Common problems
Cracked phone screen
You have dropped it, the glass has gone, and the first thing through your head is what this is going to cost. Take a breath, because a cracked screen is the most common phone fault there is and on a handset you are otherwise happy with it is very often a straightforward swap, not the end of the phone. What matters is what the crack has actually damaged: sometimes it is only the top glass, sometimes the touch has gone with it, sometimes the display underneath is broken too, and those are different jobs at different prices. Tell us your exact make and model and what the screen is doing now, and we will confirm the part for free, say plainly whether it is worth putting right, and give you one fixed quote before the phone is opened. If we cannot fix it, you pay nothing.
- No fix, no fee
- We come to you
- The diagnosis is always free
- A real person who does the work, not a call centre
What it usually means
The likely causes, most common first
- Only the top glass is cracked and the display and touch still work perfectly underneath, the simplest and cheapest case
- The glass is cracked and touch has gone dead in patches, taps land in the wrong place, or the screen presses itself, so the touch layer has taken damage too
- There are lines, black patches, bright spots or a spreading ink-like bloom, which means the display panel itself is broken, not only the glass over it
- On most modern phones the glass, the touch layer and the display are bonded together as one part, so even a light crack usually means replacing the whole unit rather than a single pane
- Glass lifting or bulging from one edge, which is sometimes a swelling battery pushing the screen up from underneath rather than impact damage, and that is worth taking seriously
Not sure which is yours? That is what the free diagnosis is for. Call and describe it.
What we do
How we find the real fault
- You tell us the exact handset on the phone, iPhone or Android, and what the screen is doing now, so we arrive with the correct display rather than guessing at your door
- We come to you across Leeds, at home, at work or over a coffee, because a screen swap does not need a workshop and you should not have to post your phone away and go without it. You can drop it to us instead if that is easier
- We work out whether the fault is only the glass or the whole bonded display, and whether the touch layer still responds under the crack, because that is what decides the size of the job
- We fit the correct display for your exact model and test touch, brightness, the front camera and the sensors before we hand it back, because a screen that goes in has to work as well as the one that came out
- We are honest with you about the panel: whether it is an original-grade display or a lower-cost aftermarket one, and the trade-offs in feel and colour, so you choose with the facts rather than being sold the dearest option by default
- If the crack turns out to be a swelling battery pushing the screen up, we tell you plainly and deal with that safely, because a swollen cell is a fire risk and it will keep forcing the screen apart
- You get a fixed quote before any work begins, and if the phone is not worth fixing, or the repair costs more than the handset is worth, we say so and you pay nothing
Is it worth fixing?
An honest answer, before you spend anything
Nearly always worth doing on a phone you are otherwise happy with, since a screen swap costs far less than a new handset and keeps the phone you already know. A phone where only the glass has cracked and the display still works is the easiest yes there is. The honest turning point is an older or lower-value handset where a genuine bonded display costs a large fraction of what the phone is worth, or where more than one thing has broken in the same drop, for example the screen and the front camera together. If that is where yours has landed we will tell you plainly, at no charge, so you are not spending replacement money on a phone that a newer one would serve better. And even if you decide to move on, do not leave a badly cracked screen in daily use: sharp slivers cut fingers, dust and moisture work in through the gaps, and a failing touch layer tends to spread.
This is a phone repair job. The diagnosis is free, then you get one fixed quote before any work starts. If we cannot fix it, there is nothing to pay.
Call 0113 460 2103 for a free diagnosisWhere we work
We come to you across Leeds
Home or work, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 7pm. There is no walk-in shop, so we come to the machine, or you can arrange to drop it to us. Start at computer repair in Leeds, or pick your area.
Questions
The things people ask
Can you replace just the cracked glass, or do I need a whole new screen?
It depends on your handset. On a few phones the outer glass is a separate layer and can be replaced on its own, which is cheaper. On most modern phones the glass, the touch layer and the display are bonded together as one sealed unit, so even a crack in the glass alone means fitting the whole part. We will tell you which yours is when we quote, rather than after the job is underway, so there are no surprises.
The screen is cracked but it still works fine. Do I need to fix it now?
It is not usually an emergency if the display is clear and the touch still responds everywhere, but it is worth dealing with sooner rather than later. A cracked screen lets dust and moisture reach the inside of the phone, sharp slivers catch your thumb and can lift further, and a touch layer that has started to fail tends to spread until parts of the screen stop responding. There is no charge to have us confirm what the crack has actually reached and quote you, so you can make the call with the facts.
Is it the glass or the whole display that is broken?
You can often tell from the outside. If it is only a spider-web of cracks in the glass and the picture underneath is clear and touch works everywhere, it is likely just the glass and the touch layer. If you can see lines, black patches, bright spots or a spreading ink-like stain, or if touch has gone dead in places, the display panel itself is damaged, which is a bigger part. We confirm exactly which when we look, and the free diagnosis is there precisely to settle it before you spend anything.
How much does it cost to replace a cracked screen?
It depends entirely on your exact model and the type of display it uses, so we will not print a number we would only have to break. A screen for one handset can cost several times what the same job costs on another, and a high-end display is a very different part to buy and to fit than a basic one. You get a free diagnosis, we confirm the exact part your phone takes, and then you get one fixed quote before the screen is touched. If we cannot fix it, there is nothing to pay.
Will a cheaper aftermarket screen be as good as the original?
Sometimes it is close and sometimes you can tell the difference. Aftermarket panels vary: the best are hard to fault in daily use, while cheaper ones can differ in colour, brightness or the feel of the touch, and a few phones are fussy about non-original displays. We are straight with you about the choice and the trade-offs so you can weigh cost against quality yourself, rather than being handed the dearest option by default or a poor one without being told.
Can you fix it today?
Sometimes, and we will be straight with you rather than promise a slot we cannot keep. If we have the correct display for your model in hand, a screen swap is often done inside the visit. If your handset is less common, the right part can take a day or a few to reach us, and we will not fit the wrong screen just to be quick. Tell us the exact make and model when you call and we will give you a realistic answer, not an optimistic one.
Other problems
Sound more like one of these?
Tell us what is wrong.
Call and describe the fault. We will diagnose it for free, give you a fixed quote before any work, and if we cannot fix it there is nothing to pay. A real person who does the work, not a call centre.