Lenovo S720 touchscreen - more details. By the way, it is sold just for such cases.

We find the necessary videos, watch, learn, and draw conclusions. Many advanced users, thanks to this kind of lessons, have been doing some minor repairs themselves for a long time, thus increasing the technical level and saving money. So, it's worth being curious. Of course, there are also disadvantages to such an idea: the risk of making things even worse is always present. But if you’re not lazy, and have had steady hands since childhood, then you can always try. Don't feel confident or are we just afraid?

#4. smartphone screen is broken - we are looking for a repairman

Repairs at an official service center officially certified by the manufacturer are officially cool, but expensive, and also, by the way, official. That’s why even owners of all sorts of fashionable flagships often turn to ordinary workshops or familiar craftsmen. If you don’t really trust the guy who works at a kiosk on the next street and fixes everything right there, then you can look for a larger service and go to one of the network workshops. The essence of the fable is the same: your broken smartphone screen will be repaired or replaced, but it’s more logical not to spend too much money.

#3. smartphone screen is broken - exchange or sell

Even if a huge crater has formed where your smartphone screen used to be, there is still something left. So they will buy it. Today, mobile devices are bought in any condition. It is clear that you are unlikely to get rich from this, but you will earn something and in this way you will compensate for part of the costs of the new device. And there is also a trade-in system. This is when your old or broken smartphone will be exchanged for a new one at an additional cost. Analyze your options.

#2. Secondary

Let’s reveal a secret: your smartphone is a serial product, and it was produced or is still being produced in “small” series of hundreds of thousands of copies. Accordingly, they are sold in the same quantities. The same, for example, Lenovo s720, if you managed to smash the screen in it, you can buy it on the Internet from your hands. Do a little digging on sites that sell used electronics, a little care when inspecting and purchasing. Yes, it will be a different smartphone, but exactly the same, with a whole screen, and cheaper than in the store. Don't like used smartphones?

#1. Take a new one

Also an option. Simple, fast and guaranteed. And why not please yourself if there is such an opportunity? A broken smartphone screen is an excellent reason for this, I must say...