At some point, all of us have dropped our mobiles. The lucky ones have gotten away with no noticeable damage. The unlucky ones, however, have ended up with cracked screens.

How can we prevent this?

Focus

Most damage occurs because we are not focused when we are using our phones. Some of us still have the old mindset (from the Nokia 3310 time) that nothing will happen to our phones; until it does! All we need to do is be a little more careful when we take out and put back our phones from our pockets/purses. The maximum drops take place at this time.

I use an iPhone X. It was really expensive when I bought it and hence I am extremely careful when I use it.

Use a Case/Cover (Buy here!)

Most people do use a mobile phone case, however, I have seen a few people who use a phone without a case. These people are truly living on the edge.

If you were to drop your phone and it was to hit any corner, a screen crack would originate from the corner. The case would protect the corners.

Use a Screen Protector/Guard

There are several types of screen protectors available.

PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) Film (Buy here!)

It consists of a scratch resistance coating on one side and an adhesive coating (the side we stick on the screen) on the other side. This type of screen guard only protects from scratches (limited to fingernails, coins, and keys). They are also prone to get discolored because of sunlight and oil from fingers.

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) Film (Buy here!)

This type of screen guard is superior to PET. It includes scratch resistance, oil and grease resistance, increased elasticity and toughness. It can absorb tiny impacts which would usually leave a temporary small dent.

Tempered Glass (Buy here!)

This is the best! It has the best toughness, feel, look and installation is the simplest.  When going for tempered glass, always buy a high-quality one. Check for fingerprint resistance.

What do I do once my screen is cracked?

If you have dropped your phone and cracked the screen, the first thing to do is back up all the data on the phone. This can be done by connecting your phone to your computer and copying all the data or using a cloud backup.

Depending on how severe the cracks are, please stop using the phone. We wouldn’t want glass splinters!

There are several vendors who replace the screen with “compatible” screens, which would cost a lot less than the “original” screens.

However, all newer phones come with water & dust resistance ratings (iPhones have IP68 now). So, if you are getting your screen replaced from a 3rd party vendor, please ensure that the vendor has the capability to restore the water  & dust resistance seals.

I would recommend an original replacement from an authorized service center.

Be safe.